The Significance of the Central Plains Army’s
Success in Breaking out of the Encirclement
(July 15, 1946, 9:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M.)
To Zheng [Weisan], Li [Xiannian], and Dai [Jiying], and for the information of
Wang Zhen:1
	 1.	 We received your telegram of the 15th.2 It is very good that you are resting
for two days.
	 2.	 Once you have entered the Shanyang, Zhashui, and Zhen’an areas, since they
are in the mountains and there is no enemy on either side, you should rest for
a few more days to completely recover from your fatigue. You should consider whether it is possible to strike a blow at the pursuing enemy in southern
Shaanxi and wipe out some parts of it; you should also consider whether it
is possible to establish a temporary base area in southern Shaanxi, where it
would be convenient to stay for a certain period of time, and afterwards leave
behind a small detachment to fight guerrilla actions in southern Shaanxi
while the main force crosses the Han River, takes Tong[jiang], Nan[jiang],
and Ba[zhong], and opens up a new situation.
	 3.	 You should rest as much as possible; the enemy can do nothing to you.
	 4.	 After Wang [Shusheng] and Liu [Zijiu]3 crossed the Xiang River, the
Fifteenth Brigade was pursued by the Sixth Division of the Seventy-fifth
Army at Liushuigou4 and was unable to cross the river. Now it is marching northward along the east bank of the Xiang River and has arrived at
the Gengjiaji and Xinjie5 area northeast of Yicheng. Although this brigade
fought with the Sixth Division, it suffered very slight losses (according to the
enemy’s report).
	 5.	 The entire campaign to break out of the encirclement has been a success and
the enemy gained nothing. This action of yours has shifted the strength of
the three units under Cheng Qian, Liu Zhi, and Hu Zongnan,6 dealt a great
shock to the reactionaries, and caused them great difficulties. Your operation
is therefore very significant to the overall situation.
	 6.	 According to information from Xi’an, director of the Political Department of
the First War Zone Gu Xiping [1900–1957, native of Jiangsu] and Garrison
Commander Zhao Caiji [1907–1961, native of Zhejiang] said at a banquet
that Li Xiannian’s intention is to occupy southern Shaanxi, control the central Shaanxi plains, and coordinate with northern Shaanxi; his movements
are swift, and the threat is very great; the Guomindang army was planning to
attack northern Shaanxi in two weeks, and now this plan has been spoiled,
and so on. From this, we can see how greatly you have contributed to the
overall situation.
The Military Commission

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Notes

Our source for this text is Mao Zedong junshi wenji, Vol. 3, pp. 346–47, where it is
reproduced from Mao’s handwritten manuscript preserved in the Central Archives.

--- Notes

1.  Mao Zedong drafted this telegram on behalf of the Central Military Commission.
Zheng Weisan was political commissar and Li Xiannian was commander, respectively, of
the Central Plains Military Region, and Dai Jiying was political commissar of the First
Column of the Central Plains Military Region. Wang Zhen was deputy commander and
chief-of-staff of the Central Plains Military Region.

2.  The telegram from Zheng Weisan and Li Xiannian described the exhaustion of their
troops after four days of marching and blocking the enemy offensive, exacerbated by rain
and mud. They reported crossing the Danjiang River and reaching the area west of Xichuan,
while the right column of Wang Zhen’s troops reached the coast of Henan at Jingziguan.

3.  Wang Shusheng and Liu Zijiu (1901–1988, native of Shandong) were commander
and deputy political commissar, respectively, of the First Column of the Central Plains
Military Region.
DOI:  10.4324/9781315719511-202

4.  Liushuigou is a township located in southeastern Yicheng county, Hebei Province.

5.  Gengjiaji is a township, now known as Gengji, located in southwestern Zaoyang
county, Hebei Province. Xinjie is a township located in northeastern Yicheng county.

6.  Cheng Qian (1882–1968, born in Liling, Hunan) was director of the Wuhan Field
Headquarters  of the Guomindang government’s Military Affairs Commission. Liu Zhi was
director of the Guomindang army’s Zhengzhou Pacification Office. Hu Zongnan was commander of the Guomindang army’s First War Zone.