Shandong Military Region Should Find It Advantageous to First Destroy Wu Huawen’s Forces and Others[1]

(May 30, 1946)

Comrade Chen:

Regarding the proposal put forward in your telegram of the 23rd,[2] after studying it with Zhang and Li,[3] it seems advantageous to first destroy the 12,000 men of Wu Huawen’s[5] forces in the Tai’an–Dawenkou[4]–Yanzhou area, the 12,000 men of Zhang Jingyue’s[7] forces in the Zhangdian–Zhoucun–Nanding[6] area, and the 6,000 men of Wang Jixiang’s[8] forces in Dezhou, totaling 30,000 men. First, the development of the current situation is gradual, not abrupt; it would appear reasonable for us to start by fighting smaller targets, and unreasonable to start with larger ones. Second, after destroying the above three forces, we can observe how the diehards react and then decide the direction for deploying our main force, so as not to fall into passivity. Third, when we attack Wu Huawen, both Jinan and Xuzhou may send reinforcements, and when we attack Zhang Jingyue, both Jinan and Weixian[1] may send reinforcements; we can then destroy the reinforcing enemy forces through mobile operations. The above views are provided for your consideration. If you have new and important reasons, please telegraph them.

Central Military Commission
Chen, the 30th

[1] This was a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, addressed to Chen Yi, Commander of the New Fourth Army and concurrently Commander of the Shandong Military Region.

[2] Refers to the telegram sent by Chen Yi to the CPC Central Committee on the morning of May 23, 1946. The telegram suggested that when civil war broke out, Shandong should adopt a strategy of attacking in the north and defending in the south. Given that the Kuomintang forces in Shandong were dispersed and their combat effectiveness was weak, while the enemy fortifications in the Xuzhou area were strong, the existing Shandong forces proposed using a portion to conduct mobile defense in coordination with Central China against Xuzhou, while concentrating over 30 regiments to besiege Jinan, which could be captured in at most one month. After accomplishing the task of attacking Jinan, the main force would move south or north to attack Beiping and Tianjin, while a portion would advance eastward to recover the railway line from Jinan to Qingdao, thereby gaining overall initiative and freedom, facilitating self-defense and protracted warfare.

[3] Zhang and Li refer to Zhang Yunyi and Li Yu, who were then respectively Deputy Commander of the New Fourth Army and concurrently Deputy Commander of the Shandong Military Region, and Deputy Political Commissar. Both were in Yan’an at the time.

[4] Dawenkou, a town name, located in the southern part of present-day Tai’an City, Shandong.

[5] Wu Huawen’s forces refer to the Kuomintang’s Temporarily Organized 7th Column, with Column Commander Wu Huawen.

[6] Zhangdian, Zhoucun, and Nanding are all town names, belonging to present-day Zibo City, Shandong.

[7] Zhang Jingyue’s forces refer to the Kuomintang’s Shandong Security 3rd Division, with Division Commander Zhang Jingyue.

[8] Wang Jixiang’s forces refer to the Kuomintang’s Temporarily Organized Independent 13th General Brigade, with Commander Wang Jixiang.

[1] Weixian, an old county name, abolished in 1983 and merged into Weifang City, Shandong.