It Is Better to Lose Some Places Than to Be
Forced to Fight
(July 30, 1946)
To Zhang [Dingcheng], Deng [Zihui], and Su [Yu]:1
Before such time as our main forces have been amply replenished and have
rested and recovered from their exhaustion, and while the enemy does not yet
occupy a position that is advantageous to us, we would rather lose a few localities than be coerced into battles that we have no assurance of winning. This time,
Su’s forces wiped out 20,000 of the enemy and fought very well.2 From now on
you must not be over-eager to engage in battle, and in principle you should fight
only those battles you are likely to win. A large enemy force of 100,000 men
is advancing to attack us, and it is inevitable that we will lose some localities.
You should be mentally and organizationally prepared to deal with any adverse
circumstances.
The Military Commission
Our source for this text is Mao Zedong junshi wenji, Vol. 3, pp. 369–70, 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 Military Commission.
Zhang Dingcheng was commander, Deng Zihui was political commissar, and Su Yu was
deputy commander, respectively, of the Central China Military Region.
2.  The Central China Field Army fought a battle at Xuanjiabao and Taixing, and
another at Ru’nan (Rugao city). More than 13,000 Guomindang troops were annihilated
in these battles.
DOI:  10.4324/9781315719511-209