Diverting Liu Zhi’s Forces to Delay the Timing of a Decisive Main-Force Engagement[1]

(August 13, 1946)

Liu, Deng, Zhang, and inform Chen and Song[2]:

(1) Your telegram of Wen You[3] received. We celebrate your great victory in occupying the Longhai Railway. (2) After completing the Longhai operations, reorganize your formation. The second step should be to immediately seize Chenliu[4], Tongxu, Qixian, Suixian, Ningling, Shangqiu, Taikang, Zhecheng, Luyi, Boxian, and other towns, threaten the New Yellow River, and compel the forces Liu Zhi[5] has redeployed from Shaanxi and Henan to deploy defensively along the New Yellow River, so that they dare not concentrate at Kaifeng to attack us. In this way, we can gain over half a month to occupy the entire territory of eastern Henan (the main part) and the Wo River basin, thereby delaying the timing of a decisive main-force engagement.

The Military Commission

Wei Yuan

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[1] This telegram was drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China and addressed to Liu Bocheng, commander of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army; Deng Xiaoping, its political commissar; and Zhang Jichun, its deputy political commissar.

[2] Chen and Song refer to Chen Yi and Song Shilun, who were then respectively commander and concurrently political commissar, and chief of staff of the Shandong Field Army.

[3] This refers to the telegram sent at You hour on August 12, 1946, by Liu Bocheng, Deng Xiaoping, and Zhang Jichun to the Central Military Commission and to Chen Yi, Song Shilun, Bo Yibo, and Wang Hongkun. The telegram stated: The Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army commenced Longhai operations on the night of the 10th. After two days and two nights, it has captured and occupied Lancheng, Yejigang, Liba, Liuheji, Yangji, Dangshan City, Lizhuang, and other towns and stations. Minquan City can be occupied tonight. We now control three sections of the railway totaling approximately 200 li and are mobilizing the masses to carry out thorough destruction. All units are expanding the fruits of victory eastward and westward.

[4] Chenliu, a former county name, was merged into Kaifeng County, Henan Province, in 1957.

[5] Liu Zhi was then director of the Kuomintang’s Zhengzhou Pacification Headquarters.