The Entire Military Situation in Shaanxi and Gansu Shall Be Undertaken Independently by Peng Dehuai’s Forces

(March 21, 1948)

Comrade Dehuai:

(1) We set out eastward today and expect to arrive at the location of the Central Working Committee[2] around the 15th day of the fourth lunar month. (2) Whether attacking Luochuan now or Yan’an in the future, the enemy may have the possibility of sending reinforcements; it is hoped that you will deploy to strike the reinforcements. (3) Chen Tang[3] (commanding Chen Xie[4]) have already abandoned Luoyang and assembled in Xin’an, Mianchi, Yiyang, and Luoning[5] for a period of rest and reorganization. Whether to strike Nanyang, or strike the Ping-Han Railway[6], or strike Luoyang again remains to be decided. After Xiangqian[7] captures Linfen, whether to strike northern Henan or strike Pingyao and Jiexiu[8] will be decided at that time. In sum, the entire military situation in Shaanxi and Gansu, apart from one brigade of Chen Xie in southern Shaanxi, shall be undertaken independently by you.

Mao Zedong

Yinma

[1] Dehuai, i.e., Peng Dehuai, then serving as Commander and Political Commissar of the Northwest Field Army.
[2] Refers to the location of the Central Working Committee of the CPC Central Committee at Xibaipo Village, Jianping County (now part of Pingshan County), Hebei Province.
[3] Chen Tang, referring to Chen Shiju and Tang Liang, then serving respectively as Chief of Staff and Director of the Political Department of the East China Field Army.
[4] Chen Xie, referring to Chen Geng and Xie Fuzhi, then serving respectively as Secretary and Deputy Secretary of the Front Committee of the Chen-Xie Group of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army.
[5] Xin’an, Mianchi, Yiyang, and Luoning, referring to Xin’an, Mianchi, Yiyang, and Luoning in Henan Province.
[6] Ping-Han Railway, i.e., the Ping-Han Railway, referring to the railway from Beiping (now Beijing) to Hankou, a section of today’s Beijing-Guangzhou line.
[7] Xiangqian, i.e., Xu Xiangqian, then serving as First Deputy Commander of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region.
[8] Pingyao and Jiexiu, referring to Pingyao and Jiexiu in Shanxi Province.