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

(November 28, 1948)

To Cheng and Huang, with information to Lin, Luo, and Liu[2]:

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

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[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee to Cheng Zihua, commander of the 2nd 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 at 20:00 hours on November 27, 1948, regarding the troops’ planned movement starting on the night of the 28th and assembly in the Pinggu area 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’s “Bandit Suppression” General Headquarters in North China.

[5] Yang Chengwu, then commander of the 3rd Corps of the North China Military Region.

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

[7] 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 2nd Corps of the North China Military Region.

[8] Xiahuayuan, a town name, now the Xiahuayuan District of Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province.