Prepare to Completely Annihilate Liao Yaoxiang’s Corps and Capture Shenyang[1]

(October 20, 1948)

To the Northeast Bureau, Lin, Luo, Liu:

The Northeast Bureau’s telegram of You Hao, 18:00 hours[2] regarding the measures for handling Zheng’s unit is very good. It is hoped that Lin, Luo, and Liu will instruct Xiao and Xiao[3] to promptly conclude the work in Changchun, hand over everything to Chen Zhengren[4] to take over, and lead the bulk of the 12th Column and eleven independent divisions to move rapidly via the shortest route to the area between Shenyang, Yingkou, and Goubangzi[5]. Apart from detaching a portion to garrison Yingkou, the main force shall advance from east to west to coordinate with our army’s operations at Jinzhou, prepare to completely annihilate Liao Yaoxiang’s corps, and capture Shenyang.

The Military Commission

Xu Zi

[1] This telegram was drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China and addressed to the Northeast Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Lin Biao, commander of the Northeast Field Army, Luo Ronghuan, political commissar, and Liu Yalou, chief of staff.
[2] Refers to the telegram sent at 18:00 hours on October 19, 1948, by the Northeast Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to the Central Military Commission and Lin Biao, Luo Ronghuan, Liu Yalou, Tan Zheng, Xiao Jinguang, and Xiao Hua. The telegram stated that after Zheng Dongguo surrendered, it was proposed to send Chen Zhengren with a group of cadres to handle the placement of Zheng’s unit, so as to relieve Xiao Jinguang and Xiao Hua of unnecessary affairs and allow them to concentrate fully on military operations. The telegram also proposed specific guidelines for handling Zheng’s unit.
[3] Xiao and Xiao refer to Xiao Jinguang and Xiao Hua, who were then respectively commander and political commissar of the 1st Corps of the Northeast Field Army.
[4] Chen Zhengren was then secretary of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee and concurrently political commissar of the Jilin Military District.
[5] Goubangzi, a town located in the southern part of Beizhen County, Liaoning Province.