Explanation on the Central Committee’s Decision to Abandon Yan’an[1]

(November 1946)

There is nothing bad about abandoning Yan’an. We are trading a bone for a piece of fat meat. After Hu Zongnan enters the border region, we should not immediately cut off his retreat. Let him come in a bit further. Do not be in a hurry to strike. Instead, we must drag him along, lead him by the nose, and fight a war of attrition against him, so as to relieve the pressure on the armies of Liu and Deng.

Every additional soldier of Hu Zongnan that we tie down here reduces the danger for the armies of Liu and Deng by one degree. They will then be able to gain a firm foothold, thrust into the Dabie Mountains, and open up a new situation.

[1] Some people could not come to terms with the Central Committee’s decision to abandon Yan’an. This is part of Mao Zedong’s remarks on the reasons for abandoning Yan’an.