Directive Telegram on the Liberation of Beiping

(May 17, 1948)

Lin, Luo, Liu, and inform Cheng, Huang:

(1) Fengtai, Mentougou, Shijingshan, and Changxindian are important industrial areas. Our 5th Column and 11th Column are currently conducting operations in these areas. It is hoped that you will instruct them to pay full attention to protecting the industries. The method is to leave everything intact, with the original workers, staff, factory directors, and managers handling affairs. Our army shall only send personnel to supervise and dispatch troops to protect.

(2) Shahe, Qinghe, Haidian, and Xishan are important cultural and historical sites. All original management personnel shall also be left intact. Our army shall only dispatch troops to protect and send personnel to establish contact. Special attention must be paid to establishing contact with the faculty, staff, and students of universities such as Tsinghua and Yenching, and consulting with them on how to minimize damage during combat.

(3) Since the 11th Column is currently conducting operations in Shijingshan and must still coordinate with the 5th Column in operations around Fengtai, it seems temporarily difficult for it to proceed to the Nankou and Shahe areas to take over the tasks of the 4th Column. Therefore, the 4th Column may leave one division in the Nankou and Shahe areas, while the column headquarters leads the main force to Zhangjiakou, which will be quite sufficient. The departure time of this column is to be determined by Lin, Luo, and Liu. Arrival in Zhangjiakou within approximately one week will suffice.

Central Military Commission

17th day, 18:00 hours

Archival photograph

In the early hours of May 18, 1948, Mao Zedong's residence in Chengnanzhuang was bombed by enemy aircraft. Mao Zedong and others secretly relocated to Huashan Village. The image shows Mao Zedong in Huashan. (Textbook illustration)

"The Landlord's Daughter" (Chinese painting)