Immediately Replenish the Troops with the Majority of Captives[1]

(December 22, 1948)

Yang, Luo, Geng, and inform Lin, Luo, Liu, Yang, Li[2], and the North China Bureau:

(1) Your telegram of 18:00 on the 22nd received. The complete annihilation of the enemy at Xinbao’an[3] is most gratifying. (2) We hope you will follow the policy adopted by Liu-Deng and Chen-Su[4] in the Xuzhou-Bengbu[5] campaign—namely, to interrogate captives immediately upon capture and to incorporate them into the troops immediately upon interrogation—and immediately replenish the troops with the greatest possible number of captives, and rapidly assimilate them. (3) Rest and regroup for ten days, and prepare for action.

Military Commission

22:00, December 22

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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 Dezhi (Commander), Luo Ruiqing (Political Commissar), and Geng Biao (Chief of Staff) of the Second Corps of the North China Military Region.

[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. Yang and Li refer to Yang Chengwu and Li Tianhuan, who were then respectively Commander and Deputy Political Commissar concurrently Director of the Political Department of the Third Corps of the North China Military Region.

[3] Xinbao’an is a town located northwest of Huailai County, Hebei Province.

[4] Liu-Deng refers to Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping, who were then respectively Commander and Political Commissar of the Central Plains Field Army. Chen refers to Chen Yi, who was then First Deputy Commander of the Central Plains Field Army and Commander concurrently Political Commissar of the East China Field Army. Su refers to Su Yu, who was then Acting Commander concurrently Acting Political Commissar of the East China Field Army.

[5] Xu-Beng refers to the area of Xuzhou in Jiangsu Province and Bengbu in Anhui Province.