Page 41 - SELECTED WORKS OF ZHU DE

FOUR CROSSINGS OF CHISHUI 37

5. Each army group should report to the Military Commission by
telegraph the place they have reached after the crossing.
6. The Military Commission, under my command, is to arrive at
Maotai at 21:30 hours today (the two companies of the 9th Army
41
Group under Regimental Commander Hong are moving along with
us).

VII. PLAN OF OPERATIONS FOR THE FOURTH CROSSING
OF THE CHISHUI RIVER
17:00 Hours, March 2o, 1935

1. We expect that the enemy troops under Guo, who are in hot
pursuit of us, will co-ordinate their action with the Sichuan troops at
Xuyong and Gulin and the Yunnan troops at Bijie and in Chishui
Township, who want to intercept us. This will not be favourable for
our advance west.
2. Our field armies have decided to turn east secretly, deter-
minedly and swiftly and to take the enemy by surprise. They must
cross the Chishui River to the east bank in the Erlangtan-Lintan sector
on the night of the 21st so as to be able to manoeuvre.
3. For these reasons, the movements of our various army groups
today (the 20th) and tomorrow will be as follows:
a. The 5th Army Group will try to contain the enemy troops
under Guo and draw them to Gulin to gain more time for us to cross
the river. Its rear communication line will proceed from Lianghekou to
Taipingdu via Dacun and Yudonggou. The 5th Army Group must hold
the enemy east of Dacun tomorrow (the 21st) until nightfall, then
march quickly to Yudonggou and Taipingdu and cross the river on
the morning of the 22nd. The routes and ferries for the army groups
follow:
b. The 9th Army Group will take the Hetaoba road and make its
crossing at Erlangtan.
c. The Military Commission column will march by way of Yu-
donggou and make its crossing at Jiuxikou.
d. The 3rd Army Group will march by way of Yucha, Shijiakou
and Zoumaba and make its crossing at Taipingdu.
e. The 1st Army Group will march by way of Shijiakou and