Prepare to Counter the Enemy’s Possible Landing Attacks on Chaoshan and Hailufeng[1]

(August 25, 1950)

Deng, Tan, Zhao, and Ye, Fang[2]:

The telegram of the Chaoshan Prefectural Committee received via the South China Sub-Bureau on the wei day of the seventh month has been noted. It is highly possible that the enemy on Taiwan will launch landing attacks on the Chaoshan area and Hailufeng. You must: (1) Strengthen reconnaissance work to ensure that our forces obtain reliable intelligence before the enemy launches a landing attack; (2) Reinforce troop strength—consider transferring a portion of forces (for example, a strong division) and some artillery from the western sector to strengthen the eastern sector, secure the coastal defense line of Chaoshan and Hailufeng, and dispatch a corps-level command post to take charge of operations, so that any enemy attack can be resolutely annihilated; (3) Intensify combat preparations across Party, government, military, and civilian sectors, eliminate the mentality of peace among cadres, relieve the army and local armed forces of production tasks, and concentrate all efforts on preparing for combat. Report on the situation in that area and your opinions.

Military Commission
August 25

[1] This telegram was drafted by Mao Zedong for the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee and addressed to Deng Zihui, Second Political Commissar of the Fourth Field Army and the Central-South Military Region; Tan Zheng, Third Political Commissar; and Zhao Erlu, Chief of Staff.
[2] Ye and Fang refer to Ye Jianying and Fang Fang, who were then respectively First Secretary and Third Secretary of the South China Sub-Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
[3] Chaoshan refers to the Chaozhou-Shantou area.