Seize the Opportunity to Open Up the Situation in Eastern and Southern Shaanxi[1]

(September 17, 1947)

Chen, Xie, Han:

(1) The comprehensive battle report from the 1st to the 10th has been received and noted with great satisfaction. (2) Are the two brigades of the 4th Column and the 55th Division attacking Shanzhou[2]? What are the chances of success? If there is certainty, then resolutely attack and capture it; if there is no certainty or the certainty is slight, then lift the siege and rest and reorganize for four or five days. Except for the 55th Division remaining in Shanxian-Lingbao-Wenxiang[3], the two brigades of the 4th Column should immediately advance toward eastern Shaanxi to reinforce the strength there, so as to facilitate fighting several battles of annihilation. Within fifteen to twenty days, the main force of Hu[4]’s army will still be unable to attack you. You must make very good use of these fifteen to twenty days to open up the situation in eastern Shaanxi and southern Shaanxi; this is of decisive importance. If you cannot establish base areas in eastern Shaanxi and southern Shaanxi, it will hinder your establishment of base areas in western Henan and northwestern Hubei.

The Military Commission

17th, 15:00 hours

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, addressed to Chen Geng, Secretary of the Front Committee of the Chen-Xie Group of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army; Xie Fuzhi, Deputy Secretary; and Han Jun, Standing Committee Member.
[2] Shanzhou, an old prefectural name, refers to present-day Shanxian County, Henan.
[3] Shanxian-Lingbao refers to Shanxian County and Lingbao in Henan. Wenxiang refers to Wenxiang, an old county name, merged into Lingbao County, Henan in 1954.
[4] Hu refers to Hu Zongnan, then Director of the Xi’an Pacification Headquarters of the Kuomintang Army.