The Northwest Main Force Should Complete Three Tasks on the Interior Lines[1]

(September 23, 1947)

Peng, and inform He and Xi:

Your telegram of the 23rd at 20:00 hours[2] noted. (1) It is decided that your main force (six brigades) shall remain on the interior lines for one to one and a half months to complete the three tasks of annihilating the enemy, resting and consolidating, and replenishing, and then strike outward. Arrange everything according to this deployment, with the main focus on raising 15,000 large dan of grain. (2) Wang Zhen’s[3] two brigades shall, as opportunity permits, capture Laoshan, Ganquan, and other places, and after delaying the enemy for several days, may then first advance north of the Wei River.

Military Commission

23rd, 24:00 hours

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China to Peng Dehuai, Commander and Political Commissar of the Northwest Field Army, with information to He Long, Commander of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia-Shanxi-Suiyuan Joint Defense Army, and Xi Zhongxun, its Political Commissar.

[2] Refers to Peng Dehuai’s telegram of September 23, 1947, at 20:00 hours to the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China. The telegram stated: We plan to attack Yanchuan and Yanchang on the 26th, while simultaneously preparing to strike enemy reinforcements; after success, we will then attack Qingjian and Washipu. We plan to complete the combat missions in half a month to 20 days, and strike outward after one month.

[3] Wang Zhen, then serving as Commander and Political Commissar of the Second Column of the Northwest Field Army.