The Situation on Various Battlefronts and the Work of the Central Working Committee in the Coming Six Months

(June 14, 1947)

Zhu, Liu[1]:

All telegrams received. The handling was very correct. Has Shaogi’s health improved? I hope he will rest at ease for one month and resume work after recovery. We are all in good health; I am much better than when I was in Yan’an. Since mid-April, we moved to the upper reaches of the Dali River and passed nearly two months in tranquility. From the 9th to the 11th of this month, four brigades under Liu Kan[2] made a tour of our station and the nearby areas of Wangjiawan, Woniu City, Qingyangcha, and other places. Apart from slight losses suffered by the populace, there were no losses. Now Liu’s troops have scurried back toward the area between Yan’an and Bao’an[3], their purpose being entirely harassment. To sum up the three months of war in the border region: in the first month, local work was somewhat confused; from the second month onward, it has been put on the right track, with the Party, government, army, and people resolutely struggling against the enemy. Within the enemy ranks, mutual recriminations are increasing daily, morale is declining daily, and they are pessimistic about the future. We, on the other hand, have very high confidence and very strong morale. Peng and Xi[4] led the field army to Longdong at the end of last month.

[1] Zhu and Liu refer to Zhu De and Liu Shaoqi.
[2] Liu Kan (1908–1948), a native of Taoyuan, Hunan. At the time, he served as commander of the Reorganized 29th Army of the Nationalist Army.
[3] Bao’an, present-day Zhidan County, Shaanxi.
[4] Peng and Xi refer to Peng Dehuai and Xi Zhongxun, who at the time served respectively as commander and political commissar, and deputy political commissar, of the Northwest Field Army.

Because the Qinghai Ma[1] 82nd Division was quite tenacious, the attack on Heshui was unsuccessful, but one regiment of the Cavalry 2nd Brigade and one regiment of the Ningxia Ma[2] 81st Division were annihilated near Quzi. At present, the main force of the 81st Division at Huanxian is under attack, with the plan to first open a breach in the western encirclement line and then strike toward Guanzhong. The Chen-Xie[3] Column is resting and reorganizing this month and is determined to move west on July 1 to coordinate with the Border Region Army[4] in opening up the Northwest situation. In the Northeast, progress is extremely rapid; in less than a month, over six enemy divisions (brigades) have been annihilated, more than thirty cities recovered, and five million people added to the population. At present, Siping is under attack. In Shandong, after the annihilation of the 74th Division, the situation has stabilized, and new offensive operations are now being planned. Liu-Deng[5] are resting and reorganizing this month, preparing to strike at the end of the month, and have newly organized four columns; henceforth, there will be eight columns operating in that area. Viewed from the overall situation, this month should be the starting month for the all-out counteroffensive. If, in the coming six months, you can (1) properly resolve the military issues in the Jin-Cha-Ji area; (2) successfully convene the Land Conference; and (3) establish the Finance and Economics Office—accomplishing these three tasks will be a very great achievement.

Mao Zedong

Yihan

[1] Qinghai Ma refers to Ma Bufang (1903–1975), a native of Linxia, Gansu. At the time, he served as deputy director of the Northwest Administrative Office of the Nationalist Government Chairman.
[2] Ningxia Ma refers to Ma Hongkui (1892–1970), a native of Linxia, Gansu. At the time, he served as deputy director of the Northwest Administrative Office of the Nationalist Government Chairman.
[3] Chen-Xie refers to Chen Geng and Xie Fuzhi, who at the time served respectively as commander and political commissar of the 4th Column of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army.
[4] Refers to the Northwest Field Army, with Peng Dehuai serving as commander and political commissar.
[5] Liu-Deng refers to Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping, who at the time served respectively as commander and political commissar of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army.