To the 8th Route Army’s 120th Division, 359th Brigade: Reply Telegram No. 145, March 31. On that very day, we sent a telegram of good news to the CPC Central Committee and Comrade Mao Zedong, briefly outlining our next operational plan. On March 31, we received Comrade Mao Zedong’s reply, which read as follows:

Your telegram reporting the capture of Pingjiang and the warm welcome extended by the local people was received today. We are greatly encouraged! We approve your staying in northern Hunan for a period to establish a base area linking north and south (encompassing Anyang, Tongcheng, Pingjiang, Liuyang, Qiuyang, Baifeng, Changsha, and Pumin), after which you may continue your advance southward.

However, you must pay close attention to your tactics: do not take the initiative to attack the enemy; instead, wait for them to strike first, then deliver a crushing blow, always acting in self-defense.