The Main Task of the East China Field Army in the Coming Period Is to Annihilate Li Yannian[1]

(November 21, 1948)

Su, Chen, Zhang, and inform Liu, Chen, Deng, Tan, Wang, Wei, Ji[2]:

(1) Your telegram of the 20th at 0200 hours[3] has been noted. (2) Regarding the matter of the East China Field Army assuming full responsibility for dealing with Li Yannian’s Army Corps[4], a telegram was sent yesterday, which presumably has reached you. (3) The main task of the East China Field Army in the coming period

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[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee to 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] Liu, Chen, and Deng refer to Liu Bocheng, Chen Yi, and Deng Xiaoping, who were then respectively commander, first deputy commander, and political commissar of the Central Plains Field Army. Tan and Wang refer to Tan Zhenlin and Wang Jian’an, who were then respectively political commissar and deputy commander of the Shandong Army Corps of the East China Field Army. Wei and Ji refer to Wei Guoqing and Ji Luo (Ji Pengfei), who were then respectively commander and deputy political commissar of the Northern Jiangsu Army Corps of the East China Field Army.

[3] This refers to the telegram sent by Su Yu, Chen Shiju, and Zhang Zhen to the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee at 0200 hours on November 20, 1948. The telegram stated: We fully support the Military Commission’s directive of first attacking Li Yannian and then Huang Wei on the southern front, and have already prepared to dispatch the 11th Column and the 13th Column southward on the evening of the 20th; they can arrive in the area east and west of Shicun by the evening of the 21st to await opportunities. In order to achieve the rapid annihilation of Li Yannian, tomorrow (21st) evening we can still draw 1 to 2 columns from the troops attacking Nianzhuang to move south and participate in the final stage of operations to annihilate Li Yannian’s forces. It is estimated that with the 3rd, 4th, and 9th Columns of the Central Plains Field Army, plus two columns of the East China Field Army, battle can first be initiated. If the Central Plains Field Army still has three columns tasked with blocking Huang Wei’s Army Corps, then later, from the 4th, 6th, 8th, and 9th Columns attacking Nianzhuang, 2 or 3 columns can be drawn and added to the forces dealing with Huang Wei’s Army Corps. We find it difficult to cut off the retreat route of Qiu and Li’s Army Corps and can only strive to annihilate a portion of them; therefore, using 8 columns to encircle and pin down the enemy at Xuzhou will suffice.

[4] Li Yannian’s Army Corps refers to the Kuomintang’s 6th Army Corps, with Li Yannian as its commander.

The Main Task of the East China Field Army in the Coming Period Is to Annihilate Li Yannian

is to annihilate Li Yannian. Su, Chen, and Zhang, and Tan and Wang are requested, from now on, to focus their main attention and the emphasis of troop deployment on annihilating Li Yannian’s three armies. The importance of this task was fully pointed out in our two telegrams of 2400 hours on the 18th and 1000 hours on the 19th.[1] (4) Nianzhuang has been taken; the remaining elements of the 64th Army can presumably be dealt with today or tomorrow. After Huang’s Army Corps[2] is completely annihilated, you will have accomplished a major undertaking. What concerns us now is whether you can handle the matter of annihilating four or five divisions (or slightly fewer) of Qiu and Li[3] properly, beating Qiu and Li so they cannot move, in order to quickly draw out the main force of the existing eight columns, together with the main forces of the various columns that attacked Huang Baitao, to strike at Li Yannian. (5) What were the results of your attacks on Qiu and Li the night before last (the 19th) and last night (the 20th), and what is the situation regarding our army’s losses? Please inform us immediately. (6) Su, Chen, and Zhang’s telegram of the 20th at 0200 hours stated that it is difficult to cut off Qiu and Li’s retreat route and only a portion of them can be annihilated, hence using eight columns will suffice, etc. This opinion is consistent with ours. However, a decision must be made during the daytime today on whether to attack again tonight (the 21st). In our opinion, if conditions exist for smooth progress, attacks can continue for another night or two; otherwise, a prompt decision should be made to stop at the appropriate moment. Draw out the necessary forces to coordinate with the units under Tan and Wang located between Xuzhou, Su County, Shuanggou, and Dadian[4] to plan the annihilation of Li Yannian. Once Li Yannian is annihilated, the war situation can be transformed. What is your view? Awaiting your reply.

The Military Commission

0500 hours, 21st

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[1] Namely, “On the Deployment for Blocking and Annihilating the Enemy on the Southern Front” and “On the Operational Policy for the Next Step in the Huaihai Campaign.”

[2] Huang’s Army Corps refers to the Kuomintang’s 7th Army Corps, with Huang Baitao as its commander.

[3] Qiu and Li refer to Qiu Qingquan and Li Mi, who were then respectively commanders of the Kuomintang’s 2nd and 13th Army Corps.

[4] Shuanggou, a town name, located northwest of Suining County, Jiangsu Province. Dadian, a town name, located southeast of Su County, Anhui Province.