Troop Rest and Reorganization and the Next Step in Operational Planning[1]

(July 26, 1948)

To Liu, Chen, Deng, Su, Chen, Tang, and for the information of Xu, Tan[2]:

(1) The rainy season has arrived, and your decision to enter rest and reorganization is correct. (2) The period of rest and reorganization should be calculated from the day of wu jia [July 21], and in accordance with the method of Liu, Chen, and Deng, uniformly stipulate every ten days as one phase, continuing until the end of August, for a total of forty days. Should any emergency arise during this period, then at any time conclude the rest and training and enter combat; otherwise, persist in completing the forty-day plan. (3) During these forty days, apart from training and reviewing lessons learned, all units must complete the two supplementary plans for personnel and ammunition. (4) After the forty-day plan is completed, if possible and necessary, the Military Commission will then decide on an extension of a certain number of days, but you should not now prepare for an extension; you should concentrate your efforts within the forty days on completing the rest, reorganization, and replenishment plan. (5) The next step in operational tasks: it is predetermined that Su, Chen, and Tang, with unified command of Xu and Tan, shall annihilate the Fifth Army; the main force of Liu, Chen, and Deng shall seek out and destroy one division of Zhang Zhen as a supporting effort. It is anticipated that in the first or middle ten days of September, combat will be initiated simultaneously at both points, to avoid unevenness and the consequent loss of initiative and effective coordination. This operational plan is to be reported to the Military Commission for decision in the last ten days of August. (6) For this purpose, the troops under Wei and Ji[3]

[1] This telegram was drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee and addressed to Liu Bocheng, Commander; Chen Yi, First Deputy Commander; and Deng Xiaoping, Political Commissar of the Central Plains Field Army; and Su Yu, Acting Commander and Acting Political Commissar; Chen Shiju, Chief of Staff; and Tang Liang, Director of the Political Department of the East China Field Army.

[2] Xu and Tan refer to Xu Shiyou and Tan Zhenlin, who were then respectively Commander and Political Commissar of the Shandong Army Corps of the East China Field Army.

[3] Wei and Ji refer to Wei Guoqing and Ji Luo (Ji Pengfei), who were then respectively Commander and Deputy Political Commissar of the Subei Army Corps of the East China Field Army.

Troop Rest and Reorganization and the Next Step in Operational Planning

should, upon the completion of operations in the vicinity of Xin’an Town[1] within the next few days, immediately enter rest and reorganization. These troops have only the single month of August for rest and reorganization; therefore, they must not engage Xu Jitai[2] again, so that this army corps may, starting from wei dong [August 1], conduct rest and reorganization on the spot for thirty days, and then enter the coordinated operations to annihilate the Fifth Army. During the operations to annihilate the Fifth Army, the task of Wei and Ji is to pin down the Eighth Division and the Twenty-fifth Division.[3]

Military Commission

You You [26th day, 17-19 hours]

[1] Xin’an Town is the present-day seat of Xinyi County, Jiangsu Province.

[2] Xu Jitai was a leader of the local Nationalist irregular forces in the Subei region.

[3] Eighth Division probably refers to the Eighty-third Division.