The Entire East China Field Army May Rest for Several More Days[1]

(December 22, 1948)

To Su, and inform Deng and Zhang:

(1) With the 54th Army having withdrawn to Nanjing and Liu Ruming[2] moving to the Hefei area, the possibility of Li Yannian[3] reinforcing northward for a third time has greatly diminished. (2) You may concentrate the entire East China Field Army and rest for several more days, conserving strength and building up energy, then annihilate Du Yuming[4] in one blow. So long as Du’s forces do not break out on a large scale, you should rest until early next month, with an attack around the 5th or so of the first month being most appropriate. Handle as you see fit.

(3) Has the supply situation improved, and how are the ammunition preparations? Report.

The Military Commission

22:00, December 22

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, addressed to Su Yu, Acting Commander and Acting Political Commissar of the East China Field Army, and to be communicated to Deng Xiaoping, Political Commissar of the Central Plains Field Army, and Zhang Jichun, Deputy Political Commissar and Director of the Political Department.
[2] Liu Ruming was then Commander of the Kuomintang’s 8th Army Corps.
[3] Li Yannian was then Commander of the Kuomintang’s 6th Army Corps.
[4] Du Yuming was then Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Kuomintang’s Xuzhou “Bandit Suppression” General Headquarters and concurrently Director of the Forward Command Post.