Cheng Zihua and Huang Zhiyong’s Troops Temporarily Remain in Place Awaiting Orders[1]

(November 28, 1948)

Cheng and Huang, and inform Lin, Luo, and Liu[2]:

Your telegram of the 27th at 20:00 hours[3] received. (1) In order not to alert Fu[4]’s army prematurely, you are to temporarily remain in place awaiting orders and make no movement within three days. (2) The current question is whether Yang Chengwu[5] can pin down the 105th Army (i.e., the Temporary 4th Army) in the Chai, Huai, Zhang, Xuan[6] area. If that army can be pinned down, then there is also the possibility that one division of the 101st Army (i.e., the New 2nd Army) at Xiahuayuan[7] and one division of the 104th Army (i.e., the Temporary 3rd Army) at Huailai can be pinned down by our Yang, Luo, and Geng[8]. Otherwise, these

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee to Cheng Zihua, commander of the Second Corps of the Northeast Field Army, and Huang Zhiyong, its chief of staff.

[2] Lin, Luo, and Liu refer to Lin Biao, Luo Ronghuan, and Liu Yalou, who were then respectively commander, political commissar, and chief of staff of the Northeast Field Army.

[3] Refers to the telegram sent by Cheng Zihua and Huang Zhiyong on November 27, 1948, at 20:00 hours, proposing that the troops begin movement on the night of the 28th and arrive at the Pinggu area for assembly before dawn on December 1, addressed to the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee and Lin Biao, Luo Ronghuan, and Liu Yalou.

[4] Fu refers to Fu Zuoyi, then commander-in-chief of the Kuomintang army’s North China “Bandit Suppression” General Headquarters.

[5] Yang Chengwu, then commander of the Third Corps of the North China Military Region.

[6] Chai, Huai, Zhang, Xuan refer to Chaigoubao (now the seat of Huai’an County), Huai’an, Zhangjiakou, and Xuanhua in Hebei Province.

[7] Xiahuayuan, a town name, now Xiahuayuan District, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province.

[8] Yang, Luo, and Geng refer to Yang Dezhi, Luo Ruiqing, and Geng Biao, who were then respectively commander, political commissar, and chief of staff of the Second Corps of the North China Military Region.

enemy forces all have the possibility of withdrawing eastward. (3) The main force of the 104th Army, comprising two divisions, has already moved eastward from Huailai to the Nankou area. (4) Report immediately your units’ current positions.

Military Commission

28th, 12:00 hours

[1] Nankou, a town name, located in the western part of Changping County, Beijing.