Decide whether to capture Pukou and Puzhen after several days of negotiation contact[1]

(March 19, 1949)

Chen, Rao, Deng, Su, Tan, Zhang:

Received the Xuzhou telegram of yinqiao. (1) Whether to capture the two Pus[2] will be decided only after several days of negotiation contact. If there is hope for the success of the negotiations, then do not capture the two Pus, so as to facilitate the peaceful resolution of the issue of taking over Nanjing. If there is no hope for the success of the negotiations, then see whether it is militarily necessary to capture the two Pus. If capturing the two Pus is necessary for the river-crossing operation, then capture them; if there is no such necessity, then ignore them. (2) It has been decided that April 1 is the date for the Nanjing representatives to arrive in Beiping and start negotiations[3] (this date will be publicly announced only on March 25). Around April 5,

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee to Chen Yi, commander and political commissar of the Third Field Army, Rao Shushi, political commissar of the East China Military Region, Deng Xiaoping, political commissar of the Second Field Army, Su Yu, deputy commander and second deputy political commissar of the Third Field Army, Tan Zhenlin, first deputy political commissar of the Third Field Army, and Zhang Zhen, chief of staff.
[2] The two Pus refer to Pukou and Puzhen, both town names, located northwest of Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, on the north bank of the Yangtze River.
[3] Regarding the peace negotiations with the reactionary Kuomintang government in Nanjing, the CPC Central Committee decided on March 26, 1949: "(1) Negotiation start time: April 1. (2) Negotiation location: Beiping. (3) Send Zhou Enlai, Lin Boqu, Lin Biao, Ye Jianying, and Li Weihan as representatives (on April 1, the CPC Central Committee decided to add Nie Rongzhen as a representative), with Zhou Enlai as the chief representative, to hold negotiations with the delegation from the Nanjing side, based on Chairman Mao Zedong's statement on the current situation on January 14 and the eight conditions proposed therein as the basis for negotiations between the two sides. (4) Notify the reactionary Kuomintang government in Nanjing of the above items via radio broadcast on the same day, and request them to send their delegation to the above time and place, carrying the necessary materials for the eight conditions, so as to facilitate the negotiations."