To the General Front Committee, with copy to the Second and Third Field Armies: ︹︺1 (1) The General Front Committee’s directive telegram of the Mao-Yang hour is most commendable.
Please instruct the Second and Third Field Armies to immediately, in accordance with this directive, thoroughly explain to officers at the division level and above the reasons for postponing the Yangtze River crossing, intensify combat preparations, and make ample arrangements for food, fodder, fuel, and salt.
(2) The date of the river crossing shall still be April 22 (Mao-Yang hour); no change is to be made.
However, there remains the possibility of a further delay of several days—namely, to April 25 (Mao-You hour), with April 27 (Mao-Gan hour) as the absolute latest date.
Whether this will be the case cannot be determined until around April 18.
(3) Starting yesterday (the 13th), negotiations have entered the formal stage. Our side has already submitted a draft agreement ︹︺2 to Zhang Zhizhong’s delegation, and the two delegations have held one formal meeting.
Zhang Zhizhong and others have indicated that they, in principle, accept our draft, reserving objections only on a few specific points.
However, it remains uncertain whether Li, He, Bai, Gu, and others can resist U.S.-Kuomintang interference (which is currently being intensified in Nanjing by Li, He, Bai, and Gu) and agree to acceptance.
We now intend to invite Li, He, Yu Youren, Ju Zheng, ︹︺4 Tong Guanxian, and five other individuals to Beiping for joint consultations.
Should they fail to come, Zhang Zhizhong will be instructed to return to Nanjing to seek their views.
If Nanjing categorically refuses to sign, we will endeavor to secure the signature of Zhang Zhizhong’s delegation; thereafter, our forces will cross the Yangtze, thereby compelling Nanjing to ratify the agreement.
Should Nanjing, under pressure from the U.S. and Chiang Kai-shek, dare not ratify and instead flee to Guilin, we will publicly release the agreement and call upon all pro-peace elements within the Kuomintang—over a hundred members of the Nanjing Legislative Yuan alone believe that peace is essential in any event and maintain that the issue cannot be resolved without our army’s crossing—to support the implementation of the agreement.
In the unlikely event that even Zhang Zhizhong dares not sign, the responsibility will lie with him. We may then publish the draft agreement, rallying the sympathy of the general populace, as well as of peace-minded and patriotic elements within the Kuomintang, which would greatly facilitate our southward advance.
As for our military, the only loss would be a delay of seven, ten, or at most twelve days (until the Mao-Gan hour).
The person designated ︹︺5 has arrived and will regularly keep the General Front Committee informed of conditions here.
Liu (4) Shushi ︹︺6 Xiao has also arrived.
Rao and Liu are currently consulting with democratic figures from Shanghai’s industrial circles on the city’s economic problems and studying the experiences of Beijing and Tianjin. They plan to return to their posts just as you begin the Yangtze crossing.
Issued by the Military Commission on the Mao-Han day, based on Mao Zedong’s handwritten manuscript.


Notes ︹｝1 refer to the General Front Committee’s directive telegram of April 12, 1949, addressed to the front committees of the Second and Third Field Armies and to the party committees of all corps, concerning various matters related to the one-week postponement of the Yangtze River crossing.
The telegram states: This one-week postponement of our army’s crossing of the Yangtze River is entirely a necessary political and military measure. However, it also carries the risk of weakening combat morale and causing disorientation. Therefore, it is imperative to clearly explain to officers at the division level and above the rationale behind the delay and the preparatory work that must be undertaken.


︹｝2 refers to the Kuomintang government’s peace negotiation delegation, with Zhang Zhizhong serving as its chief representative.


︹｝3 Li refers to Li Zongren, who at the time served as acting president of the Kuomintang government.
He refers to He Yingqin, who at the time was premier of the Kuomintang government.
Bai refers to Bai Chongxi, who at the time was commander-in-chief of the Kuomintang’s Central China Military Government Headquarters.
Gu refers to Gu Zhutong, who at the time was chief of the Kuomintang General Staff.


︹｝4 Yu Youren (1879–1964), a native of Sanyuan, Shaanxi Province, served at the time as president of the Kuomintang government’s Control Yuan.
Ju Zheng (1876–1951), a native of Guangji, Hubei Province (now Wuxue), served at the time as a member of the Kuomintang government’s Control Yuan.
Tong Guanxian (1894–1981), a native of Xuanhua, Hebei Province, served at the time as president of the Kuomintang government’s Legislative Yuan.


︹｝5 Shushi refers to Rao Shushi, who at the time was secretary of the East China Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and political commissar of the East China Military Region.


︹｝6 note.
Liu Xiao (1908–1988), a native of Chenxi, Hunan Province.