Rapidly Organize the Rehe Field Army and the Jidong Column[1]

(October 25, 1945)

Peng Zhen and Zihua, forward immediately to Li Yunchang[2]:

Regarding the organization of the Jidong Field Army. (1) Chiang Kai-shek is currently transporting troops by land, sea, and air to the Beiping-Tianjin-Tangshan-Qinhuangdao line, numbering up to 200,000. Of these, 100,000 will be positioned along the Tangshan-Qinhuangdao line for the purpose of attacking the Northeast; the transport and arrival dates are not yet determined. Another 100,000 will be positioned along the Beiping-Tianjin line; apart from a portion garrisoning this line, the main force will attack Rehe[3]. This force is currently being transported by air and land and can be fully assembled by mid-November. (2) We have decided to organize the Second Field Army of Jicha-Jin, with Xiao Ke as commander and Luo Ruiqing as political commissar, to be formed within three weeks, comprising five brigades and fifteen large regiments (each regiment 2,000 strong), positioned in the Pingbei area. Its mission is to annihilate, from west to east, the diehard troops attacking from Beiping toward Chengde. My two regiments under Huang Yongsheng[4] and two regiments under Wen Niansheng[5], totaling approximately 6,000 (all veterans), have arrived at Chengde to serve as the backbone of the Rehe Field Corps. Order Yunchang to immediately direct the forces under his command in Rehe to draw out approximately 8,000 to 10,000 troops with relatively strong combat effectiveness, to be combined with the Huang and Wen forces into the Rehe Field Army, under

the command of Cheng Zihua, to rapidly consolidate the Gubeikou area and coordinate operations with Xiao and Luo. (3) The Jidong forces under Yunchang’s command should be rapidly divided into two parts: field army and local army. That is, from the entire existing force, draw out approximately 15,000 to 20,000 troops with relatively strong combat effectiveness, organize them into seven to ten large regiments, group every three regiments into one brigade, forming a total of two to three brigades, collectively designated as the Jidong Column. Yunchang shall personally lead this column and position it in a mobile area. Depending on future circumstances, it will either coordinate with our Liaoning Field Army to strike the diehard troops attacking from inside the Pass toward outside the Pass, or coordinate with the field armies of Xiao and Luo and Cheng Zihua to strike the diehard troops attacking from Beiping toward Chengde. (4) The Central Committee is not clear about the quantity, quality, and distribution positions of our forces in the two areas of Jidong and Rehe. It is hoped that upon receiving this telegram, Yunchang will, on the one hand, proceed to organize and form the troops according to the above policy, and on the other hand, report the actual situation in the two areas to us via Peng Zhen, the sooner the better.

Military Commission
Youyou

--- Notes

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee, addressed to Peng Zhen, Political Commissar of the Northeast Military Region, and Cheng Zihua, its Commander.


[2] Li Yunchang was then serving as Commander and Political Commissar of the Ji-Re-Liao Military Region.


[3] Rehe was the name of a former province, encompassing the northeastern part of present-day Hebei Province, the southwestern part of Liaoning Province, and the southeastern part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It was abolished in 1955.


[4] Huang Yongsheng was then serving as Brigade Commander of the 2nd Instruction Brigade of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia-Shanxi-Suiyuan Joint Defense Force, leading his troops to escort a Yan'an cadre group to the Northeast.


[5] Wen Niansheng was then serving as Commander of the 3rd Guerrilla Detachment of the Eighth Route Army, leading his troops toward Rehe.