Telegraph from the Central Military Commission Regarding the Unified Handling of Military Reorganization and Demobilization by the Central Demobilization Committee (May 19, 1950) To Comrades Zhang Gan[1] and also to the responsible comrades of the East China, Central-South, Southwest, and Northeast Military Regions: Your telegram of Chenqiao has been received. With regard to the reorganization and demobilization of the armed forces, the Central Committee has established a committee, with Comrade Zhou Enlai as its director and Comrade Nie Rongzhen as deputy director, to centrally coordinate matters such as the number of personnel to be demobilized, the timing of demobilization, lump-sum allowances for returning home to engage in production, and local arrangements for welcoming and resettling demobilized soldiers. The Northwest region should proceed under this unified arrangement. A period of intensive training lasting from one week to half a month is too brief; the question of providing financial support for a duration of half a month to three months also requires further consideration, and we will communicate our decision on this matter at a later date. Issued by the Central Military Commission on May 19, based on Mao Zedong’s handwritten draft.

Notes [1] Zhang refers to Zhang Zongsun, who at that time served as First Deputy Commander of the Northwest Military Region of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. Gan refers to Gan Siqi, who at that time was Deputy Political Commissar and Director of the Political Department of the Northwest Military Region of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.