Instructions Regarding Aid of Weapons to Vietnam[1]
(March, April 1950)

The guns and ammunition drawn should be good and serviceable.

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The guns and ammunition you draw should be good and serviceable.[3]

[1] Part one of this piece is Mao Zedong's instruction written on the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China's telegram of March 30, 1950 to the Southwest Bureau of the Central Committee. Part two is Mao Zedong's instruction written on the Central Committee's telegram of March 30, 1950 to Luo Guibo, the Central Committee's liaison representative to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Part three is Mao Zedong's instruction to Liu Shaoqi, written on a telegram from Deng Zihui (Second Political Commissar of the Fourth Field Army of the People's Liberation Army and concurrently Second Political Commissar of the Central-South Military Region), Tan Zheng (Third Political Commissar of the Fourth Field Army and concurrently Third Political Commissar of the Central-South Military Region), Zhao Erlu (Chief of Staff of the Fourth Field Army and concurrently Chief of Staff of the Central-South Military Region), and Li Jukui (Deputy Chief of Staff of the Fourth Field Army and concurrently Deputy Chief of Staff of the Central-South Military Region).

[2] The Central Committee's telegram stated: "The Central Committee has decided that the Central-South and Southwest regions shall each prepare ten thousand rifles, along with light and heavy machine guns, mortars, mountain guns, and other weapons commensurate with the ten thousand rifles, to aid Vietnam."

[3] The Central Committee's telegram stated: "Luo Guibo's telegram of March 24 states that Vietnam urgently needs weapons and requests the immediate shipment of the guns and artillery already assembled in Nanning awaiting transport. The remaining supplies and personnel are currently being arranged."

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Comrade Shaoqi:
Regarding item 4 ii, please use your discretion in replying by telegram. I think it is acceptable.

Instructions Regarding Aid of Weapons to Vietnam

Mao Zedong

April 3

[1] The content of the fourth item in the suggestion put forward by Deng Zihui and the others' telegram was: "Please ask the Central Committee to consider whether an additional group of mountain artillery company and platoon cadres and the necessary gunners can be drawn and sent, so as to help them organize training. If agreed, please reply immediately with instructions."

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