Operational Deployment After the Capture of Zichuan[1]

(March 20, 1948)

To the Central Working Committee, for relay to Rao, Chen, and Kang; to the East China Bureau, for relay to Xu and Tan[2]; and to inform Su[3]:

(1) Congratulations on your great victories at Zhoucun, Zhangdian[4], Zouping, Huantai, and other places. (2) After the capture of Zichuan[5], rest briefly; after succeeding in the attack on Changwei[6], rest and regroup for half a month, then await orders to attack the Jinan-Xuzhou section of the Jin-Pu Railway[7]. At that time, the Bohai and Central Shandong forces shall join this operation and assist Su Yu in his actions. (3) All remaining roadbeds, rails, stations, bridges, water towers, and other installations along the entire Jiaoji Railway shall be protected by general order and must not be further damaged. (In the past, the destruction of the Jiaoji Railway was approved by the Central Committee, but this was in fact unnecessary and caused great losses.) The Tianjin-Jinan section of the Jin-Pu Railway is already in our hands; take care to protect it. The Ji-Xu section[8] must not be further damaged; it does not matter if it is temporarily used by the enemy. The entire Longhai Railway must also not be further

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee, addressed to the Central Working Committee for relay to Rao Shushi, Secretary of the East China Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Deputy Secretaries Chen Yi and Kang Sheng.

[2] Xu and Tan refer to Xu Shiyou and Tan Zhenlin, who were then respectively Commander and Political Commissar of the Shandong Corps of the East China Field Army.

[3] Su refers to Su Yu, who was then Deputy Commander of the East China Field Army and concurrently Commander and Political Commissar of its 1st Corps.

[4] Zhoucun and Zhangdian are now two districts of Zibo City, Shandong Province.

[5] Zichuan, a former county name, was merged into Zibo City, Shandong Province, in 1955.

[6] Changwei refers to Changle and Weifang in Shandong.

[7] Jin-Pu Railway refers to the railway from Tianjin to Pukou, i.e., a section of today's Beijing-Shanghai line.

[8] Ji-Xu section refers to the railway from Jinan to Xuzhou, i.e., a section of today's Beijing-Shanghai line.

damaged." [1] On the same day, Mao Zedong also drafted a telegram for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee addressed to the chiefs of the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region and the Jin-Cha-Ji Field Army, the East China Field Army, the Jin-Ji-Lu-Yu Field Army, and the Northwest Field Army, instructing that the entire Ping-Sui Railway must not be damaged; tactically necessary damage could be inflicted on the Ping-Zhang, Ping-Bao, and Ping-Jin railways; the Jin-Yu and Ping-Cheng railways must absolutely not be damaged; and the entire Longhai Railway, the entire Jiaoji Railway, the section of the Ping-Han Railway north of Xinyang, and the Xuzhou-Jinan section of the Jin-Pu Railway must no longer be damaged.