Reply to Liu Bocheng, Chen Yi, Deng Xiaoping, and Others[1]

(October 15, 1948)

Your telegram of the 14th[2] has been received. The time for the southward advance of the East China Field Army has been postponed; Huang Wei and Zhang Gan have likewise not advanced hastily. Qiu [Qingquan] and Sun [Yuanliang] may move northward from Bian [Kaifeng] and Xu [Xuzhou]. It would be appropriate for you to slightly postpone the attack on Zheng[zhou], with all columns awaiting orders at their present positions.

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

[2] Liu Bocheng, Chen Yi, Deng Xiaoping, and others telegraphed the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China at the si hour on October 14, proposing: "Under the condition that our East China Field Army postpones its offensive until it is launched on the 28th with no further changes, we are determined to have Chen Xilian's group begin the siege of Zhengzhou on the 20th, with Chen [Geng] and Xie [Fuzhi] leading their forces to follow up and join the operation."