Chen and Su Should Speedily Go West[1]

(August 6, 1947)

East China Bureau, Chen, Su, Tan:

The Yuwu telegram informed you of our agreement that Chen and Su lead the Field Army Headquarters and the Sixth Column to southwestern Shandong, that Tan, Li, and Xu[2] form the Eastern Army Corps,[3] and that we concur with the East China Bureau’s proposal to go to the Bohai region. We have now received the Weisi telegram from Rao, Zhang, Li, Zeng, and Yuan,[4] stating that Yunyi, Zihui, and Shu Tong[5] will devote full efforts to organizing supply for the Western Army Corps,[6] that the leadership center of the East China Bureau shall temporarily be set up in the east, and that after arrangements in the west are completed, a separate decision will be made on the rear center, etc. As to whether the East China Bureau should move west immediately or remain temporarily in the east, whichever is more convenient, the East China Bureau shall decide based on the circumstances.

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, addressed to the East China Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and to Chen Yi, commander and political commissar of the East China Field Army; Su Yu, deputy commander; and Tan Zhenlin, deputy political commissar.

[2] Tan refers to Tan Zhenlin. Li refers to Li Yu, then deputy political commissar of the East China Military Region. Xu refers to Xu Shiyou, then commander of the Ninth Column of the East China Field Army.

[3] The Eastern Army Corps refers to the Eastern Route Army Corps of the East China Field Army, also known as the Interior Line Army Corps, which comprised the Second, Seventh, and Ninth Columns and the Thirteenth Column then being formed.

[4] Rao and Zhang refer to Rao Shushi and Zhang Yunyi, then respectively political commissar and deputy commander of the East China Military Region. Li refers to Li Yu. Zeng refers to Zeng Shan, then a member of the Standing Committee of the East China Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Yuan refers to Yuan Zhongxian, then deputy chief of staff of the East China Military Region.

[5] Yunyi is Zhang Yunyi. Zihui is Deng Zihui, then deputy secretary of the East China Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Shu Tong was then director of the Political Department of the East China Military Region.

[6] The Western Army Corps refers to the Western Route Army Corps of the East China Field Army, also known as the Exterior Line Army Corps, which comprised the First, Third, Fourth, Sixth, Eighth, and Tenth Columns and the Special Technical Arms Column, and also commanded the Eleventh Column of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army.

However, Chen and Su should speedily go west, the faster the better.

Central Committee

Yushen