After Annihilating Huang Baitao, Decide on the Next Operational Policy[1]

(November 15, 1948)

Liu, Chen, Deng, and Su, Tan[2]:

After our telegram of 23:00 on the 14th[3] was sent, we received Liu, Chen, and Deng’s telegram of 10:00 on the 14th and Tan, Wang, and Li’s telegram of 10:30 on the 14th. We and you are in agreement on the basic policy. It is necessary to wait until after Huang’s Corps[4] has been annihilated, and then decide on the operational policy based on the circumstances of Qiu Qingquan, Li Mi, and Huang Wei’s[5] three forces. According to Tan, Wang, and Li[6], Qiu and Li attacked fiercely eastward for an entire day on the 13th, advancing only five li, and they also stated that three more nights are still needed to finish off Huang’s Corps. Also, according to Qiu Qingquan’s telegram to Chiang Kai-shek at noon on the 14th, he fabricated major battle results to deceive Chiang[7], and also claimed that our army was attempting to sever his rear communications, and that he, with the main forces of the 74th Army, the 12th Army, the 1st Cavalry Brigade, and the 32nd Division, etc., was blocking our westward advance in the Pantang[8] area. Based on
the above circumstances, our plan to lure Qiu and Li eastward and sever their rear route may not necessarily be realizable. After Huang’s Corps is annihilated, the possibility of Qiu and Li shrinking back into Xuzhou is very great. The possibility of Huang Wei observing the situation at Fuyang, or going to Mengcheng to observe the situation, or going to Bengbu to consolidate his rear is also very great. Furthermore, in your several recent telegrams, you have not mentioned the 68th Army being in the Guzhen area, nor have you mentioned attacking the 68th Army. Whether the information we have received that the 68th Army is in the Guzhen area is indeed accurate, and whether you need to concentrate four columns to attack the Guzhen area after capturing Su County, still awaits your investigation and confirmation. In short, everything must wait until after Su and Tan have annihilated Huang Baitao, and you have annihilated the enemy at Su County, and then the next operational policy can be decided based on changing circumstances. If at that time Qiu and Li shrink back into Xuzhou, and Huang Wei moves to Bengbu, and both locations are difficult to attack, then it would also be good to give us a short period of rest. Only, at present, the East China Field Army should still strive to attack Qiu and Li after annihilating Huang’s Corps, and after you capture Su County, if Liu Ruming’s[1] forces are at Guzhen, you should strive to annihilate Liu’s forces as well.

The Military Commission

06:00, 15th

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

--- Notes

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee to Liu Bocheng, Commander of the Central Plains Field Army, Chen Yi, First Deputy Commander, and Deng Xiaoping, Political Commissar, etc.
[2] Su and Tan refer to Su Yu and Tan Zhenlin, who were then respectively Acting Commander and Acting Political Commissar, and Deputy Political Commissar of the East China Field Army.
[3] Namely, "Must Concentrate Efforts to Thoroughly Resolve Huang Baitao's Corps."
[4] Huang's Corps refers to the 7th Corps of the Kuomintang Army, with Corps Commander Huang Baitao.
[5] Qiu Qingquan, Li Mi, and Huang Wei were then respectively Commanders of the Kuomintang Army's 2nd Corps, 13th Corps, and 12th Corps.
[6] Tan refers to Tan Zhenlin. Wang and Li refer to Wang Jian'an and Li Yingxi, who were then respectively Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Shandong Corps of the East China Field Army.
[7] Chiang refers to Chiang Kai-shek.
[8] Pantang is located southeast of Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province.