Telegram on Reorganization
(January 22, 1952)

Comrades Tan Zheng and Chen Yi,[1] and inform all central bureaus, the greater military regions, and the Chinese People’s Volunteers:

You two greater military regions have stipulated that in January the main emphasis shall be on the Three-Antis, combined with reorganization, and we had also agreed. In light of the present situation, this appears inappropriate. It is necessary to devote full strength to carrying out the Three-Antis; reorganization shall proceed only after the Three-Antis are completed. No one in the entire army shall be an exception. The deadline is extended to February 10, as per the previous notice. Please ensure that you communicate by telephone with each military region and each army at least once every three days; do not rely solely on telegrams. In the Three-Anti reports from the various military regions and armies subordinate to your two greater military regions, many units show insufficient momentum and too much empty talk, which is unsatisfactory. Please criticize them and strictly order them to conduct reviews within a set time limit. Pay particular attention to catching big tigers of one hundred million yuan or more. The tigers uncovered by the various greater military regions and by yourselves are still too few. In the three greater military region systems of East China, Central-South, and Southwest, it is estimated that there are at least two hundred big tigers or more; East China and Central-South may have even more. Under no circumstances let them slip away. It is requested that each greater military region put forward an estimated figure for big tigers and inform me (at the central level it is estimated that at least seventy big tigers can be ferreted out).

Mao Zedong
January 22

[1] Tan Zheng was then serving as Third Political Commissar of the Central-South Military Region of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. Chen Yi was then serving as Commander of the East China Military Region of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.