Forces in North China Should Be Placed Under the Unified Command of Lin, Luo, Liu, and Tan[1]

(December 11, 1948)

Nie, Bo, Teng, Zhao, the North China Bureau, Lin, Luo, Liu, Tan[2]:

Our troops in the Northeast are now entering the pass in succession, and operations to attack the enemy forces at Beiping, Tianjin, Zhangjiakou, and Tangshan[3] have already begun. This is a gigantic campaign, and not only should the field armies of the two areas be placed under the unified command of Lin, Luo, Liu, and Tan, but the 7th Column of Central Hebei and the local army corps should also be placed under unified command. It is hoped that the North China Military Region will immediately order the 7th Column and the Central Hebei Military Region to establish radio contact with Lin, Luo, Liu, and Tan, report the situation to Lin, Luo, Liu, and Tan, and accept assignments. The Central Hebei Military Region should also send personnel to Jixian County to make contact with Lin and Luo. The North China Military Region and the North China Bureau should also send personnel to Jixian County to inform Lin and Luo of the situation in Beiping and Tianjin, the arrangements of cadres prepared to take over Beiping and Tianjin, and the various policies for administering Beiping and Tianjin. At the same time, radio communications should be strengthened so that Lin and Luo are aware of all the important matters prepared by North China.

Central Military Commission

11th, 23–1 hours

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, addressed to Commander Nie Rongzhen, Political Commissar Bo Yibo, Second Deputy Commander Teng Daiyuan, and Chief of Staff Zhao Erlu of the North China Military Region.

[2] Lin, Luo, Liu, and Tan refer to Lin Biao, Luo Ronghuan, Liu Yalou, and Tan Zheng, who at the time served respectively as Commander, Political Commissar, Chief of Staff, and Director of the Political Department of the Northeast Field Army.

[3] Beiping, Tianjin, Zhangjiakou, and Tangshan refer to Beiping, Tianjin, Zhangjiakou in Hebei, and Tangshan.