Reply to Su Yu’s Telegram[1]

(September 25, 1948)

We have received your telegram of 0700 hours on the 24th.[2] We hope you will convene a meeting to discuss the operation, with Xu, Tan, Wang, and other cadres who are able to attend, and telegraph us your final considered opinions for review.

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[1] This is the main content of a reply telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, concerning Su Yu’s proposal to launch the Huaihai Campaign.

[2] The telegram of 0700 hours on the 24th refers to Su Yu’s telegram of 0700 hours on September 24 proposing the Huaihai Campaign. It stated: The battle for Jinan will conclude within days. If the enemy ceases its northward reinforcement, our next step, in order to better improve the war situation in the Central Plains, expose the Tianjin-Pukou Railway line, compel the enemy to retreat to defend the riverbanks and the Tianjin-Pukou Railway line, thereby reducing their mobile forces, facilitate our restoration of work along the riverbanks, create favorable conditions for future river crossings, enable the entire East China Field Army to obtain convenient transportation and supply support when operating south of the Longhai Railway in the future, and secure manpower and material support for the war from Central China, we propose immediately launching the Huaihai Campaign. That is, in the first step, the Northern Jiangsu Corps would attack and capture Huai’an, Huaiyin, Baoying, and Gaoyou, while the main force would be positioned along both banks of the line from Suqian to the Canal Station to strike at enemy reinforcements; in the second step, we would attack and capture Haizhou and Lianyungang. If we proceed with rest and reorganization now, we will easily lose the cool autumn climate suitable for operations and the psychological pressure imposed on the enemy after the Jinan Campaign.