四人帮在上海的亲信对上海人民封锁消息，并决定转移到民兵指挥部办公8日晚，徐景贤、王秀珍、朱永嘉、廖祖康等人开会商议。朱永嘉说：“要拉出民兵来干！打一个星期也是好的，时间拖得越长对我们越有利，让全世界都知道，大不了像巴黎公社那样！”他们决定立即紧急动员民兵，并成立了两套班子。徐景贤下达了手令：“请民兵指挥部加强战备，二千五百人集中，三万一千民兵待命（即晚上集中值班）。请民兵指挥部立即派人加强对电台、报社的保卫。”同时，徐还向上海警备区一师长下手令，要求调两个连，一个听电台指挥，一个“听从市委的指挥”。
上海民兵指挥部的施尚英、钟定栋等人接受任务后，制订了两个方案。其一为“捍一”：控制首脑机关、报社、电台、机场和市区桥梁、车站、码头、交通要道的兵力部署。其二为“方二”：以江苏、浙江为作战目标，从上海外围到市中心设立三道控制圈的兵力部署。具体内容有：全市准备动用武装民兵3.3万余人、炮85门、机枪78挺、枪支2.7万余支、弹药296余万发；民兵干部彻夜值班；基本指挥所在江南造船厂，预备指挥所在中国纺织机械厂，10月9日11时进驻完毕；开设电台15部，组成两个联络网；动用汽车125辆、摩托车100辆；在上海与江苏、浙江交界处设六个控制圈；派出武装渔轮巡逻，控制黄浦江渡口；规定反空降方案和口号、暗令、标记。同时，上海市公安局的薛干青、徐成虎也连夜组织1300多人的武装民警，还组织了紧急演习。
就在10月8日晚12时，王秀珍还在民兵指挥部召集陈阿大、黄金海、马振龙、叶昌明、戴立清等上海老造反派头目，宣布：北京右派叛变了，修正主义上台了！我们要对着干！打三天、四天也好，让全国知道，也教育后代！
The cronies of the Gang of four in Shanghai blocked the news from the people of Shanghai and decided to transfer the office to the militia headquarters on the evening of the 8th, where Xu Jingxian, Wang Xiuzhen, Zhu Yongjia, Liao Zukang, and others held a meeting for consultation. Chu Yung-chia said, "pull out the militia to do it! It would be good to fight for a week, and the longer the time drags on, the better it will be for us to let the whole world know that it will be like the Paris Commune! " They decided to immediately and urgently mobilize the militia and set up two teams. Xu Jingxian issued a warrant: “ask the militia headquarters to strengthen combat readiness, 2500 people concentrated, 31000 militia on standby (that is, concentrated on duty at night).” Ask the militia headquarters to immediately send someone to strengthen the security of radio stations and newspapers. " At the same time, Xu also issued an order to a division commander in the Shanghai garrison district, demanding that two companies be transferred, one under the command of the radio and the other “under the command of the municipal party committee.”
After accepting the task, Shi Shangying, Zhong Dingdong and others of the Shanghai militia headquarters formulated two plans. One is to “defend one”: to control the deployment of troops in the head of state organs, newspapers, radio stations, airports and urban bridges, stations, docks, and major traffic roads. The second is the “square two”: the deployment of troops targeting Jiangsu and Zhejiang and setting up three control circles from the periphery of Shanghai to the city center. The specific contents are as follows: the city is prepared to use more than 33000 armed militia men, 85 guns, 78 machine guns, more than 27000 guns and more than 2.96 million rounds of ammunition; militia cadres are on duty all night; the basic command post is located in Jiangnan Shipyard and the preparatory command post is located in China Textile Machinery Factory, which was stationed at 11:00 on October 9; 15 radio stations were set up to form two contact networks; 125 cars and 100 motorcycles were used. Set up six control circles at the junction of Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang; send armed fishing vessels to patrol to control the Huangpu River ferry; and stipulate anti-airborne plans and slogans, secret orders and marks. At the same time, Xue Ganqing and Xu Chenghu of the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau also organized more than 1300 armed police overnight and organized emergency exercises.
At 12:00 on the evening of 8 October, Wang Xiuzhen summoned Shanghai veteran rebel leaders such as Chen Ada, Huang Jinhai, Ma Zhenlong, Ye Changming, and Dai Liqing at the militia headquarters and announced: Beijing Rightist has turned traitor, revisionism has come to power! We must oppose them! Fight for three or four days, let the whole country know and educate future generations!