If Eastward Pursuit of the Enemy Cannot Be Made in Time, Use the Eighth Column and Other Units to Assist in Surrounding Zhangyuan[1]

(December 8, 1948)

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

Your telegram of the 8th at 20:30 hours[3] received. The two divisions of the 35th Army and one division of the 104th Army have fled eastward; Xuanhua is now free of the enemy. It was originally inappropriate for you not to use your full strength to fiercely pursue the fleeing enemy eastward, but instead to deploy the Eighth Column and one brigade of the Fourth Column toward Xuanhua. However, since the deployment has already been made in this way, if we were now to order you to turn the Eighth Column and one brigade of the Fourth Column back eastward to pursue the fleeing enemy again, it seems time would no longer permit it.

[1] This telegram was drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee and addressed to Yang Dezhi, commander of the Second Corps of the North China Military Region; Luo Ruiqing, political commissar; and Geng Biao, chief of staff.

[2] Yang and Li refer to Yang Chengwu and Li Tianhuan, who were respectively commander and deputy political commissar concurrently director of the Political Department of the Third Corps of the North China Military Region at the time. Cheng and Huang refer to Cheng Zihua and Huang Zhiyong, who were respectively commander and chief of staff of the Second Corps of the Northeast Field Army at the time.

[3] Refers to the telegram sent by Yang Dezhi, Luo Ruiqing, and Geng Biao to Yang Chengwu and Li Tianhuan, with a copy to the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee, at 20:30 hours on December 7, 1948. The telegram stated: Two divisions of the enemy’s 35th Army have fled past Xiahuayuan. They were blocked by our 12th Brigade and pursued by the 11th Brigade, and have been pinned down near Xinbao’an. The Fourth Column occupied Xiahuayuan at noon. The Fourth Column has been ordered to send one brigade and the Third Column to pursue fiercely eastward, coordinating with the 12th Brigade. It would be best to surround the enemy in the Xinbao’an or Shacheng/Tumu area, preventing them from linking up with the Temporary 3rd Army. The greatest concern at present is that the enemy in Zhangjiakou and Xuanhua may break out westward. Therefore, the Eighth Column and the 10th Brigade of the Fourth Column have been ordered to close in on Xuanhua. Yang and Li must cut off the link between Zhangjiakou and Xuanhua. After the arrival of the Eighth Column and one brigade of the Fourth Column, strengthen the western and northwestern fronts. The task of severing the Zhang-Xuan link is to be handed over to the First Column; if its strength is insufficient, one brigade of the Fourth Column may be added. Consequently, the Third Corps should not use two columns to pursue eastward.

If Eastward Pursuit of the Enemy Cannot Be Made in Time, Use the Eighth Column and Other Units to Assist in Surrounding Zhangyuan

If you also believe that time is no longer sufficient, and consider that Yang and Li, with eight brigades surrounding the enemy’s four infantry divisions and two cavalry brigades at Zhangyuan,[1] lack absolute certainty of preventing their escape, then the Eighth Column and one brigade of the Fourth Column may quickly join the encirclement of Zhangyuan, thereby facilitating future annihilation and avoiding failure on both ends. If you believe that turning back eastward can still be done in time, and that Yang and Li’s eight brigades have absolute certainty of preventing the enemy’s escape in surrounding Zhangyuan, then you may order the Eighth Column and one brigade of the Fourth Column to immediately turn back eastward. This matter is left to your on-the-spot discretion.

Military Commission
9:00 hours, 8th