Chapter 63 The current policy of the Eighth Route Army in North China and Central China

(April 1, 1940) Zhu Peng, Yang, Liu Deng, Xu Zhu, Chen Luo, Xue Feng, Hu Fu, Xiang Ying and Chen Yi[1]: My current policy in North China and Central China: (1) A certain party [2] is currently concentrating its troops in the north of the Yellow River and in the Luliang Mountains. My task is to try my best to moderate it and avoid all speeches and actions that stimulate a certain party.Our army, on the other hand, guards the line of defense with deep ditches and high fortifications in case of danger, endures its military provocations, does not return a single shot, and writes more sincere and firm but non-irritating letters, leaflets, and slogans to ease their emotions and stabilize us. The line of defense is aimed at bringing Shanxi and Hebei provinces into a calm situation.Without the consent of the central government, military conflicts shall not occur.

(2) A certain party is now aggressively attacking the New Fourth Army in central Hubei, eastern Anhui, and Huaibei. Our New Fourth Army should carry out a self-defense war resolutely and in a planned manner. The eastern Anhui and Huaibei must stand alone for three months until reinforcements arrive. , and then aggressively counterattacked. (3) Our Eighth Route Army has the task of mobilizing enough forces to go south to central China to reinforce the New Fourth Army, repel reactionary attacks, eliminate surrendering anti-communist forces, and build a new great anti-Japanese base area.This base area covers the north of the Huaihe River, the east of the Huainan Railway, the north of the Yangtze River, and the west of the sea.Zhu and Peng coordinated the commanding personnel and troop deployment.Its arrival time is divided into three phases: in the first phase, there must be a main force regiment, which must arrive in eastern Anhui within a month with a quick march; There must be a fairly large force (not less than 15,000 people), and it will arrive near Yangzhou in northern Jiangsu within three months.The total number of troops in the first, second, and third phases needs to be 40,000 to 50,000 in total to complete this urgent and great task.

(4) Our Lunan and Jiaodong troops must take active actions to eliminate all the most reactionary surrendering anti-communist forces and expand the anti-Japanese base areas.However, we must try our best to win over the middle forces, and we must try our best to contact all the troops that are still able to cooperate with us in resisting Japan and the troops that are not good but have not yet attacked us, and we must not violate any one of them. (5) Regardless of whether North China or Central China, follow repeated instructions from the central government to take a political offensive, call on all friendly forces to oppose the civil war, support Chiang Kai-shek, and unite in the war of resistance.

(6) The overall purpose is to repel the reactionary offensive, expand the anti-Japanese forces, overcome the danger of surrender, and strive for a better situation. (7) The specific layout shall be planned by each locality according to this general policy. Central and Military Commission april 1st Published according to Mao Zedong's manuscript. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ 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.Yang, referring to Yang Shangkun, then Secretary of the Northern Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.Liu Deng refers to Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping, who were respectively the commander and political commissar of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army at that time.Xu Zhu refers to Xu Xiangqian and Zhu Rui, who were respectively the commander and political commissar of the First Column of the Eighth Route Army at that time.Chen Luo refers to Chen Guang and Luo Ronghuan, who were acting commander and political commissar of the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army at that time.Xuefeng, also known as Peng Xuefeng, was the commander and political commissar of the Sixth Detachment of the New Fourth Army at that time.Hu Fu, namely Liu Shaoqi.Xiang Ying was then Secretary of the Southeast Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Secretary of the New Fourth Army Branch of the Central Military Commission, and Deputy Commander of the New Fourth Army.Chen Yi was the commander of the Jiangnan Command of the New Fourth Army at that time.

[2] Refers to the Kuomintang authorities.