After Annihilating the 75th Division, Engage Other Units[1]

(June 15, 1948)

Su and Zhang, with Wei and Ji; Liu and Deng; Chen and Deng; Xu and Tan;[2] the East China Bureau:

(1) The enemy’s 83rd Division and 25th Division are both advancing from northern Jiangsu toward southwestern Shandong. The main force of our Wei-Ji Corps should immediately advance toward the Xuzhou-Bengbu section of the Jinpu Line[3] and attack that line.[4] (2) The 18th Army is advancing toward the Kaifeng-Xuzhou line of the Longhai Railway.[5] It is hoped that Liu and Deng will promptly dispatch a strong corps to pursue and attack this enemy. (3) The Xu-Tan Corps should still follow the original plan: after capturing Zouxian, attack Yanzhou, then attack Jining, striving to annihilate the 12th Division before the rainy season, capture Yanzhou and Jining, rest and consolidate for a period, then move south to attack Lincheng, Hanzhuang, Zaozhuang, Yixian,[6] and the Xuzhou-Haizhou

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee to Su Yu, Acting Commander and Acting Political Commissar of the East China Field Army, and Zhang Zhen, Deputy Chief of Staff.

[2] Wei and Ji refer to Wei Guoqing and Ji Luo (Ji Pengfei), then respectively Commander and Deputy Political Commissar of the Subei Corps of the East China Field Army. Liu and Deng refer to Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping, then respectively Commander and Political Commissar of the Central Plains Field Army. Chen and Deng refer to Chen Yi and Deng Zihui, then respectively First Deputy Commander and Deputy Political Commissar of the Central Plains Field Army. Xu and Tan refer to Xu Shiyou and Tan Zhenlin, then respectively Commander and Political Commissar of the Shandong Corps of the East China Field Army.

[3] The Xuzhou-Bengbu section of the Jinpu Line refers to the section of the Tianjin-Pukou railway from Xuzhou to Bengbu, now part of the Beijing-Shanghai line.

[4] This deployment was altered in a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee to Wei Guoqing and Ji Luo (Ji Pengfei) at the you hour on June 19, 1948.

[5] The Kaifeng-Xuzhou line refers to the railway from Kaifeng to Xuzhou, a section of the Longhai line.

[6] Lincheng refers to present-day Xuecheng, Zaozhuang City, Shandong. Hanzhuang is a town located in the southeast of Weishan County, Shandong. Zaozhuang refers to present-day Zaozhuang City, Shandong. Yixian is an old county name, now Yicheng, Zaozhuang City, Shandong.

Line.”[1] (4) Su and Zhang’s wei-hour telegram of the 14th changed the deployment proposed in the shen-hour telegram of the 13th.[2] Our opinion is that as long as Chen and Tang[3] arrive in Caoxian, the main force of Su and Zhang should immediately attack and annihilate the 75th Division. The objective of this campaign is solely to annihilate the 75th Division; do not attempt to strike the 5th Army. After the 75th Division is annihilated, then make deployments to engage other units.

Military Commission

Hai hour, 15th

[1] The Xuzhou-Haizhou Line refers to the railway from Xuzhou to Haizhou (now part of Lianyungang City, Jiangsu), a section of the Longhai line.

[2] At the shen hour on June 13, 1948, Su Yu and Zhang Zhen telegraphed the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee, proposing a three-step plan to annihilate the enemy’s 75th Division, 5th Army, and 83rd Division, and stating that Chen Shiju and Tang Liang, leading the 3rd and 8th Columns, could reach the Longhai line by the evening of the 16th, thus deciding to complete the division and encirclement of the 75th Division by the evening of the 16th and launch the campaign to annihilate the 5th Army. Later, due to changes in the enemy situation, Su Yu and Zhang Zhen, at the wei hour on the 14th, telegraphed Chen and Tang with a copy to the Central Military Commission, deciding to abandon the above plan and instructing Chen and Tang to halt in place and reconnoiter the situation in Kaifeng, after which either Chen and Tang would make a surprise attack on Kaifeng to annihilate the defending enemy, or make a feint to draw the enemy back for reinforcement and annihilate them in movement.

[3] Chen and Tang refer to Chen Shiju and Tang Liang, then respectively Chief of Staff and Director of the Political Department of the East China Field Army.