Lure the Enemy Reinforcements from Jinxi to the Vicinity of Jinzhou, Encircle and Annihilate Them[1]

(October 14, 1948)

Comrades Lin, Luo, and Liu:

Your telegram of 1800 hours today received. We are very gratified that you have fought your way into Jinzhou. If you have not yet committed your general reserves, if the enemy inside Jinzhou can be mopped up with relative ease, and if your units attacking Jinzhou have not suffered very heavy casualties and are still capable of fighting another battle, then we are in favor of taking the opportunity, when the remnant of the enemy in Jinzhou is about to be wiped out but has not yet been wiped out, of deliberately refraining from destroying the enemy’s command organ and part of his troops for the time being, so that they will frantically appeal for help, while you pull back your defence forces on the Jinxi front and lure the five enemy divisions coming to the rescue from Jinxi to the vicinity of Jinzhou, encircle and annihilate them. If this can be done, you will be able to go on to capture Jinxi. It is up to you to decide in the light of the situation.

The Military Commission

2300 hours, 14 October

[1] This telegram was drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and addressed 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 at 1800 hours on October 14, 1948 by Lin Biao, Luo Ronghuan and Liu Yalou to the Military Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Northeast Bureau of the Central Committee. The telegram reads: (1) Our army launched the general assault at 1100 hours today. The main forces of all columns have broken into the city and are now engaged in street fighting. (2) The enemy at Jinxi launched another attack at 0500 hours this morning. Fierce fighting is going on. The enemy has committed five divisions in the first echelon.




Soldiers in battle