Opinions on the Campaign in Rehe
(May 3, 1946)
To Nie [Rongzhen], Liu [Lantao], Cheng [Zihua], and Xiao [Ke], and for the
information of Ye [Jianying], Luo [Ruiqing], Lin [Biao], and Peng [Zhen]:1
	 1.	 We agree with the telegram of May 1st from the Hebei-Rehe-Liao[ning]
Sub-bureau regarding your intention to launch attacks within a week against
the diehard enemy along the Chaoyang-Pingquan railway and to completely
destroy this rail link. The reason is that the diehards have transferred two
divisions to the Northeast to engage in civil war in violation of the agreement. We must destroy the railway in order to prevent them from transferring troops again.
	 2.	 When attacking the enemy and destroying the railway, all armies should
assemble their forces to attack certain spots. Each army should choose one
spot to attack, and after it is captured, it should attack a second, and then
a third. Avoid at all costs attacking everywhere at once and dispersing the
troops. You should hold back a reserve force to continue the battle.
	 3.	 The columns of Huang [Yongsheng], Zhu [Dixin, 1910–2002, native of
Hubei], and Wen [Niansheng]2 are being deployed in this battle and for the
moment will not be transferred.
	 4.	 Zhan Caifang’s3 army will focus on destroying the Jin[zhou]-Yu[guan]
railway.
	 5.	 Remain inactive along the [Bei]ping-Gu[beikou] railway and at Nankou
for the time being, but Nie [Rongzhen] should order our army there to take appropriate actions to capture certain unoccupied areas, which will serve as
a warning and will prevent the diehard enemy from moving.
	 6.	 After the Rehe Campaign is completed, we will once again hold meetings
with the United States to restore peace.
The Central Committee

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Notes

Our source for this text is Mao Zedong junshi wenji, Vol. 3, pp. 204–5, where it is
reproduced from Mao Zedong’s handwritten manuscript preserved in the Central Archives.

--- Notes

1.  Mao Zedong drafted this telegram on behalf of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. Nie Rongzhen was commander and political commissar and Liu
Lantao was deputy political commissar, respectively, of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military
Region. Cheng Zihua was political commissar and Xiao Ke was commander, respectively,
of the Hebei-Rehe-Liaoning Military Region. Ye Jianying was the Chinese Communist
Party’s representative in the Beiping Office for Military Mediation, and Luo Ruiqing was
chief-of-staff. Lin Biao and Peng Zhen were commander-in-chief and first political commissar, respectively, of the Northeast Democratic Allied Army.

2.  Huang, Zhu, and Wen were commander, political commissar, and deputy commander, respectively, of the Hebei-Rehe-Liaoning Military Region.

3.  Zhan Caifang was commander of the Eastern Hebei Military Region.
DOI:  10.4324/9781315719511-135