Swiftly Attack and Occupy the Daning–Jixian Area[1]

(November 3, 1946)

Chen, Xie, and inform Bo and Wang[2]:

Your Dong-Xi telegram[3] noted. (1) If Hu Zongnan[4] attacks Yan’an very soon, we cannot wait for you to strike the 90th Division and then shift westward. You are to dispatch the 24th Brigade to move out swiftly without waiting for coordination by Peng and Luo[5], attack and occupy the Daning–Jixian area; the main force of the 4th Column is to remain in its present location and await orders. (2) Transfer the Yang-Su Column[6] southward to be positioned in Taiyue to take over the 4th Column’s tasks in southern Shanxi. However, the Yang-Su Column’s movement south will take time; the 4th Column must, before Yang-Su

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee to Chen Geng, commander of the 4th Column of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army, and Xie Fuzhi, its political commissar.

[2] Bo and Wang refer to Bo Yibo and Wang Hongkun, who were then respectively the first deputy political commissar and the second deputy commander of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region.

[3] This refers to the telegram sent at you time on November 1, 1946, by Chen Geng, Xie Fuzhi, Yang Qiqing, and Liu Zhong to the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee, with copies to Bo Yibo and Wang Hongkun. The telegram stated: (1) To coordinate with the Yan’an operations, we must immediately attack and occupy the Daning–Jixian area. (2) The 4th Column must deliver an annihilating blow to Hu’s diehard 90th Division before it can withdraw troops for westward reinforcement. It is suggested that the Independent 4th Brigade and the 24th Brigade, under the command of Peng Shaohui and Luo Guibo, attack and occupy Daning and Jixian. At the same time, the 4th Column should besiege Huo County to lure the enemy’s 90th Division into reinforcing it, then destroy it, and also attack and occupy Huo County and Zhaocheng, dispatch one brigade to coordinate with the Taiyue local forces to pin down Dong Zhao, after which the 4th Column would then coordinate with Peng and Luo’s forces to reinforce Yan’an westward.

[4] Hu Zongnan was then commander-in-chief of the 1st War Zone of the Kuomintang army.

[5] Peng and Luo refer to Peng Shaohui and Luo Guibo, who were then respectively deputy commander and deputy political commissar of the Lüliang Military Region.

[6] The Yang-Su Column refers to the 1st Column of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Field Army, with Yang Dezhi as column commander and Su Zhenhua as political commissar.

arrives, move out as soon as the order is received. (3) At the same time, inform us by telegram how much time is needed to strike the 90th Division and what the degree of certainty is.