Strive for All Possible Victories on a Solid and Reliable Foundation

Manuscript of a telegram from Mao Zedong to Peng Dehuai and Gao Gang

(October 23, 1950)

Peng, Deng,[1] and inform Gao:[2]

(1) All telegrams from Peng, Deng, and Gao dated the 22nd have been received. (2) According to the latest intelligence received, the command post of the puppet II Corps turned back from Jiangdong to Chengchuan on the 22nd. The puppet 6th and 8th Divisions advanced on the 22nd to the area of Beicangli and Xincangli,[3] north of the Shunchuan-Chengchuan railway line. There is an intention for the two divisions to advance side by side via Dechuan to mount a concentrated attack on Huichuan. If unimpeded, it is estimated that these two divisions may reach Dechuan or the vicinity of Dechuan tomorrow (the 24th). Therefore, our forces transported by vehicle to control the area of Xingchuandong and Miaoxiangshan[4] must strive to arrive at the aforementioned positions before dawn on the 24th, or at the latest before dawn on the 25th; otherwise, we will lose the initiative. (3) Regarding the operational disposition: the 40th Army is to be positioned on the front facing Huichuan and in the Wenjing[5] and Yunshan area; the 39th Army in the Yunshan and Taichuan area; the 38th Army in the area southeast of Huichuan. When the enemy launches its attack toward Huichuan, our forces will then set out from multiple routes to encircle and attack. This is the opinion expressed in Peng’s telegram of 22nd at 10:00 and the telegram of Deng, Hong, Han, and Xie[6] of 22nd at 12:00. I consider it appropriate. The general principle is to facilitate the insertion of our main force behind and to the flanks of the enemy to completely annihilate the 6th and 8th Divisions. (4) The enemy Capital Division has indeed advanced eastward toward Beiqing and Chengjin,[7] and will not go to Changjin for the time being. Meanwhile, the puppet 1st Division and the British 27th Brigade in Pyongyang will both advance toward Sinanju. One U.S. parachute regiment (approximately two to three thousand men) has already landed in Shunchuan. Therefore, after we initiate combat against the puppet 6th and 8th Divisions, the first step will be reinforcement by the puppet 7th Division, and the second step may involve reinforcement by the puppet 1st Division and the British 27th Brigade (the U.S. forces have ordered the British 27th Brigade to move toward Sinanju). If we annihilate all these enemy main forces one by one and then conduct pursuit, we may encounter the U.S. parachute regiment in the Shunchuan area. In this operation, if we can annihilate all the aforementioned enemies one by one, and control the railway line from Sinanju, Shunchuan, Chengchuan, Xinyi,[8] to Yangde and the area south of it, while extending a portion of our forces to the Gushan, Suian, Yichuan, and Xinxi area, thereby isolating the enemy forces in Pyongyang and Wonsan from each other and preventing them from linking up, then we will be in an active position and the enemy in a passive position. Therefore, for this campaign, we must concentrate the greatest possible number of troops and be prepared to fight several consecutive battles. For the 42nd Army’s deployment to Changjin, it seems sufficient to send one division with one artillery regiment, while using the main force of that army as the operational reserve in the Xiaobaishan area. This seems more appropriate. Whether this is feasible, please ask Peng to decide at his discretion. (5) Yang Chengwu[9] has been ordered to dispatch the 66th Army to Andong.[10] The advance division departs from Tianjin today, and the main force departs tomorrow. Upon arrival, one division will be tasked with maintaining communications along the Sinuiju-Jeongju line, and the main force will be in Andong as a reserve for Peng and Deng. After its arrival, this army will be under the command of Peng and Deng. Please ask Deng to assign someone to brief this army on all matters concerning the Volunteer Army’s oath.

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[1] Peng and Deng refer to Peng Dehuai and Deng Hua, who were then respectively Commander and Political Commissar of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army, and Commander and Political Commissar of the 13th Corps.
[2] Gao refers to Gao Gang, who was then Commander and Political Commissar of the Northeast Military Region.
[3] Beicangli is located northeast of Shunchuan County, South Pyongan Province. Xincangli is located southeast of Shunchuan County, South Pyongan Province.
[4] Xingchuandong is located in the southern part of Huichuan County, Chagang Province. Miaoxiangshan is located at the junction of Chagang Province, North Pyongan Province, and South Pyongan Province.
[5] Wenjing is located northeast of Yunshan County, North Pyongan Province.
[6] Deng refers to Deng Hua. Hong and Han refer to Hong Xuezhi and Han Xianchu, who were then both Deputy Commanders of the 13th Corps of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army. Xie refers to Xie Fang, who was then Chief of Staff of the 13th Corps of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army.
[7] Chengjin, present-day Kimchaek City, is located in the southern part of North Hamgyong Province.
[8] Xinyi, also known as Poyi, is located in the southeastern part of South Pyongan Province.
[9] Yang Chengwu was then Commander of the 20th Corps.
[10] Andong, former city name, is present-day Dandong, Liaoning.