Striking Jinzhou First Will Place Our Army in a Completely Active Position[1]

(September 27, 1948)

Lin, Luo, Liu:

Your telegram of the 26th at 9:00 a.m.[2] has been received. The plan is excellent. However, after annihilating the enemy at the five points of Yixian, Gaoqiao[3], Xingcheng, Suizhong, and Jinxi, if it is possible to strike Jinzhou and Shanhaiguan simultaneously, then both should be struck simultaneously. If it is not possible to strike both simultaneously, then whether to strike Shanhaiguan first or Jinzhou first merits consideration. For if we strike Shanhaiguan first and then turn the forces used against Shanhaiguan back to strike Jinzhou, this will exhaust the troops and waste time, giving the enemy in Shenyang time to send reinforcements; if we strike Jinzhou first, then it is very likely the enemy in Shenyang will not have time to send reinforcements and will continue to remain in a state of paralysis (they are already in a state of paralysis at present), and we can shift our main force to attack Shanhaiguan, Luanxian, Tangshan, Tanggu, and, whenever possible, we should also attack and occupy Huludao and Qinhuangdao, completely mop up the line from Jinzhou to Tanggu, and press directly on to the outskirts of Tianjin, compelling the Kuomintang to use air transport to move troops from Shenyang to reinforce the defense of Beiping and Tianjin. Apart from this, there is absolutely no other way to reinforce the defense of Beiping and Tianjin, and the method of air transport is very slow and cannot complete the task. At that time, your entire army should rest and consolidate for

[1] This was a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee to be sent to Lin Biao, commander of the Northeast Field Army, Luo Ronghuan, its political commissar, and Liu Yalou, its chief of staff.

[2] This refers to the telegram sent by Lin Biao, Luo Ronghuan, and Liu Yalou to the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee at 9:00 a.m., September 26, 1948. The telegram stated: The Northeast Field Army is preparing to dispatch part of its forces on September 27 to attack and annihilate the enemy in Suizhong, part to attack and occupy Yixian, part to annihilate the enemy at Gaoqiao and Xihekou, and part to advance toward Jinxi. "After Yixian and Gaoqiao are taken, preparations will be made to proceed to annihilate the enemy in Jinxi and Xingcheng. Then, if the enemy at Shanhaiguan has not fled, we shall attack Shanhaiguan; if the enemy has already fled, we shall turn back and strike Jinzhou."

[3] Gaoqiao, a town located east of present-day Jinxi, Liaoning Province.

Striking Jinzhou First Will Place Our Army in a Completely Active Position

one month, or at most forty days (do not exceed forty days), and then divide into two groups. One group will first attack and occupy the Beiping–Chengde line,[1] and then attack and occupy the Beiping–Zhangjiakou line;[2] the other group will attack Shenyang and Changchun.[3] Only in this way can the enemy be placed in a completely passive position and our army in a completely active position. You should now calculate and plan for these steps.

Military Commission

27th, 21:00–23:00

In September 1948, artillery units of the PLA attacked the enemy defending Jinzhou.

[1] The Beiping–Chengde line refers to the railway from Beiping (present-day Beijing) to Chengde, now the Beijing–Chengde line.

[2] The Beiping–Zhangjiakou line refers to the railway from Beiping (present-day Beijing) to Zhangjiakou, now a section of the Beijing–Baotou line.

[3] Shenyang and Changchun, cities in Liaoning and Jilin Provinces.