To Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi, Kang Sheng[1]

(July 26, 1947)

(1) The Central Committee has convened Comrades Peng, He, Xi, Ma, and Jia[2] for three days of meetings to review work. It has been decided that He shall be responsible for unifying rear-area work on both the east and west banks of the Yellow River, and that the Northwest Bureau shall return to the rear area to take charge. It has also been decided to streamline personnel and set new living standards to facilitate protracted struggle. It has further been decided to wage struggle against cadres who are divorced from the masses and to launch land reform. (2) Since the field army fought at Heshui, Quzi, and Huanxian, annihilating the 81st Division and the greater part of the 2nd Cavalry Brigade, the enemy in the Three Borders area has fled back to Ningxia, and the Three Borders have been recovered. It is now decided to move toward Yulin, deal a blow to the enemy in that sector, and seize Yulin when the opportunity arises, so as to draw Hu Zongnan’s troops northward for reinforcement and thereby facilitate the operations of Chen Geng’s column.[3] It has been decided that Chen’s column shall not come to the border region but shall set out for western Henan at the end of August. (3) Liu and Deng have annihilated eight and a half enemy brigades, and Shandong has annihilated one and a half enemy brigades. Ten brigades under Qiu Qingquan, Wu Shaozhou, and others have been compelled to move from central Shandong to Yanzhou, and the situation in Shandong has eased somewhat.

--- Notes

[1] This is the main content of Mao Zedong’s telegram to Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi, and Kang Sheng reporting on recent work and the war situation.


[2] Peng, He, Xi, Ma, and Jia refer to Peng Dehuai, He Long, Xi Zhongxun, Ma Mingfang, and Jia Tuofu (then deputy director of the Northwest Finance and Economics Committee).


[3] The Northwest Field Army began its advance toward Yulin on July 30 and commenced the attack on August 6. On August 11, the Kuomintang’s Reorganized 36th Division reached the area north of Hengshan to reinforce Yulin. On August 12, Peng Dehuai decided to lift the siege. Although Yulin was not taken, the enemy was lured north across the Wuding River, creating favorable conditions for the Chen-Xie Group to cross the Yellow River and advance south into western Henan.