Demobilizing the Army in Batches to Lighten the People’s Burden [1]
(April 21, 1950)

Deng, Tan, Zhao, Tao; Chen, Rao, Su; Liu, Deng, He; Peng, Xi, Zhang:

(1) The telegram Comrade Lin Biao sent on April 12 to Deng, Tan, Zhao, and Tao concerning the demobilization of 530,000 to 600,000 personnel in the Central-South Region this year has presumably been received. We hope this demobilization work can be carried out within the four months from May to August, so as to save expenditures for the four months from September to December and lighten a portion of the people’s grain tax burden. Please have the Central-South Bureau convene a meeting specifically on this matter, discuss it in detail, and formulate concrete plans and concrete measures for carrying out the demobilization in batches within four months without causing disturbances. We request that such plans and measures be telegraphed to us for review before May 1, and please also telegraph what difficulties there are in the huge task of demobilizing 530,000 to 600,000 people in batches within four months, and whether these difficulties can be overcome. (2) Please ask Rao, Chen, and Su to draw up a demobilization plan for the East China Region along the lines described above, and also telegraph it to us before May 1. The East China Region will retain a total of one million troops and local armed forces. (3) Please ask Liu, Deng, and He to consider whether demobilization can be carried out along the lines described above, leaving only 800,000 troops and local armed forces without causing disturbances. (4) Please ask Peng, Xi, and Zhang to consider and telegraph how many people can be demobilized in the Northwest and whether this can be completed within four months.

The Central Committee
April 21

--- Notes

[1] This is a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Committee to Deng Zihui (Second Political Commissar), Tan Zheng (Third Political Commissar), Zhao Erlu (Chief of Staff), and Tao Zhu (Director of the Political Department) of the Fourth Field Army and Central-South Military Region.
[2] Chen, Rao, and Su refer to Chen Yi, Rao Shushi, and Su Yu, who at the time served respectively as Commander, Political Commissar, and Deputy Commander of the Third Field Army and East China Military Region. Liu, Deng, and He refer to Liu Bocheng, Deng Xiaoping, and He Long, who at the time served respectively as Chairman of the Southwest Military and Administrative Committee and Commander of the Second Field Army, Political Commissar of the Second Field Army and Southwest Military Region, and Commander of the Southwest Military Region. Peng, Xi, and Zhang refer to Peng Dehuai, Xi Zhongxun, and Zhang Zongxun, who at the time served respectively as Commander, Political Commissar, and First Deputy Commander of the First Field Army and Northwest Military Region.
[3] Lin Biao at the time served as First Secretary of the Central-South Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Commander of the Fourth Field Army and Central-South Military Region.