Zhao Erlu Is to Proceed to Lincheng1
 (October 30, 1945)
To Zhao Erlu, and for the information of Nie [Rongzhen], Xiao [Ke], and Deng
[Xiaoping]:2
The Thirtieth Army, the Fortieth Army, and the New Eighth Army are surrounded in the Handan area by our comrades Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping,
and a fierce battle is ongoing. Hu Zongnan3 ordered all three divisions of the
Sixteenth Army at Shijiazhuang to move southward to provide reinforcements.
To resolutely wipe out the encircled enemy and then eliminate the enemy reinforcements, we have decided to change the deployment of Zhao’s forces. After
receiving this telegram, Comrade Zhao Erlu should lead the six main-force regiments directly southward to the Lincheng area, southwest of Gaoyi, where they
will be commanded by Liu and Deng. After completing this task, [Zhao] can
move on to Pingbei.
Our source for this text is Mao Zedong junshi wenji, Vol. 3, p. 95. It also appears in Mao
Zedong junshi wenxuan. Neibuben, p. 374.
1.  Mao Zedong drafted this telegram on behalf of the Central Military Commission.
2.  Zhou Erlu was commander of the Hebei-Shanxi (Ji-Jin) Military Region. Nie Rongzhen was commander and political commissar of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei (Jin-Cha-Ji)
Military District, and Xiao Ke was deputy commander. Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping
were the commander and political commissar, respectively, of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan (Jin-Ji-Lu-Yu) Military Region.
3.  Hu Zongnan was commander of the Guomindang’s First War Zone.
DOI:  10.4324/9781315719511-59