Press the Victorious Offensive to Recover Lost Territories and Create a Mobile Battlefield[1]

(January 18, 1947)

Liu, Deng, and inform Chen, Su[2]:

You have smashed the two units of Fang Xianjue and Liu Ruzhen[3], and the situation is extremely favorable. It is hoped that you will press the victorious offensive and extensively attack and capture all relatively weak and assailable enemy-occupied strongpoints in the vast areas near you, extensively annihilate all enemy regular forces, puppet troops, and local militia, recover large tracts of lost territory, and not be restricted by the railway. After a period of mopping-up operations north of the railway[4], you can then cross south of the railway to attack and capture a large number of county seats, cities, and towns; when there is an opening to exploit on the northern side, move back north of the railway for operations, and fundamentally do not be pinned down by Qiu[5]’s army. If Qiu’s army moves south seeking battle with you and is easy to fight, then concentrate all forces to annihilate Qiu’s army, while continuing to carry out the above tasks; if it is not easy to fight, then use a part of your forces to contain it, while the main force still seeks out enemies that are easy to fight and strikes them. In this way, in about two months’ time, the vast areas north and south of the railway can be turned into a mobile battlefield, so as to attract Qiu’s army and other main forces of Xue and Gu[6] here and annihilate them. Around May this year, the main

[1] This is 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.

[2] Chen refers to Chen Yi, then Commander and Political Commissar of the Shandong Field Army. Su refers to Su Yu, then Commander of the Central China Field Army.

[3] Fang Xianjue, then Commander of the Reorganized 88th Division of the Kuomintang Army. Liu Ruzhen, then Commander of the Reorganized 68th Division of the Kuomintang Army.

[4] North of the railway refers to the area north of the Xuzhou-Kaifeng section of the Longhai Railway.

[5] Qiu refers to Qiu Qingquan, then Commander of the 5th Army of the Kuomintang Army.

[6] Xue refers to Xue Yue, then Director of the Xuzhou Pacification Headquarters of the Kuomintang Army. Gu refers to Gu Zhutong, then Commander-in-Chief of the Army General Headquarters of the Kuomintang Army.

force can then move out toward the Central Plains. Our Fifth Division is in an extremely difficult situation in southern Shaanxi, western Henan, and western Hubei; if you move out too late, there is a danger of its defeat.

The Military Commission

Zi Qiao Hai