Telegraph [1] with Comrade Mao’s Comments
(November 19, 1949)
[1]
Refers to the telegraph sent on November 12, 1949, by the Front Committee of the Second Field Army of the CPC to Yang Yong, Su Zhenhua, and Xu Yunbei. The telegram discussed strategic issues concerning work in the newly liberated areas of Guizhou Province. Its main points are as follows:

1. With regard to strategy, it is correct to unite the majority, strike at the minority, avoid making too many enemies, and guard against going too far to the left. However, we should not generally advocate a policy of concentrating our forces solely on the Central clique. At present, the vast majority within the Central clique are wavering. Our strategy should be to offer them a chance to reform and improve themselves and to secure their livelihoods, thereby dividing the reactionary camp, isolating the most reactionary elements, and reducing resistance to the revolution. From the very beginning after entering the new areas, we must focus on uniting all those who can be united, maintaining neutrality toward all who can remain neutral, and splitting apart anyone in the enemy camp who can be split. This strategy should include members of the Central clique.

2. People’s Representative Conferences at the city and county levels should be convened as soon as possible to address the monetary, price, and wage problems encountered upon entering urban areas, as well as the issues of grain requisitioning, currency, and public order in the countryside.

3. When dealing with heterogeneous armed forces, we must assess each group individually, weigh the pros and cons, and proceed with caution. Our goal is to achieve their complete reorganization and control; however, we must avoid rushing the process or adopting overly hasty methods, especially in the case of ethnic-minority militias.

4. The Central Committee has clearly stipulated that all personnel of Kuomintang institutions—soldiers, government employees, and factory workers alike—are to be taken into custody without exception; none are to be discharged. There are numerous advantages to implementing this policy. Your decision to initially provide short-term subsistence allowances to former employees is sound. However, the provision stating that “workers’ living allowances shall generally not be lower than those for former civil servants, while teachers and other public-sector personnel are to receive subsistence payments at a level higher than former civil servants but lower than factory workers” is inappropriate. We should not artificially set workers’ benefits above those of former civil servants, nor should we attempt to raise workers’ wages under current conditions, as this is both impractical and potentially dangerous. Wage issues are extremely complex and must be handled with great care.

5. Matters in the new areas are highly complicated and require thorough investigation and study from all angles. We urge you to report frequently and seek guidance so that we may provide assistance. You should also require your subordinates to strictly adhere to the system of reporting and seeking instructions.

Comrades in charge:
We hereby forward to you the Southwest Bureau’s telegraph dated November 12, addressed to Yang, Su, and Xu, concerning the strategy for work in the new areas of Guizhou. Please circulate it to your respective units for their attention. We consider it highly worthy of note.
The Central Committee
November 19
[1]
Yang refers to Yang Yong, who at that time served as Chairman of the Guizhou Provincial People’s Government and Commander of the Guizhou Military Region of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. Su refers to Su Zhenhua, who was then Secretary of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee and Political Commissar of the Guizhou Military Region of the PLA. Xu refers to Xu Yunbei, who held the post of Deputy Secretary of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee at the time.