Prepare to Turn the Troops Around to Attack and Annihilate the Enemy Withdrawing from Shenyang[1]

(September 3, 1948)

Lin, Luo, Tan:

According to intelligence from Nanjing: The Ministry of National Defense has already formulated an operational plan for landing at Yingkou. Defensive units will participate in this operation, and ships from the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company will ensure the transportation of troops. The various units designated to take part in this operation have already made full combat preparations. The Kuomintang command apparatus attaches great importance to this operation. After landing, the Kuomintang troops intend to thrust toward the northwest of Shenyang. If they cannot gain a foothold at Yingkou, then at the very minimum they must secure a corridor for the withdrawal of troops from the Shenyang area, and so forth. Pay attention to this information. The Kuomintang appears to be making preparations to withdraw the Changchun-Shenyang[2] forces from Yingkou. If this matter materializes after you attack the Jinzhou-Shanhaiguan line[3], you must be prepared, after capturing Jinzhou-Shanhaiguan, to turn the troops around to attack and annihilate the enemy forces withdrawing from Shenyang, and by all means prevent the Changchun-Shenyang enemy forces from withdrawing to central China.

Central Military Commission
Shenjiang

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, addressed to Lin Biao, commander of the Northeast Field Army; Luo Ronghuan, its political commissar; and Tan Zheng, director of its political department.
[2] Changchun-Shenyang refers to Changchun in Jilin Province and Shenyang in Liaoning Province.
[3] The Jinzhou-Shanhaiguan line refers to the railway from Jinzhou to Shanhaiguan, i.e., a section of today’s Beijing-Harbin line.