Liu and Deng, Su, Chen and Tang, and Chen and Xie [1], with copy to the Handan Bureau, the East China Bureau, and the Central Working Committee: All telegrams have been received and noted.
In order to annihilate approximately ten enemy brigades within two to three months; to assist Liu and Deng in establishing base areas in the Dabie Mountains, Tongbai Mountains, and Jianghan region; to help Chen and Xie set up bases in southwestern Henan, northwestern Hubei, southeastern Shaanxi, and western Henan; to aid Peng and Zhang [2] in creating a base area in northern Weihe River valley; to disrupt the Jinpu Railway; to expand the Henan–Anhui–Jiangsu base; and to support operations in northern and central Jiangsu—our deployment is as follows:

A. First Phase:   (1) Liu and Deng are to concentrate sufficient forces; Su Yu’s three corps (excluding the Fourth Corps), and Chen and Xie at least five brigades, are to complete rest and retraining by Ziyou (the 25th). After Ziyou, Su Yu’s and Chen and Xie’s forces will be placed under unified command of Su Yu and will advance from their current positions toward the Henan–Hubei–Shaanxi border area, seizing at opportune moments the towns of Nanyang, Zhenping, Neixiang, Xichuan, Dengxian, Xinye, Xiangyang, Fancheng, Yicheng, Nanzhang, Guanghua [3], Laohekou, Gucheng, Jun County [4], Yunyang, Xiping, Lushi, Shangnan, and Shang County, while destroying enemy units in this zone and drawing part of Bai Chongxi’s [5] forces westward for annihilation.  During these coordinated operations, the Tenth and Twelfth Corps commanded respectively by Wang Hongkun and Zhao Jimai [6] will come under Su Yu’s direction (with these two corps primarily conducting dispersed guerrilla activities).    (2) Liu and Deng are to assemble substantial forces in the Dabie Mountains and northern Anhui and strike the enemy when conditions permit.    (3) The Eighth, Tenth, and Eleventh Corps of Chen and Su [7], together with the Fourth Corps, are to rest and recuperate for a full month north of the Longhai Railway between Kaifeng and Xuzhou and in the Sha River basin. Thereafter, three corps are to operate on either side of the Xuzhou–Bengbu line and north–south along the Zhengzhou–Xuzhou line, engaging the enemy as opportunity arises and severely disrupting both rail lines.    (4) Peng and Zhang’s main force (eight brigades) is to conclude its rest period this month and begin operations early next month against the Yan’an–Yichuan line (where seven brigades of Hu’s [8] forces are stationed). Upon success, they are to push south of that line and north of the Weihe River with the aim of establishing a base area in northern Weihe Valley, which will serve as a springboard for advancing into southern Gansu and creating a base along the Gansu–Shaanxi–Sichuan border.

B. Second Phase: Su’s and Chen and Xie’s forces will pause for a period of rest and consolidation in the Henan–Hubei–Shaanxi border region. Subsequently, Chen and Xie’s troops will move toward southern Shaanxi, while Su, Chen, and Tang, along with an additional corps, will advance northward, capturing towns between Zhengzhou and Tongguan and destroying enemy forces along that route.  Liu and Deng will conduct local rest and combat operations, whereas the Eighth, Tenth, and Eleventh Corps of Chen and Su will continue to carry out their original missions. Preparations are underway to transfer the Second and Seventh Corps from Shandong to northern Jiangsu for combat; once the Central China Branch has been established, these two corps will come under the command of Chen and Su. Chen Yi is scheduled to arrive at the Central Committee on Ziyu [9], after which he will depart for his unit in about two weeks.

C. Third Phase: Su’s forces are to rest along the Zhengzhou–Tongguan line for one to two months (the Handan Bureau is requested to arrange food supplies), following which they will engage in operations along the Pinghan Railway and between the Pinghan and Jinpu lines.

Printed by the Military Commission from Mao Zedong’s manuscript.

Notes:  [1] Liu and Deng refers to Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping, who at the time served as commander and political commissar, respectively, of the Jin-Hebei-Luyu Field Army.  Su, Chen, and Tang refers to Su Yu, Chen Shiju, and Tang Liang, who at the time held the posts of deputy commander, chief of staff, and director of the Political Department, respectively, of the East China Field Army.  Chen and Xie refers to Chen Geng and Xie Fuzhi, who at the time were secretary and deputy secretary, respectively, of the Chen–Xie Group’s Party Committee within the Jin-Hebei-Luyu Field Army.  [2] Peng refers to Peng Dehuai (1898–1974), a native of Xiangtan, Hunan, who at the time was commander and political commissar of the Northwest Field Army. Zhang refers to Zhang Zongshun, born in 1908 in Weinan, Shaanxi, who at the time served as deputy commander of the Northwest Field Army.  [3] Guanghua was merged into Laohekou City in 1983.  [4] Jun County is now part of Danjiangkou City in Hubei Province.  [5] Bai Chongxi was at the time Minister of National Defense of the Kuomintang government and director of the Jiujiang Command Headquarters of the Ministry of National Defense.  [6] Refers to the Tenth and Twelfth Corps of the Jin-Hebei-Luyu Field Army, commanded by Wang Hongkun and Zhao Jimai, respectively.  [7] Chen refers to Chen Yi (1901–1972), a native of Lezhi, Sichuan, who at the time was commander and political commissar of the East China Field Army. Su refers to Su Yu.  [8] Hu refers to Hu Zongnan (1896–1962), a native of Xiaofeng, Zhejiang (now part of Anji County), who at the time served as director of the Xi’an Pacification Office of the Kuomintang army.  [9] Ziyu corresponds to January 7.