Combat Missions After Striking Li Tiejun and Thereafter[1]

(September 25, 1947)

Chen, Xie, Han:

Your combat achievements in the first month after crossing southward have been very good, annihilating over 20,000 enemy troops and bringing under control the six counties of Mian, Shan, Ling, Wen, Ning, and Lu.[2] The original plan was to strike the enemy on the Xi-Tong line[3] in the second step, and to move out toward the Han River and southwestern Henan in the third step. Because the enemy on the Xi-Tong line had already concentrated their forces ahead of us, the chances of success were relatively slim, so the plan has been changed to strike Li Tiejun[4] in the east and, as opportunities arise, occupy several counties south of Zheng-Luo[5] and west of the Ping-Han line.[6] Including both combat and rest periods, it is estimated that this will require approximately one month or so. If this move succeeds, it will not only be advantageous to you but also to Chen-Su and Liu-Deng[7] (Chen-Su are currently attacking the 11th Division in Cao County, and it is estimated that Luo Guangwen’s[8] 10th Division will move to reinforce Cao County; Liu-Deng’s main force is also engaged in combat in southeastern Henan).

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee, 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] Mian, Shan, Ling, Ning, Lu refer to Mianchi, Shanxian, Lingbao, Luoning, and Lushi in Henan Province. Wen refers to Wenxiang, an old county name, which was merged into Lingbao County, Henan, in 1954.

[3] The Xi-Tong line refers to the railway from Xi’an to Tongguan, a section of the Longhai Railway.

[4] Li Tiejun, then Commander of the 5th Corps of the Zhengzhou Command of the Kuomintang Army General Headquarters.

[5] Zheng-Luo refers to Zhengzhou and Luoyang in Henan Province.

[6] Ping-Han refers to the Ping-Han Railway, the railway from Beiping (now Beijing) to Hankou, a section of today’s Beijing-Guangzhou Railway.

[7] Chen-Su refers to Chen Yi and Su Yu, then respectively Commander and Political Commissar, and Deputy Commander of the East China Field Army. Liu-Deng refers to Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping, then respectively Commander and Political Commissar of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army.

[8] Luo Guangwen, then Commander of the Reorganized 10th Division of the Kuomintang Army.

During the period when you are striking Li Tiejun, Hu Zongnan may concentrate three or four brigades to harass Shan, Ling, Wen, and Lu to assist Li Tiejun. Therefore, after striking Li Tiejun, you must also prepare to turn back and strike the enemy that may advance into Shan, Ling, and Lu, with the aim of annihilating tens of thousands of enemy troops within a few months and firmly controlling the several counties of Xin,[1] Mian, Shan, Ling, Wen, Ning, and Lu in our hands. Seeing that our army has annihilated so many enemies and won such great victories, and with your mass work added, the masses in these several counties will dare to rise up and struggle against the landlords and assist you (the masses can only be broadly mobilized in a few months at the quickest; do not attempt to mobilize them within a few weeks). At that time, you can leave one part of your force in the northern area while the main force advances southward to attack and occupy southwestern Henan and the Han River basin, thereby advancing the overall situation a major step forward. By then, Liu-Deng will dispatch units to occupy the Tongbai Mountains, the Dahong Mountains, and the lower reaches of the Han River, establishing the Tongbai Military Sub-district and the Xiang-Han Military Sub-district. At present, there are no enemy regular forces in the south, while there are battles to be fought in the north; therefore, you should strike the enemy in the north and leave the south for future operations. I hope you will base your operational deployments, rear-area arrangements, and mass work on this intention. During the period when you are striking Li Tiejun, the forces under Deputy Commander Peng will remain on the interior lines in northern Shaanxi to accomplish tasks such as annihilating the enemy, training and consolidating troops, and replenishment, which will take about one month or so. Afterward, they will strike outward, first toward Weibei and then toward Longnan, to coordinate with you. However, the operations of your unit and any other strategic units are all independent in nature; each shall deploy and act independently according to its own circumstances and must not rely on direct coordination from any other quarter. If your local grain supply is insufficient, a portion can be transported from Hebei to assist. As for local work cadres, I hope Taiyue and Taihang will dispatch more. Furthermore, Hu Zongnan’s main force is in a dilemma, still remaining near Yan’an. Under the threat of our army in northern Shaanxi, they will certainly not dare to move southward in large numbers to pressure you. Whether a portion will move south remains to be seen before a decision can be made.

Please inform us of the specific locations of Li Tiejun’s various units and where Dongxizhao Fort is.

Military Commission

25th, 18:00 hours

[1] Xin refers to Xin’an in Henan Province.