Reply to Peng Dehuai[1]

(June 11, 1949)

I agree with your operational policy. During operations, pay attention to first annihilating one army of the Ningxia Ma clique[2], and then annihilate another of its armies, defeating them one by one. Do not engage too many at once.

[1] On June 10, Peng Dehuai telegraphed Mao Zedong, expressing the view that if operations between the Jing and Wei rivers were abandoned and the attack on Hu Zongnan and Ma Bufang was delayed until late June or July when forces were concentrated, it would be disadvantageous to us in many ways. If operations were conducted between the Jing and Wei rivers, although our current forces do not hold a numerical advantage, Hu Zongnan’s troops have very low morale, mutual trust between Hu and Ma is poor, and the Linyou Mountains naturally divide the connection between Hu and Ma, which is favorable for us to contain Hu while striking Ma. Our 18th and 19th Corps are advancing toward Xi’an, and in a few days we will have a slight advantage. This is the main content of Mao Zedong’s reply to Peng Dehuai on June 11.

[2] Ningxia Ma refers to Ma Hongkui of Ningxia.