1938年10月,日军进逼武汉。根据中央指示,时任中央军委副主席、长江局副书记兼统战部长、国民政府军委会政治部副部长的周恩来于10月25日武汉失守的当天撤退来到湖南,在此陆续开展了半年之久的革命活动。在湘期间,周恩来四次来到衡阳,指导开展抗日救亡运动。第一次来衡—筹建八路军 In October 1938, the Japanese army forced Wuhan. According to the instructions of the Central Government, Zhou Enlai, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, vice secretary of the Changjiang Bureau and concurrently Minister of United Front Work and deputy minister of the Political Department of the National Government Military Commission, retreated to Hunan on the day of the fall of Wuhan on October 25, Long revolutionary activities. During his stay in Hunan, Zhou Enlai came to Hengyang four times to guide the anti-Japanese national salvation movement. The first time to balance - build the Eighth Route Army