Telegram on Commending the Southwest Bandit-Suppression Forces (January 28, 1951)

He, Deng, Zhang, Li [1] and inform the East China, Central-South, and Northwest Military Regions and the Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi Military Districts:

Your summary report on the bandit-suppression work for the year 1950 [2], sent on January 6, has been received and read. The line is correct and the methods are appropriate. The suppression and extermination of 850,000 bandits and the seizure of over 400,000 rifles represent an extremely great achievement, which is a source of much gratification. It is hoped that you will immediately issue a general order to your subordinate units commending them. It is further hoped that you will continue to exert efforts and struggle for the clean extermination of the remaining bandit masses numbering nearly 40,000.

Mao Zedong
January 28

Printed from the manuscript.

Notes

--- Notes

[1] He refers to He Long, then Commander of the Southwest Military Region of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. Deng refers to Deng Xiaoping, then Political Commissar of the Southwest Military Region of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. Zhang refers to Zhang Jichun, then Deputy Political Commissar and Director of the Political Department of the Southwest Military Region of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. Li refers to Li Da, then Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Southwest Military Region of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.
[2] Refers to the summary report of the Southwest Military Region of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army on the bandit-suppression work in 1950. The report states that after the conclusion of the Chengdu Campaign, full-force bandit suppression was made the central task of the entire army. Over the past year, the entire army, regardless of rank, branch of service, or distinction between units, organs, and schools, all participated in this struggle. The main measures adopted in the bandit-suppression struggle were: 1. Organizing unified ( ) bandit-suppression operations. (2) Concentrating forces for key-area offensive suppression. (3) Close coordination among military offensive suppression, political offensives, and the mobilization of the masses. (4) Launching campaigns to capture bandit chieftains and carrying out the suppression of bandit chieftains. (5) Winning over minority nationalities to participate in bandit suppression.