The Jin-Cha-Ji forces should strive to
annihilate about two enemy brigades per month[1]
(November 9, 1946)
Nie, Xiao, Luo, Liu:
Your telegram of the 7th[2] received. As long as you can annihilate the enemy in large numbers, it is fine to strike the 94th Army or the 53rd Army first, and then attack the 16th Army. You should strive to annihilate about two enemy brigades per month; it is not impossible to annihilate about six enemy brigades in three to four months. You must constantly keep 12 to 18 regiments at hand to operate together, and be able to encircle and annihilate an entire enemy division (three regiments) in one engagement; then you will be able to open up the situation.
The Military Commission
Jiaxu
[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, addressed to Nie Rongzhen, Commander and Political Commissar of the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region; Xiao Ke, Deputy Commander; and Luo Ruiqing and Liu Lantao, Deputy Political Commissars.
[2] Refers to the telegram sent by Nie Rongzhen, Xiao Ke, Liu Lantao, and Luo Ruiqing to the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China at 10:00 on November 7, 1946. The telegram stated: In the Huailai Campaign, because the main forces were not concentrated in time, the attack on the enemy’s 43rd Division advancing westward from Fanshanbao failed to achieve its objective, and the opportunity to strike the enemy’s 16th Army in the area north of Taohuabao was lost. Therefore, it was decided to shift eastward to conduct operations along the Beiping-Hankou Railway, with the determination to first use the main forces to seek opportunities east and west to annihilate the enemy’s 94th Army or 53rd Army, and after the enemy’s 16th Army continues to penetrate deep into our area, then concentrate all forces to annihilate it step by step.