Strengthen Troop Strength to Ensure the Cutting Off of the Link Between the Enemy at Zhangjiakou and Xuanhua[1]

(December 2, 1948)

Yang and Li, and inform Cheng and Huang:[2]

If Zhangjiakou has already been encircled and the Zhang-Xuan[3] link has been cut off, you should pay attention to strengthening troop strength and consolidating this severance. By all means, prevent the 35th Army from joining up with the enemy at Zhangyuan.[4] This is of the utmost importance.

The Military Commission

0600 hours, 2nd

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[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee, addressed to Yang Chengwu, commander of the 3rd Corps of the North China Military Region, and Li Tianhuan, deputy political commissar and concurrently director of the Political Department.

[2] Cheng and Huang refer to Cheng Zihua and Huang Zhiyong, who were respectively commander and chief of staff of the 2nd Corps of the Northeast Field Army at the time.

[3] Zhang-Xuan refers to Zhangjiakou and Xuanhua in Hebei Province.

[4] Zhangyuan refers to Zhangjiakou in Hebei Province.