Main Force That Took Part in the Campaign Should Assemble for Rest and Reorganization, While Troops Not Yet Used Should Seek Opportunities to Destroy a Part of the Enemy at Dongming[1]

(September 7, 1946)

Liu, Deng:

(1) Your telegram of the 6th has been received and read with great satisfaction. We congratulate you on the great victory in destroying the 3rd Division and request that an order be transmitted commending the whole army. (2) The enemy still has offensive strength. The main force of our army that took part in this campaign should immediately assemble for rest, reorganization and replenishment in preparation for further operations, and the rest and replenishment should be completed within ten days starting from the 8th. (3) Use the troops not yet engaged to seek opportunities to destroy a part of the enemy in the Dongming area and, when the opportunity arises, to occupy Kaocheng and recover Dongming; use local units to penetrate deep behind enemy lines and carry out harassing attacks against the enemy. (4) Please inform us of your present disposition of forces, the number of men, the number of rifles, the names of the chief officers and the combat effectiveness of the units.

Military Commission

Noon, 7th

[1] This was a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee to Liu Bocheng, commander, and Deng Xiaoping, political commissar, of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army.