Prevent Huang Wei’s Troops from Advancing on Boxian, Guoyang, and Yongcheng[1]

(November 13, 1948)

To the Central Plains Bureau, the Henan-Anhui-Jiangsu Sub-Bureau, and Comrades Liu, Chen, and Deng; Su, Tan, and Zhang:

(1) Four divisions of Feng Zhi’an’s troops have revolted. Huang Baitao’s[2] ten divisions, Li Mi’s[3] one to two divisions, Sun Liangcheng’s[4] two divisions, and Sun Yuanliang’s[5] four to five divisions—totaling seventeen to nineteen divisions—are now being encircled and annihilated by our Huaye and Zhongye armies. It is estimated that they can all be disposed of around the 17th of this month. Of Liu Ruming’s[6] six divisions, except for one division already annihilated by us, the rest have moved south to the Dingyuan-Hefei line. The Xuzhou-Bengbu Railway[7] has been cut and controlled by our Zhongye troops. As soon as the two enemy forces of Huang and Sun[8] are annihilated, our army can then tightly besiege Xuzhou and prepare for the second step—annihilating the two corps of Qiu Qingquan and Li Mi and capturing Xuzhou. (2) The three divisions of the 54th Army and the two divisions of the 8th Army, originally at Huludao,

[1] This telegram was drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee and addressed to the Central Plains Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, the Henan-Anhui-Jiangsu Sub-Bureau, and concurrently to Liu Bocheng (Commander of the Central Plains Field Army), Chen Yi (First Deputy Commander), Deng Xiaoping (Political Commissar), and Su Yu (Acting Commander and Acting Political Commissar of the East China Field Army), Chen Shiju (Chief of Staff), and Zhang Zhen (Deputy Chief of Staff).

[2] Huang Baitao was then Commander of the 7th Corps of the Kuomintang Army.

[3] Li Mi was then Commander of the 13th Corps of the Kuomintang Army.

[4] Sun Liangcheng was then Deputy Commander of the 1st Pacification Zone of the Kuomintang Army and concurrently Commander of the 107th Army. During the Huaihai Campaign, on November 13, 1948, he led the army headquarters and one division, totaling 5,800 men, to surrender northwest of Suining, Jiangsu.

[5] Sun Yuanliang was then Commander of the 16th Corps of the Kuomintang Army.

[6] Liu Ruming was then Commander of the 4th Pacification Zone of the Kuomintang Army.

[7] The Xuzhou-Bengbu Railway refers to the railway from Xuzhou to Bengbu, now a section of the Beijing-Shanghai Railway.

[8] Huang and Sun refer to Huang Baitao and Sun Yuanliang.

left the island on the 10th and were shipped south. It is estimated they will reach Nanjing on the 17th. These five divisions may be deployed in the panic-stricken Nanjing area, or they may be sent to Bengbu to coordinate with a breakout from Xuzhou. However, since the Xuzhou-Bengbu Railway has been cut by us, this enemy force will not be able to play a significant role. (3) What worries us is Huang Wei’s[1] ten divisions. They can reach Taihe and Fuyang[2] on the 14th. It is estimated they will rest for one day on the 15th and may advance from Taihe and Fuyang toward Boxian, Guoyang, and Yongcheng on the 16th to coordinate with the breakout of Qiu and Li.[3] (4) After Huang Baitao and Sun Yuanliang are annihilated, it is estimated that Chiang Kai-shek will swiftly order Qiu and Li to break out, and their breakout direction will inevitably be toward Taihe and Fuyang or Boxian, Guoyang, and Yongcheng, where Huang Wei is located. (5) Therefore, the Central Plains Bureau and Comrades Deng and Li[4] must immediately inform the 2nd and 6th Columns of the above situation. Regardless of day or night, sparing no fatigue, they must advance by forced marches and must arrive ahead of Huang Wei at Taihe and Fuyang by the 14th, or at the latest by the 15th, to directly block Huang Wei from advancing on Boxian, Guoyang, and Yongcheng. No delay in this matter is permissible. Where are these two columns now, and on what day can they reach east of Taihe to overtake Huang Wei? Comrades Deng and Li are requested to report promptly. (6) Comrade Song Renqiong[5] of the Sub-Bureau should immediately mobilize all available armed forces to swiftly destroy bridges and roads along Huang Wei’s route in the intermediate area among Taihe, Fuyang, Boxian, Guoyang, and Yongcheng, so as to delay the movement of Huang’s corps. Song Renqiong is requested to report immediately on the mobilization situation and the distances from Taihe and Fuyang to Boxian, Guoyang, and Yongcheng.

The Military Commission

0600 hours, November 13

[1] Huang Wei was then Commander of the 12th Corps of the Kuomintang Army.

[2] Taihe and Fuyang refer to Taihe and Fuyang in Anhui Province.

[3] Qiu and Li refer to Qiu Qingquan and Li Mi.

[4] Deng refers to Deng Zihui, then Third Secretary of the Central Plains Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Deputy Political Commissar of the Central Plains Military Region. Li refers to Li Xiannian, then Deputy Commander of the Central Plains Military Region and the Central Plains Field Army.

[5] Song Renqiong was then Secretary of the Henan-Anhui-Jiangsu Sub-Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.