Telegram to Liu Bocheng, Chen Yi, Deng Xiaoping, and Li Da[1]

(October 11, 1948)

Chiang has ordered Sun Yuanliang’s[2] three divisions to advance eastward. You should immediately deploy to attack along the Zhengzhou-Xuzhou line and destroy a portion of the enemy forces as a means of pinning down Sun’s army corps. Otherwise, if Sun’s army corps moves to reinforce the Xuzhou area, it will greatly impede the new operations of the Huaye (East China Field Army).

[1] This is the main content of a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, addressed to Liu Bocheng, Chen Yi, Deng Xiaoping, and Li Da.

[2] Sun Yuanliang was then Commander of the 16th Army Corps of the Kuomintang’s “Bandit Suppression General Headquarters” in Xuzhou.