The Ninth Army Group Moves North for Reorganization and Training, and the Situation of Enemy Actions
(27 October 1950)

Comrade Peng Dehuai, and for information Gao Gang:

Your telegram of 26 October at 18:00 hours received. (1) Song Shilun has come to Beijing for face-to-face discussions. The Ninth Army Group is scheduled to be moved by train starting 1 November to the Meihekou area for reorganization and training. If there is an urgent strategic need at the front, it can be deployed; if there is no such urgent need, it should not be deployed lightly. (2) The U.S. forces landing at Wonsan consist of the 1st Marine Division moved from Seoul, and the 7th Infantry Division and the headquarters of the U.S. X Corps moved from Daegu, estimated at about 30,000 men; the claim of 50,000 is not credible. The enemy troops were shipped long ago but hesitated to land because of the threat of mines in Wonsan harbor, and have only just landed now. Previously, because these two U.S. divisions had not landed, the ROK 3rd Division had to defend the Wonsan-Hamheung area, resulting in the ROK Capital Division advancing eastward alone, and its divisional commander has expressed fear. The original plan was for the ROK 3rd Division and the ROK Capital Division to advance eastward together after the U.S. forces landed and took over the defense of the Wonsan-Hamheung line. Now that our army has appeared, their plans may change. Whether they will use the ROK 3rd and Capital Divisions to attack Changjin, with a portion of the U.S. forces moving out south of Changjin in support, cannot yet be determined, because the 200-kilometer area between Pyongyang and Wonsan is open to us, and Wonsan itself is also threatened. (3) The ROK 8th Division fled from Huichon to Kujang-dong this morning. At present, it seems only the ROK 6th Division still offers some hope. When striking the ROK 6th Division, the ROK 8th and 1st Divisions may still come to reinforce it; please take note. (4) Your command post should be moved to a secure location; the present position is not good.

Mao Zedong
10: 00 hours, 27 October