Combat Missions of the Various Columns of the Western Corps of the East China Field Army[1]

(October 4, 1947)

Chen and Su, and for the information of Liu and Deng, and Chen and Xie[2]:

Your telegram of the 30th at noon received. (1) Advancing along separate routes and capturing several cities in succession is most gratifying. (2) The 8th Column shall advance to attack along the Beiping–Hankou Railway[3] and thoroughly sabotage that line, which may compel Luo Guangwen[4] to shift to the defense of that line. After the 1st and 12th Columns occupy Yanling and Fugou, they should immediately advance southward and, as opportunities arise, attack and capture the cities of Shangshui (where there is one regiment of the 52nd Division), Shangcai, Xiangcheng, Shenqiu, Linquan, and Xincai, and then deploy to carry out work in that area; the 12th Column shall await the route designated by Liu and Deng to return to its organic establishment. (3) The 6th Column shall, as opportunities arise, attack and capture the cities of Taihe, Fuyang, Yingshang, Huoqiu, Zhengyangguan, Shou County, and Fengtai, and then deploy to carry out work in that area; the 3rd Column shall, as opportunities arise, occupy the cities of Su County, Suining, Si County, Lingbi, and Wuhe, thoroughly sabotage the Xuzhou–Bengbu section of the Tianjin–Pukou Railway[5], and deploy to carry out work in that area; after the 4th Column attacks and captures the cities of Guoyang, Mengcheng, and Huaiyuan, please consider whether the entire column may cross the Huai River and advance southward, and, as opportunities arise, attack and capture the cities of Fenyang, Dingyuan, Jiashan, Chu County, Xuyi, Lai’an, Tianchang, Liuhe, Quanjiao, He County, Hanshan,

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

[2] Liu and Deng refer to Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping, who were then respectively commander and political commissar of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army. Chen and Xie refer to Chen Geng and Xie Fuzhi, who were then respectively secretary and deputy secretary of the Front Committee of the Chen-Xie Group of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army.

[3] Ping-Han refers to the Ping-Han Railway, i.e., the railway from Beiping (present-day Beijing) to Hankou, now a section of the Beijing–Guangzhou Railway.

[4] Luo Guangwen was then commander of the Reorganized 10th Division of the Kuomintang Army.

[5] The Xuzhou–Bengbu section of the Tianjin–Pukou Railway refers to the Xuzhou–Bengbu section of the railway from Tianjin to Pukou, now a section of the Beijing–Shanghai Railway.

and Chao County, and the column shall then deploy to carry out work in that area and thoroughly sabotage the Bengbu–Pukou Railway[1]; and a part of each of the 3rd and 6th Columns shall take over the work of the 4th Column in the Guoyang, Mengcheng, and Huaiyuan area. (4) Two brigades of Chen and Xie are engaged in guerrilla operations in southern Shaanxi; one brigade and two local regiments are controlling the railway, suppressing bandits, and distributing land in Xin’an, Mianchi, Shaan County, Lingbao, and Wenxiang[2]; two brigades are engaged in guerrilla operations in Yiyang[3] and Linru; the main force of five brigades recaptured Xin’an on the 1st of the tenth month and annihilated the 64th Brigade of the 15th Division, and is now encircling and annihilating two brigades of the 3rd Division in the area southwest of Yiyang; after succeeding, it plans, as opportunities arise, to advance eastward and attack and capture the cities of Yiyang, Yichuan, Song County, Linru, Dengfeng, Jia County, and Ye County. Please inform Chen Shiju[4].

Military Commission

20:00 hours, the 4th

[1] The Bengbu–Pukou Railway refers to the railway from Bengbu to Pukou, now a section of the Beijing–Shanghai Railway.

[2] Xin’an, Mianchi, Shaan County, and Lingbao refer to Xin’an, Mianchi, Shaan County, and Lingbao in Henan Province. Wenxiang refers to Wenxiang, an old county name, which was merged into Lingbao County, Henan Province, in 1954.

[3] Yiyang, an old county name, is present-day Ruyang, Henan Province.

[4] Chen Shiju was then chief of staff of the East China Field Army.