(July 10, 1949)
Lin, Deng, Xiao, Zhao:
(1) Reports indicate that Bai Chongxi plans to engage us in a decisive battle in the Youxian, Chaling, and Anren area. Currently, the headquarters of the 46th Army along with one division have reached Anfu, one division of the 7th Army has arrived in Lianhua, and there are intelligence reports that a division of the 48th Army is moving toward Yongxin. These movements are aimed at preventing my forces under Chen Geng from cutting off Bai’s retreat route via Youxian, Chaling, and Anren to Hengyang. If our army can, during this operation, encircle and annihilate a portion of the Guangxi forces along the Yuanzhou–Jishui–Zigongling line and southward, then the so-called Youxian–Chaling–Anren decisive battle will become impossible. Otherwise, you must be prepared to fight in that region. (2) Conducting operations east of the Zhuzhou–Hengyang line—in the Youxian, Chaling, Yichun, and Anren areas—or fighting south of Hengyang represents a new strategic step. This can only be undertaken after our forces have occupied Changsha, Xiangtan, Zigongling, Ningxiang, and Xiangxiang, utilizing the Yuehan Railway [6] and the Xianggui Railway for troop and supply transportation to facilitate further redeployment. Once our troops advance to the Zigongling–Pingxiang area, the troops of Chen Mingren and Lu Daoyuan [I] will undoubtedly withdraw rapidly. Therefore, you should dispatch one of your uncommitted armies, at an appropriate moment, via Yueyang [21 to advance toward Changsha and Xiangtan, taking over that sector. This army should now move to the area north of Yueyang and stand ready to swiftly occupy Changsha, thereby minimizing the period of lawlessness in that region.
Central Military Commission
Noon Gray
[I]
Chen Mingren was then commander of the Nationalist Army’s First Corps. Lu Daoyuan served as commander of the Nationalist Army’s Eleventh Corps and also as commander of the 58th Army.
[2]
Yueyang refers to Yueyang City in Hunan Province.