Time for the Northeast Main Force to Move Out and Begin Attacking the Jinzhou–Shanhaiguan Line[1]

(August 7, 1948)

Lin, Luo, Liu:

Your telegram of the 6th at 19:00 hours[2] noted. Suiyuan[3] is a place Fu Zuoyi[4] cannot afford not to relieve; there is no fear of being unable to draw Fu’s forces westward—drawing Fu’s forces westward is inevitable. The problem is that Fu Zuoyi himself has three armies and several independent divisions. If he sends two armies and one or two independent divisions to relieve Suiyuan, then Yang Chengwu[5] will find it difficult to gain a firm foothold in Suiyuan,

because both Suiyuan and northwestern Shanxi lack grain supplies, and the two points of Jining and Guisui[1] must be taken to solve the grain problem. The lessons of the two previous failures in entering Suiyuan should not be forgotten. Regardless of when you begin attacking the Jinzhou–Shanhaiguan line[2], the Yang-Luo Corps[3] must coordinate its operations with the Yang Chengwu Corps. It is hereby stipulated that the Yang Chengwu Corps shall move out from east of Laiyuan on August 21 and begin attacking the two points of Guisui and Jining around September 10. The Yang-Luo-Geng Corps must reach the Chengde–Beiping line with its main force and begin its attack before September 10, while also dispatching a part of its force to operate along the Beiping–Zhangjiakou line[4] to coordinate with the operations of the Yang Chengwu Corps. During this phase, the Yang-Luo-Geng Corps shall be under the direct command of the Military Commission. Your main force shall determine the time for its own movement and the commencement of the attack on the Jinzhou–Shanhaiguan line in accordance with the timing of the operations of the above-mentioned two corps, and report it in advance to the Military Commission. If you have any opinions on the above stipulations, telegraph them immediately; otherwise, act in accordance with this disposition.

Military Commission
7th, 18:00 hours

--- Notes

[1] This telegram was drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee and addressed to Lin Biao, Commander and concurrently Political Commissar of the Northeast Field Army; Luo Ronghuan, Deputy Political Commissar; and Liu Yalou, Chief of Staff.


[1] Guisui is an old city name, now Hohhot, Inner Mongolia.


[2] Refers to the telegram sent by Lin Biao and Luo Ronghuan to the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee at 19:00 hours on August 6, 1948. The telegram stated: “1. It is estimated that when Fu Zuoyi discovers our Northeast main force moving south, he will inevitably adopt the policy of abandoning secondary strongholds and concentrating his main forces to defend the major cities. 2. Our army should adopt the policy of maneuvering to disperse Fu Zuoyi’s forces, so as to annihilate Fu’s units and seize the cities he defends, including seizing Beiping and Tianjin when the opportunity arises. 3. In order to draw one or two of Fu’s armies westward, so that our army can achieve victories at Chengde, Zhangjiakou, Baoding, and Beiping, it is inadvisable for us to take the initiative first to draw Fu Zuoyi northward or eastward. Instead, Yang Chengwu’s forces should move first to draw Fu Zuoyi westward, so that we and the Yang-Luo forces can develop the theater of operations. The earlier Yang Chengwu’s forces can set out, the more advantageous. 4. We plan to attack Chengde after annihilating the enemy in the five cities along the Beiping–Liaoning line. 5. At present, rivers at places like Baichengzi, Zhengjiatun, and Tongliao are flooding severely, and many railway bridges have been washed out. Therefore, it is still impossible to begin transporting grain westward. The bridges can only be repaired after the 5th of next month. We can only move out between late August and early September. However, if the departure of Yang Chengwu’s forces can be advanced, then our departure can also be advanced.”


[2] The Jinzhou–Shanhaiguan line refers to the railway from Jinzhou to Shanhaiguan, a section of what is now the Beijing–Harbin line.


[3] Suiyuan was an old province name, covering the central part of what is now the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It was abolished in 1954.


[3] The Yang-Luo Corps refers to the Second Corps of the North China Military Region, with Yang Dezhi as Corps Commander and Luo Ruiqing as Political Commissar.


[4] Fu Zuoyi was then Commander-in-Chief of the “Bandit Suppression” General Headquarters of the Kuomintang Army in North China.


[4] The Beiping–Zhangjiakou line refers to the railway from Beiping (now Beijing) to Zhangjiakou, a section of what is now the Beijing–Baotou line.

[5] Yang Chengwu was then Commander of the Third Corps of the North China Military Region.