Must Prepare to Engage the Enemy Advancing Toward the Yalu River
(October 25, 1950)

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

(1) According to intelligence received yesterday (the 24th), the enemy forces driven by the American enemy to risk advancing toward the Yalu River this time include the following units: a. Puppet 6th Division, already arrived at Huichon and Koinjin-ni\[3\], planning to move toward Chosan; b. Puppet 8th Division, already arrived north of Nyongwon and Tokchon, planning to move via Huichon toward Kanggye\[4\]; c. Puppet 1st Division, already arrived at Nyongbyon and Yongsan\[5\], seems likely to move toward Changsong; d. Puppet 7th Division, still between Kangdong and Sunchon, planning to move to Huichon as a reserve force; e. British 27th Brigade, already passed Anju, planning to move toward Sinuiju. (2) Our army's first battle must be prepared to engage these five units, and at least destroy three of their divisions in order to begin resolving the problem. (3) Four American divisions (1st Cavalry Division\[6\], 2nd Infantry Division, 24th Division, 25th Division) are in the Pyongyang-centered area; two American divisions (1st Marine Division, 7th Infantry Division) are currently landing at Wonsan; and two puppet army divisions are on the Pukchong, Hamhung, Wonsan line (Capital Division, 3rd Division). (4) The area south of the 38th Parallel is extremely weak, with only one Turkish brigade (newly arrived) and three battered puppet army divisions. Therefore, the People's Army is very active. According to the puppet 5th Division on the 21st, there are over 56,000 People's Army troops in the North and South Kyongsang Province area alone, dispersed and active in various places, etc. As long as we win one or two victories in the north, activity in the south will surge even higher. (5) Order the 66th Army to prepare to block or deploy to annihilate the British 27th Brigade. (6) Peng's earlier report of an enemy landing at Sinanju has had no response from any side and appears inaccurate. (7) Request Gao to prepare a large number of boats in the Yalu River for use if the bridges are destroyed. If bridge damage is not major, they should be repaired as soon as damaged, and also check whether boat crossings are easy in the Linjiang\[7\] area.

Mao Zedong
0600 hours, October 25

\[1\] Peng and Deng refer to Peng Dehuai and Deng Hua, who at the time served respectively as Commander and Political Commissar, and Deputy Commander and Deputy Political Commissar of the Chinese People's Volunteers Army.
\[2\] Gao refers to Gao Gang, who at the time served as Commander and Political Commissar of the Northeast Military Region.
\[3\] Koinjin-ni, also known as Hoedok-tong, located in the southern part of Chosan County, Chagang Province.
\[4\] Kanggye, then the provincial capital of Chagang Province, located in the central part of the province. On October 19, 1950, due to the US military's occupation of Pyongyang, the provisional capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was moved to Kanggye.
\[5\] Yongsan, also known as Yongsan-dong, located southwest of Nyongbyon County, North Pyongan Province.
\[6\] The 1st Cavalry Division, namely the US Army 1st Cavalry Division, was established during the American Civil War. Although it had been reorganized as a mechanized unit, it retained the designation of the 1st Cavalry Division.
\[7\] Linjiang, a town located southeast of Hunjiang City, Jilin Province.