Annotations and Amendments to Nie Rongzhen’s Draft Military Report [1] (June 15, 1950) To Zhou Enlai [2]: Please have this document put to press on the morning of the 15th, and distribute it to all members of the Committee present in the afternoon.
Mao Zedong June 15, 1:02 At this period [3], many patriotic military officers who had previously been with the enemy led their units in an uprising and joined the ranks of the People’s Liberation Army.
This played a role in rapidly disintegrating the enemy forces and maintaining local order more effectively.
Thirdly, counting from April 21 of last year—the day the People’s Liberation Army began crossing the Yangtze River—up to May of this year, the total number of enemies annihilated amounts to 1.83 million regular troops and 980,000 irregular forces and bandits, for a grand total of 2.81 million.
Fourthly, detailed reports are still lacking from the East China, Central-South, and Southwest regions.
These three areas have relatively little wasteland, so the army has not engaged in extensive land reclamation; however, activities such as vegetable gardening and pig raising are already being carried out widely.
In the Southwest region, since combating bandits remains a serious task, the PLA’s production efforts cannot be greatly intensified this year.
Fifthly, to achieve this goal [4], all components of the People’s Liberation Army, including the insurgent units, must consolidate their unity.
The entire army must maintain strict discipline and improve relations between officers and men as well as between the military and the people.
After completing this year’s demobilization work, starting this winter, a top-down rectification campaign should be launched throughout the army to overcome all unhealthy tendencies.
It is essential to educate the officers and soldiers of the PLA to avoid arrogance and complacency, to refrain from regarding themselves as meritorious figures, and to never look down upon insurgent or local units.
Instead, they should remain modest and prudent, endure hardship with patience, display great courage in the face of the enemy, and treat comrades and the general public with kindness, thereby uniting the entire army and the whole nation in accomplishing their glorious and great mission.
Printed according to the manuscript.
Notes [1] Sections (2) through (5) of this document consist of four passages added by Mao Zedong when reviewing the draft of the military report prepared by Nie Rongzhen, Acting Chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army, for delivery at the Second Session of the First National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. 4£±

[2] Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. [3] Refers to the period from the founding of the People’s Republic of China until the time the report was delivered. [4] Refers to elevating the PLA to a higher level by developing its air force, navy, and other technical arms, so as to adequately counter any potential aggression by imperialism, effectively safeguard national security, and strengthen the cause of international peace.