Agree to Attack Yuncheng Again[1]

(December 4, 1947)

Xu, Teng, Bo:

Your Jiangchen telegram[2] received. (1) We agree to your attacking Yuncheng[3]. (2) Wang Zhen’s column[4] should be positioned at key points on the northern bank of the Yellow River to reliably ensure that the enemy south of the river cannot cross northward; only then can there be certainty. Otherwise, the enemy will surely send reinforcements, and the attack on Yuncheng will still be uncertain. (3) The main force of Peng and Zhang will rest and reorganize this month and move toward Weibei in the first ten days of next month. Wang Zhen’s column must cross westward at that time without delay.

Military Commission

Haizhi

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee, addressed to Xu Xiangqian, First Deputy Commander of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region; Teng Daiyuan, Second Deputy Commander; and Bo Yibo, First Deputy Political Commissar.

[2] Refers to the telegram sent by Xu Xiangqian, Teng Daiyuan, and Bo Yibo to the Central Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee and the Working Committee of the CPC Central Committee at 9:00 on December 3, 1947. The telegram stated that the enemy garrison at Yuncheng numbered about 5,000, with very low morale. The city contained extremely abundant supplies and a great quantity of weapons and ammunition. The enemy at Tongguan had gradually dispersed, causing fewer concerns. It proposed concentrating the 2nd and 8th Columns and an independent brigade to attack and capture Yuncheng again.

[3] On October 7, 1947, the 8th Column of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region and other units began besieging Yuncheng. After more than a month, they failed to capture it, only annihilating over 3,700 enemy troops. On December 17, the 8th Column and the 2nd Column of the Northwest Field Army and other units again launched a siege on Yuncheng. After fierce fighting until the morning of December 18, they captured the entire city, completely annihilating the defending enemy forces—one regiment each from the Reorganized 17th and 36th Divisions, along with local security regiments—and seizing a large quantity of military supplies.

[4] Wang Zhen’s column refers to the 2nd Column of the Northwest Field Army, with Wang Zhen serving as Column Commander and concurrently Political Commissar.