Take the Principle of Striking Isolated Enemy Forces by Fighting Many against Few[1]

(January 27, 1947)

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

Your telegram of the 26th[3] noted. (1) It is very good to strike first the relatively weak enemy on the right flank. After victory, if the 74th Division and the 11th Division have not moved, you may then strike the 64th Division and the 20th Division on the left flank, as well as the 77th Division, 59th Division, 83rd Division, and other units in the center, so as to completely isolate the 74th Division, the 11th Division, and the 7th Division, and then seek the opportunity to annihilate them. In general, take the principle of striking isolated enemy forces by fighting many against few. (2) What is the situation regarding the rest and consolidation of the troops? It seems advisable to rest for about ten more days. (3) Liu and Deng have already occupied Dingtao; there should be no problem in cutting off the Longhai Railway and containing the 5th Army.

Military Commission

Zigan

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee, addressed to Chen Yi, Commander and Political Commissar of the East China Field Army; Su Yu, Deputy Commander; and Tan Zhenlin, Deputy Political Commissar.

[2] Liu and Deng refer to Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping, who were then respectively Commander and Political Commissar of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army.

[3] This refers to the telegram sent by Chen Yi, Su Yu, and Tan Zhenlin on January 26, 1947, to the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee and to Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping. The telegram stated: The enemy has assembled 17 brigades along the line from Longhai to Xin’anzhen, and 8 brigades in the area from Lincheng to Tai’erzhuang. We are currently discussing and deciding to strike first the enemy’s reorganized 25th and 65th Divisions on the right flank, and then lure the reorganized 74th and 11th Divisions northward to annihilate them. We suggest that Liu and Deng’s forces cut the railway and tie down the enemy’s 5th Army for a period, so that we can achieve the first step of victory in early February, after which subsequent operations will be easier to carry out successfully.