Deployment to Increase Troops in the
Northeast
(November 4, 1945)
To Liu [Bocheng], Deng [Xiaoping], Bo [Yibo], Zhang [Jichun], and Li [Da], and
for transmission to Nie [Rongzhen], Xiao [Ke], Liu [Lantao], and Luo [Ruiqing],
and Luo [Ronghuan] and Li [Zuopeng]:1
Regarding moving the 20,000 men from the column of Yang and Su2 and the
12,000 men from Chen Geng’s3 column to the Northeast to take part in resisting
diehard Chiang’s attack, so as to control the Northeast  and deploy for a project
of lasting significance and vital importance, please consider how you plan to handle this and respond by telegram. The Soviet Union already allowed Chiang’s
side to land in Huludao and Yingkou on October 30, to advance to the JinzhouHaicheng line on November 12, and to advance to Shenyang on November 20,
and the Soviet troops will complete their withdrawal by November 25. At present,
our army controls Huludao and Yingkou and is repelling a landing by Chiang’s
army. Wang Shijie4 has made representations to the Soviet ambassador urging
that the Chinese Communists not put up such resistance. The Soviet ambassador
responded that this is the Chinese people’s own affair and the Soviets will not
intervene, so until now Chiang’s troops have not yet landed. It may be possible to force Chiang’s troops to land first in Dagu, Tangshan, and Qinhuangdao, in
which case we could gain time to prepare for war on the inner front, resolutely
defend Shenyang, and prevent Chiang’s army from occupying it. As soon as the
Soviet army withdraws, our side will declare the autonomy of the people of the
Northeast. Lin Biao has now been assigned the position of commander-in-chief of
the Northeast People’s Autonomous Army; Lü Zhengcao, Xiao Jinguang [1903–
1989, born in Changsha, Hunan], Li Yunchang, and Zhou Baozhong [1902–1964,
born in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan] (volunteer army leader) have
been assigned the positions of first, second, third, and fourth deputy commanders,
respectively; Peng Zhen and Luo Ronghuan have been assigned the positions of
first and second political commissars, and Cheng Zihua [1905–1991, native of
Hubei] has been assigned the position of deputy political commissar to place unified command over all troops in the Northeast and to make battle deployments.
Within two weeks or so, we can complete the process of taking on all provincial
governments and industry in the Northeast. The 5,000 men under Li Yunchang
who were the first to enter the Northeast have already expanded to 80,000 men and
have been dispersed throughout southern Manchuria as the local armies, although
their fighting ability is weak. At this point, it is estimated that our regular army
troops that have entered Manchuria total approximately 50,000, and those currently en route that are to arrive within two weeks total another 50,000 or so,
which makes a total of approximately 100,000 troops that can serve as the main
fighting force on the inner front. But Chiang Kaishek is determined to fight for
the Northeast; he had originally planned to dispatch two armies, but seeing that
our forces are strong, there is news that he has now dispatched three more armies.
We estimate that he has at least five armies, fifteen divisions (American-outfitted),
and 150,000 men. Under these conditions, the focus of the war will shift to the
Northeast and there will be a fierce battle. Because of this, our side must dispatch additional strong military units to join in the combat. It has been decided
to move 20,000 men from Yang and Su’s column, 12,000 from Chen Geng’s column, 12,000 from Zhao Erlu’s5 forces, 40,000 and during the second stage from
Shandong, 20,000 from the New Fourth Army, and 5,000 from the border region,
for a total of 109,000 who in the latter half of December will arrive at the juncture
of Rehe, Liaoning, and eastern Hebei to launch a pincer attack on Chiang’s army
from the outer front, with one section doing everything possible to break into the
inner front. Transferring 32,000 men from the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan
[Jin-Ji-Lu-Yu] Region will certainly be difficult in terms of carrying out a continued attack against diehard Chiang and pushing northward, but after your two great
victories, there is still the possibility of organizing two new columns to replace
the forces that were transferred. How does this sound? Awaiting your response.
The Central Committee
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Notes

Our source for this text is Mao Zedong wenji, Vol. 4, pp. 63–65, where it is reproduced
from Mao’s handwritten manuscript preserved in the Central Archives.

--- Notes

1.  Liu Bocheng was commander and political commissar of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan (Jin-Ji-Lu-Yu) Military Region, and Deng Xiaoping, Bo Yibo, Zhang Jichun,
and Li Da were political commissar, first deputy political commissar,  second deputy political commissar, and Political Department chairman, respectively. Nie Rongzhen was commander and political commissar of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei (Jin-Cha-Ji) Military Region,
and Xiao Ke, Liu Lantao (1910–1997, native of Shaanxi), and Luo Ruiqing were deputy
commander, deputy political commissar, and deputy political commissar and Political
Department chairman, respectively. Li Zuopeng was originally chief-of-staff of the Shandong Military Region. When this document was written, he was accompanying Luo Ronghuan to the Northeast.

2.  Yang Dezhi and Su Zhenhua (1912–1979, born in Yueyang) were commander and
political commissar, respectively, of the First Column of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army.

3.  Chen Geng was commander of the Fourth Column of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army.

4.  Wang Shijie was foreign minister of the Nationalist government.
DOI:  10.4324/9781315719511-75

5.  Zhao Erlu was commander of the Hebei-Shanxi (Ji-Jin) Military Region.