Comrade Su Yu’s Unit Should Complete Preparations for Renewed Combat Within Ten Days[1]

(July 8, 1948)

To Su, Chen, Tang, and Zhang, and to Liu, Chen, and Deng, and to Xu and Tan:

Your telegram of the seventh day, you hour[2] received. (1) Under the various circumstances described in your telegram, your withdrawal was correct. (2) We hope you will complete preparations for renewed combat within ten days (reorganizing units, replenishing ammunition, recovering from fatigue) in order to facilitate renewed combat. It is estimated that the enemy has two possibilities: to rest, reorganize, and replenish over a relatively long period before attacking us, or to rest for only a few days and then, taking advantage of our fatigue, immediately attack us. Your work and dispositions should be based on the second possibility, that is, be prepared to fight again within about ten days against an enemy that may attack. (3) It is hoped that Liu, Deng, and Chen will decide on their dispositions in light of the overall situation. (4) It is hoped that Xu and Tan will strive to capture Yanji[3] within about ten days, so as to be able to directly assist Su’s unit when it fights again.

Military Commission

Eighth day, noon

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, addressed to Su Yu, Acting Commander and Acting Political Commissar of the East China Field Army; Chen Shiju, Chief of Staff; Tang Liang, Director of the Political Department; and Zhang Zhen, Deputy Chief of Staff.

[2] Refers to the telegram sent by Su Yu, Chen Shiju, Tang Liang, and Zhang Zhen to the Central Military Commission on July 7, 1948, at the you hour. The telegram stated: Bai Chongxi, considering that the eastern Henan operations bear on the safety of the entire Central Plains, has ordered Hu Lian and Zhang Zhen to continue their northward advance, planning to attack our army from both east and west. In light of this situation, and since our army has been fighting continuously and is already very fatigued, in order to cope with the enemy taking advantage of our post-fatigue condition to attack, we have decided to abandon operations against the enemy’s 25th Division and other units, and to immediately withdraw north to the Minquan, Kaocheng, Heze, Cao County, and Dingtao areas to seek rest and reorganization. If the enemy continues to advance, we will seize the opportunity to strike and annihilate them.

[3] Yanji refers to Yanzhou and Jining in Shandong.