Telegram to Peng Dehuai [1] et al. Regarding the Release of Prisoners of War and Other Matters (November 18, 1950) To Peng, Deng, and Pu [2], with copy to Gao [3]: (1) Your decision to release a batch of prisoners is entirely correct. You should expedite their release and thereafter let them go in successive batches as appropriate, without seeking further instructions. (2) The enemy still estimates our strength at between sixty thousand and seventy thousand men, deeming us “not an invincible force.” This circumstance is advantageous to us. (3) The United States, Britain, and France are at a loss as to how to deal with us; a mood of pessimism prevails among various countries. So long as our forces score a few more victories and annihilate several tens of thousands of enemy troops, the entire international situation will undergo a fundamental change. Mao Zedong November 18 Based on the manuscript. Included in Selected Military Works of Mao Zedong (Internal Edition). Notes [1] Peng Dehuai was then Commander and Political Commissar of the Chinese People’s Volunteers. [2] Deng refers to Deng Hua, and Pu refers to Park Il-woo, both of whom were then Deputy Commanders and Deputy Political Commissars of the Chinese People’s Volunteers. [3] Gao refers to Gao Gang, who at that time served as Commander and Political Commissar of the Northeast Military Region of the People’s Liberation Army.