Central Directive on the Policy of "Better Troops and Simpler Administration"

(March 6, 1946)

To the East China Bureau, the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Bureau, the Central China Sub-Bureau, and for the information of Rongzhen and He Long:

Regardless of how the situation may develop in the future, we must carry out the policy of "better troops and simpler administration" and lighten the people's burdens, as this is essential for the consolidation and sustained defense of the Liberated Areas. Your three regions have the largest troop strengths and bear the heaviest burdens. You should promptly decide on a policy for implementing troop and administrative reductions. In our opinion, the first phase should reduce forces by one-third and be completed within approximately three months. The personnel and weapons thus released should be systematically and appropriately reassigned to agricultural production in the countryside. After the first phase is completed and experience has been gained, a second phase should reduce forces by another one-third. As to whether this approach is appropriate and what specific measures should be adopted, we hope you will convene meetings within ten days of receiving this telegram to discuss the matter, formulate plans, and send representatives to Yan'an to report, so that a final decision can be made and then immediately implemented. The Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei area has already put forward a general plan. We hope that, based on what Enlai has conveyed, you will reconsider and formulate a detailed plan, which Rongzhen should bring to the Central Committee for discussion as soon as possible. As for the Shanxi-Suiyuan area, we request that He Long immediately begin planning and, together with Rongzhen, come to Yan'an by plane for a meeting.

The Central Committee

Yinyu [March 6]

Manuscript of the "Directive on the Policy of 'Better Troops and Simpler Administration'" drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.