Reply Telegram to Peng Dehuai [I]
(August 26, 1949)
(1) Fully agree with the deployment outlined in your telegram of the 25th at 24:00. (2) The 62nd Army should remain temporarily in Linxia; if necessary, it may also be ordered to move to Lanzhou to join the battle. (3) It is imperative to ensure that sufficient supplies of food and ammunition—enough for at least one month—are secured, so as to be prepared for a protracted and resolute campaign to annihilate the Two Ma forces.
Chuan
This is the main content of Mao Zedong’s reply telegram to Peng Dehuai.
[2]
In his telegram of the 25th at 24:00, Peng Dehuai reported: The attacking forces launched an assault against the defending enemy in Lanzhou at dawn on the 25th, engaging in fierce fighting throughout the day, with casualties roughly equal on both sides. Ma Hongkui’s four corps, totaling about 80,000 men, are currently rushing to reinforce Lanzhou en masse, apparently intending to abandon Ningxia. Should Fu Zuoyi succeed in delaying Ma Hongkui’s departure from Ningxia by ten days or even half a month, this would be advantageous to our side. In light of these circumstances, our army proposes to keep the 62nd Army stationed in Linxia, while the 1st and 2nd Armies are to be shifted eastward to participate in the attack on the enemy in Lanzhou and to be in a position to strike promptly any reinforcements from Ningxia under Ma Hongkui that may come to aid Lanzhou.