Combat Tasks of the Central China Field Army for September and October[1]

(September 4, 1946)

To Su and Tan, with information to Chen[2]:

(1) Your telegram of the morning of the 2nd[3] has been received. The plan is very good. It is hoped that the combat tasks on the eastern front can be completed in the first half of September, with rest and consolidation in the second half. In the first ten days of October, attack and seize the Yangzhou-Taizhou line[4]; rest and consolidate in the middle ten days; and enter Huainan for operations in the last ten days. (2) When attacking Rugao, all units must make full preparations.

The Military Commission

9th day, 9–11 p.m.

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee to Su Yu, commander of the Central China Field Army, and Tan Zhenlin, its political commissar.

[2] Chen refers to Chen Yi, then commander and concurrently political commissar of the Shandong Field Army.

[3] This refers to the telegram sent by Su Yu and Tan Zhenlin at 7–9 a.m., September 2, 1946, to the CPC Central Committee, Chen Yi, Song Shilun, Zhang Dingcheng, and Deng Zihui. The telegram stated: Huangqiao has been occupied. There is no problem in launching the general attack on Hai’an on the 5th or 6th. We plan to attack Rugao with seven regiments after taking Hai’an, with three regiments as reserves. If the diehards cannot send reinforcements before September 5, we will attack and occupy Hai’an; if the diehards send reinforcements after the 5th, we are determined to use twenty regiments to wipe out two to three of their divisions before attacking Rugao. In this way, after the first phase of operations on the Central Jiangsu battlefield is completed in September, we can advance westward. If the diehard reinforcements do not come, we can advance westward fifteen days ahead of schedule. The westward advance is in accordance with the Central Committee’s directive to seize Yangzhou and Taizhou and restore the Third and Fourth Sub-districts. It is estimated that two months will be required.

[4] Yangtai refers to Yangzhou and Taizhou in Jiangsu Province.