Comrade Dehuai:[1]

Your telegram of the 19th received. Chen Column[2] will set out from Quyi[3] on Wudong, complete assembly at Suide around Wushan, and around Wuxu begin striking toward the Yulin direction. It will take about one month to complete the mission, after which it will operate southward. It is highly appropriate for the Border Region Field Army to begin carrying out the mission of annihilating the 18th Division of Ningma[4] and recovering Sanbian[5] at the end of the month. After victory, it is also desirable to expand the fruits of battle westward, seizing opportunities to attack and occupy Yuwang, Weizhou, Hui’an, Tongxin City, and other places, deploying the troops north of the line from Zhenyuan, Guyuan, and Haiyuan, in preparation for the next step of striking toward the Guyuan, Zhenyuan, Haiyuan, and Jingning–Lanzhou line. Chen Column will then move south to Guanzhong, coordinating east and west to strike at Hu.[6] Judging from conditions such as the enemy situation, terrain, and supply in the Northwest, it seems advisable for the Border Region Field Army and the Chen-Xie[7] Group to operate separately for several months, rather than concentrating their operations. However, separate operations can be of two types: separation over a long distance and separation over a short distance (the aforementioned example of one force striking toward Jingning and the other toward Guanzhong is a case of long-distance separation). Which is ultimately appropriate should be decided according to the circumstances at the time. The operational policy for the coming months

[1] Dehuai, i.e., Peng Dehuai, then serving as commander and concurrently political commissar of the Northwest Field Army.

[2] Chen Column refers to the Fourth Column of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army, with column commander Chen Geng.

[3] Quyi refers to Quwo and Yicheng in Shanxi.

[4] Ningma refers to Ma Hongkui of Ningxia, then serving as deputy director of the Northwest Administrative Office of the Chairman of the Nationalist Government.

[5] Sanbian refers to Dingbian, Anbian, and Jingbian in northwestern Shaanxi.

[6] Hu refers to Hu Zongnan, then serving as director of the Xi’an Pacification Office of the Nationalist Army.

[7] Chen refers to Chen Geng. Xie refers to Xie Fuzhi, then serving as political commissar of the Fourth Column of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army.

should still be to first strike at the scattered and weaker enemy forces and isolate the concentrated and stronger enemy forces. Only after several months may a change in this policy be considered. After the two campaigns at Yulin and Sanbian are completed, and before preparations are made to strike southward, it seems advisable to hold a meeting to discuss matters such as operations and supply. At that time, you and Chen-Xie will be invited to gather at the Central Committee.

Mao Zedong

Baxu