The Reactionary Nationalist Government in Nanjing Has Declared Its Extinction[1]

(April 24, 1949)

[The Xinhua News Agency, Beiping, 24th, 6:00 a.m.] Under the attack of the million-strong People’s Liberation Army, the thousand-li Kuomintang defense line along the Yangtze has completely collapsed, and the reactionary, traitorous Kuomintang government in Nanjing declared its extinction yesterday. Li Zongren, He Yingqin, and the Kuomintang troops in Nanjing fled the city yesterday morning. Li, He, and others escaped to Shanghai by plane. The Kuomintang garrison troops and military police in Nanjing fled along the Nanjing-Hangzhou highway. The Kuomintang troops at Pukou withdrew to Nanjing on the 22nd and, together with others, fled along the Nanjing-Hangzhou road on the 23rd. The Kuomintang troops in the Wuhu and Zhenjiang areas also fled in disorder in the same direction. The People’s Liberation Army is advancing rapidly toward Nanjing and, if it did not enter the city last night, may do so today. The people of Nanjing are waiting for the People’s Liberation Army. During the interval between the departure of the Kuomintang troops and the entry of the People’s Liberation Army, the people of Nanjing organized a peace preservation committee yesterday and at 6:00 p.m. sent a telegram to Chairman Mao Zedong, welcoming the People’s Liberation Army. The telegram reads: “To Chairman Mao: The defending troops in Nanjing withdrew on the 23rd. For the sake of safety, the people of Nanjing have jointly initiated the organization of a peace preservation committee with representatives from all circles, electing Qingyuan as chairman, Yifang as vice-chairman, and thirteen members. The locality is still relatively calm. We earnestly request that you instruct the field armies on the outskirts of Nanjing to take over the city peacefully, so as to satisfy the people’s hopes. Please inform us by telegram of the date of entry into the city so that we may welcome you. Ma Qingyuan, Chairman of the Nanjing Peace Preservation Committee, Wu Yifang, Vice-Chairman, and all members jointly pay their respects, gengyou.”

[1] This is a news dispatch written by Mao Zedong for the Xinhua News Agency.

Reference images:

Manuscript of “The Reactionary Nationalist Government in Nanjing Has Declared Its Extinction,” written by Mao Zedong for the Xinhua News Agency.

In 1949, Mao Zedong reads the news of Nanjing’s liberation at the Shuangqing Villa in Xiangshan, Beiping.

“Savoring the News of Victory, Planning China’s Tomorrow” (Chinese painting)

Reference image:

On April 23, 1949, Nanjing was liberated. The red flag was planted atop the “Presidential Palace of the Republic of China,” proclaiming the extinction of the reactionary Kuomintang rule.



The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Army Corps Are Transferred to the First Field Army[1]

(April 25, 1949)

Xu, Zhou, Luo, and inform Peng:[2]

Your two telegrams of maojing[3] have been received. (1) We agree to the proclamation of Liang Huazhi, Sun Chu, Wang Jingguo, and Dai Bingnan[4] as war criminals, to be arrested and punished. (2) The Twentieth Army Corps (in its entirety) should, as quickly as possible...

[1] This is an excerpt from a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to Xu Xiangqian, Deputy Commander of the North China Military Region and Commander and Political Commissar of the Eighteenth Army Corps; Zhou Shidi, Deputy Commander and Deputy Political Commissar of the Eighteenth Army Corps; and Luo Ruiqing, Political Commissar of the Nineteenth Army Corps.

[2] Peng refers to Peng Dehuai, then Commander and Political Commissar of the First Field Army.

[3] Refers to the two telegrams sent by Xu Xiangqian, Zhou Shidi, and Luo Ruiqing to the Military Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on April 24, 1949. The telegrams stated: “The atrocities inflicted by the Yan bandits before the liberation of Taiyuan are truly shocking. Led by Liang Huazhi, Sun Chu, Wang Jingguo, and Dai Bingnan, they not only ignored our repeated magnanimous exhortations, warnings, and ultimatums but also burned civilian houses and factories, destroyed property, deployed poison gas, and resisted to the very end. To vent the people’s anger and warn the enemy, we propose publicly declaring these four as war criminals and ordering the troops to strictly arrest them. After their capture, we plan to systematically publicize their crimes, mobilize the people to denounce them, and then convene a rally to celebrate the liberation of Taiyuan and publicly try the war criminals, sentencing them to death.” The telegrams also stated: “1. The Taiyuan operation has concluded. The training schedule, operational tasks, and command relationships for the three army corps should be determined and communicated by the Military Commission. 2. We plan to convene a meeting of the General Front Committee on the 28th to summarize the Taiyuan operation and discuss troop training and preparations for future actions.”

[4] Liang Huazhi was then Chief of the Special Police Division of the Kuomintang’s Taiyuan Pacification Office. Sun Chu was then Deputy Director of the Kuomintang’s Taiyuan Pacification Office and Commander of the Fifteenth Army Corps. Wang Jingguo was then Commander of the Kuomintang’s Taiyuan Defense Command and Commander of the Tenth Army Corps. Dai Bingnan was then Commander of the Kuomintang’s Thirtieth Army. After Yan Xishan left Taiyuan for Nanjing on March 29, 1949, he handed over command of the defense of Taiyuan to Sun Chu, Wang Jingguo, Liang Huazhi, and others.