Pin Down the Enemy’s 18th Army to Ensure the Victory of Su Yu’s Forces[1]

(July 6, 1948)

Liu, Chen, Deng, and inform Su, Chen, Tang[2]:

We have received your Weiwei telegram[3]. To ensure the victory of Su Yu’s forces, there are two plans for your operations: (1) The entire army (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Columns) follows the enemy northward, advancing directly to the Sui-Qi[4] area. (2) Use the 4th Column to follow the 18th Army northward, advancing directly to Sui-Qi, while the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Columns annihilate Wu Shaozhou[5]. You are requested to choose one of the above plans and implement it. If the first plan is not adopted, then the second plan must be taken. It is imperative that the 18th Army does not pass Sui-Qi before Wuhui[6], and that efforts are made to annihilate the 72nd Division (whether to continue annihilating the 72nd Division shall be decided by Su Yu on the spot according to the immediate situation), and that Su Yu’s forces be allowed approximately ten days of breathing space after the conclusion of the campaign to move north for rest and reorganization, thereby holding the initiative (this point is extremely important). This is our utmost hope. Report the progress of the entire army’s movements

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

[2] Su, Chen, Tang refers to Su Yu, Chen Shiju, and Tang Liang, who at the time were respectively Acting Commander and Acting Political Commissar, Chief of Staff, and Director of the Political Department of the East China Field Army.

[3] Refers to the telegram sent by Liu Bocheng, Chen Yi, and Deng Xiaoping to the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee at the wei hour (1:00–3:00 p.m.) on July 5, 1948. The telegram stated: The 4th Column has been ordered to move entirely east of Zhoukou and Shangshui tonight to enter combat and block the northward reinforcement of Hu Lian’s 18th Army. The main forces of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Columns will advance tonight to the Donghongqiao area and attack Wu Shaozhou according to the original deployment.

[4] Sui-Qi refers to Sui County and Qi County in Henan Province.

[5] Wu Shaozhou, then Commander of the Reorganized 85th Division of the Kuomintang Army, commanding a corps composed of the Reorganized 85th Division, the 28th Division, and the 10th Division.

[6] Wuhui refers to July 10.

by telegram daily.

Military Commission

Yuchou