The Enemy’s Occupation of Zhangwu Is Not Necessarily Detrimental to Our Attack on Jinzhou[1]

(October 11, 1948)

To the Northeast General Headquarters:

Your telegram of the 10th at 6:00 hours[2] noted. (1) So long as you are not afraid of having your supply lines cut, allowing the enemy to advance and occupy Zhangwu is not necessarily detrimental. For the next few days, you can remain unthreatened by the enemy reinforcements from Shenyang. By the time the fighting at Jinzhou becomes intense, the enemy forces at Zhangwu will turn back to reinforce Jinzhou, but they will have already lost the time to do so. (2) The Guomindang is putting out feelers about withdrawing from Changchun, seemingly to draw our army’s attention to Changchun, not because they truly intend to withdraw immediately. Whether this is the case will become clear in a few days.

The Military Commission

11th, 9:00 hours

[1] This telegram was drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China and addressed to the General Headquarters of the Northeast Field Army.
[2] Refers to the telegram sent by the General Headquarters of the Northeast Field Army to the Central Military Commission of the CPC and the Northeast Bureau of the CPC Central Committee at 6:00 hours on October 10, 1948. The telegram reported on the combat situation in the outer areas of Jinzhou and the enemy reinforcements from Jinxi, and stated that “enemy forces near Xinmin occupied Xiushuihezi on the 9th and are pressing toward Zhangwu.”