As Long as the Command Is Both Flexible and Courageous,
the Enemy’s Offensive Can Be Smashed[1]
(September 25, 1946)

To Nie and Liu, to be forwarded to Xiao and Luo,[2] and to inform Cheng and Li, Zhan and Bi:[3]

Our Chen Geng Column[4] on Shen-Yang day completely annihilated Hu Zongnan’s[5] 1st Brigade; his 167th Brigade also suffered heavy casualties, and a part of it is currently being encircled and wiped out by our forces. Fushan city, which Hu’s troops had occupied, has been recovered by us. It should be noted that our Chen Geng Column has only three brigades. After annihilating one of Hu’s brigades in July, Hu’s troops halted south of Jiang County and dared not advance rashly. In August, our Chen Column moved north to capture the five cities of Hong, Zhao, Huo, Ling,[6] and Fenxi. At that time, Hu’s troops seized the opportunity to occupy Yuanqu, Quwo, Fushan, and other places. Therefore, the Chen Column has now returned to smash the main force of Hu’s troops once again (the 1st Brigade and the 167th Brigade are both from the old 1st Army). From this it can be seen that as long as

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee to Nie Rongzhen, Commander and Political Commissar of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region, and Liu Lantao, Deputy Political Commissar, and others.
[2] Xiao and Luo refer to Xiao Ke and Luo Ruiqing, who were then respectively Commander and Political Commissar of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Field Army.
[3] Cheng and Li refer to Cheng Zihua and Li Yunchang, who were then respectively Commander and Political Commissar and Deputy Commander of the Hebei-Rehe-Liaoning Military Region. Zhan and Bi refer to Zhan Caifang and Bi Zhanyun, who were then respectively Commander and Deputy Commander of the Eastern Hebei Military Region.
[4] The Chen Geng Column refers to the 4th Column of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army, with Chen Geng as Column Commander.
[5] Hu Zongnan was then Commander-in-Chief of the 1st War Zone of the Nationalist Army.
[6] Hong and Zhao refer to Hongdong and Zhaocheng, both old county names. In 1954 they were merged into Hongzhao County, Shanxi, and in 1958 renamed Hongdong County, Shanxi. Huo and Ling refer to Huo County and Lingshi in Shanxi.

As Long as the Command Is Both Flexible and Courageous,
the Enemy’s Offensive Can Be Smashed

the command is both flexible and courageous, the enemy’s offensive can be smashed. It is hoped that the entire army will be notified so as to boost morale.

The Military Commission

Shen-You day