Intensify Air Defense Preparations to Defeat Possible Enemy Air Raids[1]

(November 22, 1950)

To all central bureaus, the South China Sub-Bureau, all greater military regions and their subordinate sub-bureaus, greater municipal Party committees, provincial Party committees, district Party committees, and military regions:

According to information from the South China Intelligence Bureau dated November 19: "U.S. imperialism will soon dispatch over 2,000 air force personnel to Taiwan, scheming to bomb the mainland under the name of the Chiang bandit gang. It is heard that the Taiwan bandits are currently rushing to build housing and carry out other preparatory work for this group of personnel," and so on. This is entirely possible. You should immediately intensify air defense preparations, especially in Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Shantou, Qingdao, Jinan, Beijing, Tianjin, and other places, which must be rapidly and properly prepared to defeat enemy air raids. Under no circumstances should there be any negligence or oversight. This is of the utmost importance.

Central Military Commission
November 22

[1] This was a telegram drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee, addressed to all central bureaus, the South China Sub-Bureau, all greater military regions, and so on.