First Annihilate the Enemy Forces in the Jinzhou-Tanggu Sector[1]

(September 21, 1948)

Lin, Luo, Liu:

According to the enemy situation along the Beining Line in recent days, it is highly favorable to the development of our army. I hope you will concentrate your attention on operations along this line and first accomplish the objective of annihilating the enemy’s nineteen divisions in this sector (from Jinzhou to Tanggu). If this objective is achieved, then everything in the future will be easy to handle; otherwise, difficulties will arise.

The Military Commission

Shenma

[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, Political Commissar, and Liu Yalou, Chief of Staff.

[2] The Beining Line refers to the railway from Beiping (present-day Beijing) to Shenyang, i.e., a section of the present-day Beijing-Harbin Line.