On the Issue of Concentrating Enemy Forces to Our Advantage for Annihilation
Telegram to Peng Dehuai [1]
(December 24, 1950)

Comrade Dehuai:

At present, the puppet forces and a portion of the U.S. forces have established themselves between the 38th and 37th parallels, forming a defensive line. This situation is most favorable for our army to annihilate them piecemeal. For us, it is advantageous when the puppet forces are concentrated; if they disperse, it works against us. Therefore, not only can our forces, after this campaign, withdraw to reorganize and rest—indeed, even take a step back—so that the puppet forces may again concentrate and form a defensive line, thereby facilitating the next round of annihilation, but also the originally planned operation whereby the Second and Fifth Corps of the Korean People’s Army would penetrate deep behind enemy lines to disperse enemy forces deserves reconsideration. It would seem more appropriate for these two corps, following this campaign, to temporarily rest and regroup together with the Volunteers, without advancing southward, and to wait until the next campaign before doing so. As to how this should be decided, please make your own judgment.

Mao Zedong
December 24

Printed from the manuscript. Included in the “Selected Military Works of Mao Zedong” (internal edition).

Notes

[1] Peng Dehuai was at that time Commander and Political Commissar of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army.
7£
³