Telegram to Chen Yi Regarding the Approval to Carry Out
the Three-Anti Struggle in Conjunction with the Reorganization Work
(December 28, 1951)

Comrade Chen Yi, with copies to the various greater military regions, the Volunteer Army, and all central bureaus:

Your long telegram of December 25 and your short telegram of December 26 have both been read and noted. They are very good; please proceed in accordance with them. Our policy is that the struggle against corruption, waste, and bureaucracy must be carried out in conjunction with the reorganization work, and we must strive to complete the first phase of reorganization by the end of March. If we keep a firm grip and coordinate well, this can be accomplished. However, should the Three-Anti struggle interfere with the reorganization work, then it is preferable to delay the completion of the reorganization by a few days (for example, half a month), rather than allow personnel undergoing reorganization to transfer to civilian employment or enter schools carrying with them a spirit of corruption, waste, and bureaucracy. This point...

[I]
Chen Yi, then serving as Commander of the East China Military Region of the People's Liberation Army.

[2]
Refers to Chen Yi’s report to Mao Zedong, with copies to the Central Military Commission, the General Political Department, and the East China Bureau, dated December 25, 1951, regarding the decisions made at the East China Military Region’s Senior Cadres Meeting on reorganization, transfer-to-civilian work, and the implementation steps for the troops’ work in 1952.

[3]
Refers to Chen Yi’s December 26, 1951 telegram to Mao Zedong. The telegram expressed resolute support for the directive to conduct a struggle against corruption, waste, and bureaucracy before the reorganization, and pointed out that certain units had recently been found beginning reorganization without first opposing corruption, daring to violate laws and discipline by dividing up property. Such people, transferring to civilian posts burdened with waste, bureaucracy, and even corruption, would inevitably cause great political loss and passivity. The East China troops plan to focus primarily on opposing corruption and waste in January, in conjunction with reorganization; in February and March, to focus primarily on reorganization in conjunction with opposing corruption and waste; after March, to extend the struggle against corruption and waste into aspects such as establishing financial and economic work systems, and to strive to ensure that the work of reorganizing 400,000 to 450,000 people by the end of March is not affected.