Two Conditions for Fighting a Large-Scale
Battle of Annihilation
 (January 25, 1947)
To Nie [Rongzhen], Xiao [Ke], and Luo [Ruiqing]:1
Two conditions for fighting a large-scale battle of annihilation:
	 1.	 Use a small unit of troops to pin down other units of the enemy’s forces
while amassing an absolutely superior force to strike at one enemy contingent. Never fight two enemy forces at the same time; it is also not permissible to use massive troop strength to pin down the enemy.
	 2.	 Use one unit to attack from the front, and the main force to outflank the
enemy. It is absolutely not permissible to make a frontal attack with the main
force and to use a single unit to outflank the enemy. It is hoped that you will
reference these two points in examining past experience, making plans for
new battles, and fighting a few really good large-scale battles of annihilation.
The Military Commission
The source of this text is Mao Zedong junshi wenji, Vol. 3, p. 640, where it is reproduced from Mao’s handwritten manuscript preserved in the Central Archives.

--- Notes

1.  Mao Zedong drafted this telegram on behalf of the Central Military Commission.
Nie Rongzhen was commander and political commissar of the Jin-Cha-Ji (Shanxi-ChaharHebei) Military Region, Xiao Ke was deputy commander, and Luo Ruiqing was deputy
political commissar.
DOI:  10.4324/9781315719511-266