Liu and Deng [2], together with the East China Bureau: Guiding the war south of the Yangtze River will make it easier for our forces to deal with the enemy in the Jianghuai and Han River regions one by one, just as, since last autumn, directing the conflict toward Jianghuai and the Han River has facilitated the elimination of enemy units in Shandong, northern Jiangsu, northern Henan, southern Shanxi, and northern Shaanxi. This is a correct and unwavering policy.  However, a river crossing at present still presents difficulties.  At present, the mission of Su Yu’s Corps (the 1st, 4th, and 6th Columns) is not yet to cross the Yangtze immediately, but rather to open up a route for the crossing—that is, within a period ranging from four to eight months, this corps, joined by three additional columns, is to concentrate in the areas north and south of the Kaifeng–Xuzhou railway line, aiming to annihilate five to twelve regular brigades belonging to the Fifth Army Group and other formations, thereby completing preparations for the river crossing.  During this interval, ten battalions from the corps, accompanied by local cadres, are to be dispatched in successive advance detachments across the river, spreading out over a wide area to develop guerrilla warfare.  The foregoing plan was agreed upon by us, Chen Yi and Su Yu [3], as well as Bo Yibo and Li Xiannian [4].  Upon Chen Yi and Su Yu’s return from central headquarters following their completion of policy study and military training, Su Yu’s Corps is scheduled to launch its river-crossing operation around the end of this month.  The Third and Eighth Columns under Chen Tang [5] should withdraw to the Henan–Anhui–Jiangsu base area, while the First Column will move westward, so that this corps can assemble six columns—the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 11th—to conduct a major campaign.  The Tenth Column has already gone to the border region of Henan, Shaanxi, and Hubei and need not return.  Nevertheless, for the operations in June and July, Chen Tang’s return would be too late; therefore, the First Column should participate in those two months’ fighting, with a subsequent exchange between Chen Tang and the First Column during the rainy-season rest period.  Within this month, Liu and Deng are requested to order the First and Eleventh Columns to bivouac at suitable locations south of the Kaifeng–Xuzhou line, awaiting Su Yu’s directive to engage in joint operations at the end of the month.  While Su Yu is attacking the Fifth Army Group and related units, Xu Tan’s Corps [6] should advance along the Jinpu Railway, seizing opportunities to destroy and pin down the Twelfth, Seventy-fifth, Eighty-fourth, and Seventy-third Divisions, among others.  The timing of this movement should be in the latter half of this month; the East China Bureau is instructed to notify Xu Tan to make preparations.  At the same time, the Wei Chen Corps [7] is to be directed to initiate an anti-enemy campaign in northern Jiangsu, coordinating its actions accordingly.  Supply for Su Yu’s Corps will be centrally managed by North China and Shandong.  Issued by the Military Commission on Chenwei, based on Mao Zedong’s manuscript.  Notes [1]: Su Yu’s Corps refers to the First Corps of the East China Field Army, where Su Yu concurrently served as commander and political commissar.  Regarding the operational location and tasks of Su Yu’s Corps, the Central Military Commission had decided in January 1948 that three columns under Su Yu’s command should cross the Yangtze River to the south and carry out extensive maneuver operations, first circling in Hunan and Jiangxi for half a year to a year, then advancing in stages through Fujian, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi in a series of bold thrusts.  Such moves were intended to draw twenty to thirty brigades of Nationalist forces back to defend southern China, thereby placing the enemy in an increasingly passive position.  In a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong on January 27, 1948, addressed to Su Yu on behalf of the CPC Central Military Commission, three crossing plans were proposed: first, after a fortnight of rest, to cross the river from above and below Yichang while the enemy was off guard; second, to enter the region south of the Funiu Mountains and Qinling Range, north of the Yangtze, and west of the Pinghan Railway during February, March, and April, conducting operations there before taking a month’s respite and then making the crossing; third, to fight between the Funiu Mountains and the Yangtze in February, March, and April, return north in May, undergo two to three months of recuperation, and cross the river in autumn.  On February 1, Mao again drafted a telegram for the CPC Central Military Commission to Su Yu concerning the river crossing, agreeing that Su Yu lead his three columns to the vicinity of the Longhai Railway for another month-and-a-half of rest, with deployment scheduled for late March.  As for the crossing route, efforts should be made to traverse the stretch between Hukou and Dangtu, or between Nanjing and Jiangyin.  The crossing method would involve a broad-front diversionary approach or echeloned stealth crossings.  On April 18, Su Yu recommended to the Central Military Commission that the river crossing be postponed, arguing that even if the three columns crossed the river, it might not necessarily draw the main body of Nationalist forces back to the south, instead dispersing his own forces; coupled with other unfavorable conditions, it would be preferable to continue operating in the Central Plains.  On April 30, following deliberations at a central meeting, Su Yu’s suggestion was adopted by Mao Zedong and the Central Military Commission.  Subsequently, our forces achieved significant victories on the Central Plains, creating favorable conditions for the forthcoming Huaihai Campaign.  [2]: Liu and Deng refer to Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping, who at the time served respectively as commander and political commissar of the Jin-Hebei-Luyu Field Army.  [3]: Chen Yi and Su Yu refer to Chen Yi, commander and political commissar of the East China Field Army, and Su Yu, deputy commander, who were then attending an expanded meeting of the CPC Central Secretariat in Nanzhuang, Fuping County, Hebei Province.  [4]: Bo Yibo was the First Deputy Political Commissar of the Jin-Hebei-Luyu Military Region, while Li Xiannian served as Deputy Commander of the Jin-Hebei-Luyu Field Army.  [5]: Chen Tang refers to Chen Shiju and Tang Liang, who at the time held the posts of Chief of Staff and Director of the Political Department of the East China Field Army, respectively.  [6]: Xu Tan’s Corps refers to the Shandong Corps of the East China Field Army, commanded by Xu Shiyou and with Tan Zhenlin as political commissar.  [7]: Wei Chen’s Corps refers to the Northern Jiangsu Corps of the East China Field Army, led by Wei Guoqing as commander and Chen Pixian as political commissar.