Chapter 20 Bravery must be linked with prudence
(October 25, 1937)
Comrades Zhu Pengren, Lin Nieluo, He Guanxiao, Liu Xuzhang [1] and transferred to responsible comrades at all levels:
After a small victory, you will be arrogant, despise the enemy, and think that you are great.The attack on Qigen Village of the 771st Regiment[2] was the result of this kind of victory.It is advisable for you to issue a general order to the entire army, and to convey it to the soldiers of the company, explaining that the war against Japanese imperialism is a long process of hard struggle.All those cadres who claim to be the best in the world, are full of pride, and have no eyesight, must tell them with profound words that they must link bravery with prudence, and oppose one-sided views and mechanism in the army.
Mao Zedong
October 25
Printed from transcripts kept at the Central Archives.
-------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------
note
[1] Zhu, refers to Zhu De.Peng, referring to Peng Dehuai, was the deputy commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army at the time.Ren refers to Ren Bishi, who was then the director of the Political Department of the Eighth Route Army.Lin, referring to Lin Biao, was the commander of the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army at the time.Nie refers to Nie Rongzhen, who was then the political commissar of the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army.Luo, refers to Luo Ronghuan (1902-1963), a native of Hengshan, Hunan, who was then the director of the Political Department of the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army.He Guanxiao refers to He Long, Guan Xiangying, and Xiao Ke, who were respectively the commander, political commissar and deputy division commander of the 120th Division of the Eighth Route Army at that time.Liu Xuzhang refers to Liu Bocheng, Xu Xiangqian, and Zhang Hao (Lin Yuying), who were respectively the division commander, deputy division commander and political commissar of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army at that time.
[2] On October 23, 1937, the 771st Regiment of the 386th Brigade of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army was attacked by a regiment of the Japanese Army and more than 200 cavalry in Qigen Village, Pingding County, Shanxi Province. The attack resulted in more than 30 casualties.