Make All Preparations to Seize the Great
Northwest
 (June 6, 1947)
To Chen [Geng], Xie [Fuzhi], and Han [Jun], and for the information of Peng
[Dehuai] and Xi [Zhongxun]:1
	 1.	 We agree with what you said in your telegram of the 5th about planning to
start moving northward after the 15th for a westward crossing.
	 2.	 You are to hold a meeting for cadres at the battalion level and above, and
repeatedly explain to them that they must be prepared to undergo much hardship in waging battle under conditions very different from those in southern
Shanxi, and that they must have the courage to overcome all difficulties and
have the ambition to destroy Hu Zongnan2 and seize the great Northwest.
In addition, they must be prepared to wage positional warfare (mobile warfare will be greatly reduced in the future), learn to carry out short-distance
maneuvers, and be good at attacking strongholds. You absolutely must adopt
a positive stance in making all this perfectly clear to cadres at the battalion
level and above, and through them to make it clear to the soldiers, mobilizing all commanders and soldiers to courageously carry out the new task. As
for the fact that the Shaan[xi]-Gan[su]-Ning[xia] Border Region can only
supply you with provisions and all other material assistance will have to be
taken care of by the Taiyue area, you must also explain this very clearly to
the cadres to avoid complaints in the future. In sum, you must be fully prepared in all respects, both mentally and materially. For this purpose, you may
choose an appropriate spot on the way from southern Shanxi to Jundu to rest
for a few days and to hold meetings for cadres and soldiers.


The Military Commission


Our source for this telegram is Mao Zedong wenji, Vol. 4, pp. 252–53, where it is reproduced from Mao’s handwritten manuscript.

--- Notes

1.  Mao Zedong drafted this telegram on behalf of the Central Military Commission.
Chen Geng was commander of the Fourth Column of the Jin-Ji-Lu-Yu (Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan) Field Army, Xie Fuzhi was political commissar, and Han Jun was deputy
commander. Peng Dehuai was commander and political commissar of the Northwest Field
Army, and Xi Zhongxun was deputy political commissar.

2.  Hu Zongnan was commander of the Guomindang army’s First War Zone.
DOI:  10.4324/9781315719511-317