The primary mission of Chen Xilian’s detachment is to pin down the 18th Army¹

(22 May 1948)

Liu, Deng, and inform Chen, Su:

Your telegram of 20 May² noted. The primary mission of the 1st, 3rd, and 6th Columns under Chen Xilian’s³ command during the current period is to pin down the 18th Army so that it cannot move east to reinforce the 5th Army. Therefore, please make an accurate assessment: If Chen’s Army Group moves out from Xi Xian, Zhengyang, and Luoshan to threaten Xinyang, and seizes the opportunity to attack and occupy places such as Guangshan and Huangchuan,⁴ and this can draw the 18th Army toward that sector, then it would be advantageous. If it can only draw the 28th Division back for reinforcement and cannot draw the 18th Army back, or if it instead causes the 18th Army—because the threat from Chen’s Army Group against it has been reduced—to dare to advance east to reinforce the 5th Army when the 5th Army is under urgent attack, then it would be appropriate for our Chen’s Army Group to continue resting and consolidating in its current area and to keep the 18th Army under strict surveillance; otherwise it would be disadvantageous. In sum, the center of gravity of the summer campaign is for all sides to assist Su’s Army Group in annihilating the 5th Army. So long as the 5th Army is annihilated, the conditions will be obtained for concentrating the maximum force to annihilate the 18th Army. So long as these two armies are annihilated, the war situation in the Central Plains will

¹ This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee, addressed to Commander Liu Bocheng and Political Commissar Deng Xiaoping of the Central Plains Field Army, and for the information of Commander and Political Commissar Chen Yi and Deputy Commander Su Yu of the East China Field Army.

² Refers to the telegram sent by Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping to the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee at 9–11 a.m. on 20 May 1948. The telegram stated: In order to disperse the enemy and destroy them one by one, we have decided to form a group with the 1st, 3rd, and 6th Columns, under the command of Chen Xilian, prepared to strike Xi Xian, Zhengyang, and Luoshan when the 28th Division (located in the Zhumadian–Queshan area) moves north, threaten Xinyang, and seize the opportunity to attack and occupy places such as Huangchuan and Guangshan. It is anticipated that this move will catch the enemy off guard, can achieve good results, and will also be most effective in coordinating with Su Yu’s detachment’s operations.

³ Chen Xilian, then Commander of the 3rd Column of the Central Plains Field Army.

⁴ Guang-Huang refers to Guangshan and Huangchuan in Henan.

then develop smoothly. Act in accordance with this policy in all dispositions.

Military Commission

12:00, 22nd