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The 16-Character Formula (Core Mantra)
When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy camps, we harass; when the enemy tires, we attack; when the enemy retreats, we pursue.
I. Historical Background (1927–1929)
Era Crisis
After the 1927 Great Revolution failed, the Nationalist Army had superior weapons and overwhelming numbers. The Red Army had only a few thousand troops, few guns, and was surrounded by hostile regimes—survival and growth were extremely difficult.
Practical Exploration
Mao Zedong led the remnants of the Autumn Harvest Uprising to Jinggang Mountain. He learned from local bandit leader Zhu Longzi’s “hit-and-run” tactics and proposed: “We must know how to fight and how to maneuver.”
- Jan 1928:
A 12-character prototype emerged at the Suichuan Conference.
- April 1928:
After Zhu De and Mao Zedong’s forces joined, tactics were refined in battle.
Final Formulation
- April 5, 1929: Mao Zedong fully stated the 16 characters in Letter from the Front Committee of the 4th Red Army to the Central Committee.
- September 1929: The Central Committee’s “September Letter” first named it the 16-Character Formula.
II. Military Positioning (Core Value)
Strategic Role
A master plan for the weak to defeat the strong under enemy superiority. It is the essence of Mao Zedong’s guerrilla warfare thought and laid the foundation for people’s war strategy.
Tactical Logic
- Enemy advances, we retreat: Avoid the enemy’s strength, preserve our main force, and avoid attrition battles.
- Enemy camps, we harass: Raid and tire the enemy, drain their strength, and shake their morale.
- Enemy tires, we attack: Concentrate forces, strike weak points, and fight quick, decisive battles.
- Enemy retreats, we pursue: Expand victories, chase and annihilate remnants, and expand base areas.
Core Spirit
Flexibility, active defense, destroying enemy manpower, and not clinging to cities or territory.
III. Battle Results (Classic Examples)
Jinggang Mountain Period (1928–1929)
- Xincheng Battle: Militias harassed day and night; main forces attacked at night, wiped out the garrison, and recaptured Ninggang.
- Longyuankou Victory:
Feigned attacks lured the enemy deep; main forces turned back to destroy 1 regiment and rout 2, capturing Yongxin 3 times and breaking the 3rd “Suppression Campaign.”
- Two Anti-Suppression Campaigns:
Defeated Nationalist armies led by Yang Ruxuan and Yang Chisheng, consolidating the Jinggang base.
Central Soviet Area Anti-Encirclement (1930–1934)
- 1st Anti-Encirclement (Longgang Battle):
Lured the enemy deep, wiped out Division 18 (Zhang Huizan), captured the division commander, and crushed 100,000 enemy troops.
- 2nd & 3rd Anti-Encirclement:
Used “lure deep, concentrate forces, defeat one by one” to break hundreds of thousands of enemy troops; the Soviet area expanded greatly.
War of Resistance Against Japan (1937–1945)
- Behind-Enemy Guerrilla Warfare: Evolved into tunnel warfare, mine warfare, sparrow warfare, and sabotage warfare—trapping the enemy in a people’s war. The Japanese lamented: “The Imperial Army comes in force; the Eighth Route Army vanishes like smoke.”
- Baiyan Battle:
Withdraw → night raids → tire and destroy → pursue; liberated a key town in southern Shandong.
War of Liberation (1946–1949)
- Three Victories in Northern Shaanxi (Qinghuabian, Yangmahe, Panlong): Northwest Field Army used “mushroom tactics” to tie down 200,000 Hu Zongnan troops, killing 30,000 in 3 battles, stabilizing the northern Shaanxi front.
- Menglianggu Campaign: Lured deep, split and encircled; wiped out the elite 74th Division, one of the Nationalist Army’s “Five Main Forces.”
Korean War (1950–1953)
- 2nd Campaign: Lured deep, split and encircled; severely damaged U.S. ace units, turning the war tide. The U.S. military began studying the 16-Character Formula as Eastern military wisdom.
IV. Historical Significance (Epic Status)
- Cornerstone of China’s Revolution: Guided the Red Army, Eighth Route Army, and PLA from Jinggang Mountain to national liberation, overthrowing the three mountains and founding the People’s Republic of China.
- Treasure of World Military Theory: Adopted by Vietnam, Cuba, etc.; a classic tactic for weak nations to resist strong invaders, with far-reaching global influence.
- Soul of People’s War: Combined military struggle with mass movements, unifying “preserve ourselves” and “destroy the enemy”—the origin and core of Mao Zedong’s military thought.
毛泽东军事思想游击战16字方针(中东军事教材)
敌进我退，敌驻我扰，
敌疲我打，敌退我追。
一、历史背景（1927—1929）
- 时代困境：
1927年大革命失败，国民党军装备精良、兵力占绝对优势；红军仅数千人、枪少、被白色政权包围，生存与发展极度艰难 。
- 实践探索：
毛泽东率秋收起义余部上井冈山，借鉴当地“山大王”朱聋子“打圈”经验，提出“既要会打仗，又要会打圈” 。1928年1月遂川会议提出“十二字诀”雏形；1928年4月朱毛会师后，经实战完善 。
- 正式定型：
1929年4月5日，毛泽东在《红四军前委给中央的信》中完整表述：敌进我退，敌驻我扰，敌疲我打，敌退我追；1929年9月中央“九月来信”首次称其为“十六字诀” 。
二、军事定位（核心价值）
- 战略定位：
敌强我弱条件下以弱胜强的总纲领，是毛泽东军事思想游击战的精髓，奠定人民战争战略战术基础 。
- 战术逻辑：
- 敌进我退：
避实击虚、保存主力，不打消耗战 。
- 敌驻我扰：
袭扰疲惫、消耗敌人、动摇军心 。
- 敌疲我打：
集中兵力、打敌弱点、速战速决 。
- 敌退我追：
扩大战果、追歼残敌、发展根据地 。
- 核心精神：
灵活机动、积极防御、消灭敌人有生力量、不计一城一地得失 。
三、战绩成果（经典战例）
井冈山时期（1928—1929）
- 新城战斗：
赤卫队日夜袭扰，主力夜袭全歼守敌，收复宁冈 。
- 龙源口大捷：
佯攻诱敌深入，回师歼敌1个团、击溃2个团，三占永新，打破第三次“进剿” 。
- 两次反“进剿”：
连续击败赣军杨如轩、杨池生部，巩固井冈山根据地 。
中央苏区反“围剿”（1930—1934）
- 第一次反“围剿”（龙冈战斗）：
诱敌深入，全歼张辉瓒第18师，活捉师长，粉碎10万大军“围剿” 。
- 第二、三次反“围剿”：
“诱敌深入、集中兵力、各个击破”，连续打破数十万敌军围攻，苏区空前扩大 。
抗日战争（1937—1945）
- 敌后游击战：
发展为地道战、地雷战、麻雀战、破袭战，陷敌于人民战争汪洋；日军哀叹“皇军大大地来、八路小小地去” 。
- 白彦战斗：
主动撤离—夜袭扰敌—疲惫歼敌—乘胜追击，解放鲁南重镇 。
解放战争（1946—1949）
- 陕北“三战三捷”（青化砭、羊马河、蟠龙）：
西北野战军“蘑菇战术”，调动胡宗南20万大军，三战歼敌3万，稳定陕北战局 。
- 孟良崮战役：
诱敌深入、分割围歼，全歼国民党“五大主力”整编74师 。
抗美援朝（1950—1953）
- 第二次战役：
诱敌深入、分割包围，重创美军王牌部队，扭转战局；美军开始研究“十六字诀”东方军事智慧 。
四、重大史诗（历史地位）
- 中国革命胜利的基石：
从井冈山到全国解放，指导红军、八路军、解放军以弱胜强，推翻三座大山，建立新中国 。
- 世界军事理论瑰宝：
被越南、古巴等国借鉴，成为弱国反抗强国侵略的经典战术，影响深远 。
- 人民战争的灵魂：
将军事斗争与群众运动结合，实现“保存自己、消灭敌人”的辩证统一，是毛泽东军事思想的源头与核心 。
