[1] Lin, Luo, and Liu; Cheng and Huang; Yang, Luo, and Geng; Yang and Li—also to the North China Bureau: The following dispositions are made for several corps to operate around Pingzhang with the aim of engaging Fu Zuoyi’s forces throughout December and destroying a portion or the bulk of those forces, thereby enabling Lin and Luo’s main force, after advancing into eastern Hebei in December, to smoothly sever the Peking–Tientsin and Tientsin–Tangshan lines, annihilate several enemy units, and break the deadlock in the key theater: (1) The forces for the Pingzhang Campaign will consist of the Northeast Fourth and Eleventh Columns and one cavalry division under Cheng and Huang; the Third, Fourth, and Eighth Columns of the North China Second Corps under Yang, Luo, and Geng; the First and Second Columns (two brigades) and the Sixth Column of the North China [3] Third Corps under Yang and Li; together with Jian Danan’s local corps. All these units will be placed under the unified command of Cheng and Huang.
[4] (2) Yang and Li, with their respective formations, began advancing eastward from the Sui-dong area on the 25th and were scheduled to concentrate around Chaigoubao and Huaian by around the 30th. They were then to launch a swift operation to seize and encircle approximately one enemy corps stationed at Chaigoubao, Huailai, Zhangjiakou, or Xuanhua, and, as circumstances permitted, to initiate an attack there, drawing any enemy forces to the east into reinforcement efforts toward the west.
(3) Yang, Luo, and Geng, with their respective units, set out on the 26th from the Quyang area north of Shijiazhuang and were to concentrate by December 1st in the Zijing Pass region northwest of Yixian, where they would lie in ambush awaiting further orders. From there, they were to prepare to advance within five days to the Zhuolu area and act according to the situation.
(4) The forces under Cheng and Huang were to assemble in the Pinggu area within a few days, complete their preparations, and, once Yang and Li had engaged and pinned down several enemy units in the Chaigoubao–Huailai–Zhangjiakou–Xuanhua sector, promptly to overrun the enemy along the Miyun–Huairou–Shunyi line and push forward into the Yanqing and Huailai areas, acting as conditions warranted.
Cheng and Huang are requested to ascertain and report the distance and travel time from Pinggu to Huailai.
(5) At present, the enemy holds one cavalry brigade at Xinghe; one division and two cavalry brigades at Chaigoubao and Huailai; one division, the headquarters of the 105th Army, and the command post of the 11th Corps under Sun Lanfeng at Zhangjiakou; one division at Xuanhua; one division at Xiaguanyuan; and three divisions of the 104th Army together with one division of the 16th Army at Huailai, Tumu, Shacheng, and Nankou—totaling eight infantry divisions and three cavalry brigades.
It is anticipated that, should your units succeed in encircling Chaigoubao, Huailai, Zhangjiakou, and Xuanhua, the two divisions of the 16th Army and the three divisions of the 35th Army may very likely be dispatched to reinforce the beleaguered enemy. Accordingly, you must be prepared to engage thirteen infantry divisions and three cavalry brigades.
The enemy can rapidly move troops by rail and motor transport, so your own movements must also be swift.
(6) If, during December, you can successfully pin down and engage the aforementioned sixteen infantry and cavalry divisions and brigades along the Pingzhang front, destroying a substantial portion of them and rendering the enemy immobilized—unable either to flee westward or to break out eastward—this would constitute a major strategic victory.
(7) Full account must be taken of the possibility that, under adverse conditions, Fu’s directly subordinate units might attempt to withdraw westward; in such event, you must employ both blocking actions from the front and pursuit from the rear to annihilate them.
(8) Likewise, it should be anticipated that, if the situation turns unfavorable, the enemy along this line may seek to break out eastward; again, you must use the same tactics to destroy them.
(9) Thorough mobilization work should be carried out among your troops to instill a determination to completely annihilate Fu’s forces.
Both regions are to exhaust all available resources. (10) Food supplies along this front are relatively scarce; therefore, order the Northern Yue and Recha detachments to find ways to meet your entire army’s food requirements for two months.
[7] (11) Before Lin, Luo, and Liu enter the pass, operations along the Ping-Sui Railway will remain under the direct command of the Military Commission; once Lin, Luo, and Liu have entered, command will be transferred to them.
(12) Lin, Luo, and Liu are to communicate any comments they may have regarding Cheng and Huang’s operations.
Printed by the Military Commission at 2:00 a.m. on the 27th, based on Mao Zedong’s manuscript.
Notes: [1]“Lin, Luo, and Liu” refers to Lin Biao, Luo Ronghuan, and Liu Yalou, who at the time served respectively as commander, political commissar, and chief of staff of the Northeast Field Army. “Cheng and Huang” denotes Cheng Zihua and Huang Zhiyong, who at the time held the posts of commander and chief of staff of the Northeast Field Army’s Second Corps. “Yang, Luo, and Geng” designates Yang Dezhi, Luo Ruiqing, and Geng Biao, serving respectively as commander, political commissar, and chief of staff of the North China Military Region’s Second Corps. “Yang and Li” stands for Yang Chengwu and Li Tianhuan, who at the time were commander and deputy political commissar兼political director of the North China Military Region’s Third Corps. [2] Fu Zuoyi was then the commander-in-chief of the Nationalist Army’s North China Pacification Headquarters. [3] Jian Danan was at the time commander of the Jirecha Military Region. [4] Sui refers to Suiyuan Province; see note [6] on page 82 of this volume. [5] Sun Lanfeng (1895–1987), a native of Teng County, Shandong, served as commander of the Nationalist Army’s 11th Corps at the time. [6] Re refers to Rehe Province, and Cha to Chahar Province; both are discussed in note [8] on page 82 of this volume. [7] The Ping-Sui Railway links Beiping (present-day Beijing) with Baotou in Suiyuan (now part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region)—corresponding to today’s Beijing–Baotou Railway.