Chapter 7 Pay serious attention to the lessons of the failed attack on Kinmen Island

(October 29, 1949) Front committees of all field armies and major military regions: According to a telegram from Comrades Su Yu, Yuan Zhongxian, and Zhou Junming[1] of the Third Field Army to Ye and Chen[2] of the Tenth Corps and the Fujian Provincial Party Committee on October 28, it was reported at eight o'clock on October 27th. Landed on Kinmen Island with three regiments and fought fiercely with the three enemy armies for two days and nights. The reinforcements were not available, and all of them died heroically. It is a pity. The loss is the largest since the liberation war. Impatience. When you deployed to attack Xiamen last time, you planned to capture Kinmen with one division, which is a manifestation of underestimating the enemy and impatience. At that time, we warned you that you should first concentrate your forces to capture Xiamen, and then transfer your forces to capture Kinmen. Do not disperse forces. But you did not pay attention to it, so there is a mistake. In addition to reviewing the experience and lessons this time, I still hope to boost morale, continue to work hard, make full preparations, and deploy carefully. Launch an attack. And ask the Fujian Provincial Party Committee to use great efforts to solve the problem of ships and other combat services for the army. As for the lost personnel, we still hope to try to continue to contain them." These words are specially conveyed, please tell the comrades in charge of all corps and armies immediately, Call for serious attention.When the end of the entire War of Liberation is not far away, leading cadres at all levels, mainly those above the military level, tend to have underestimation of the enemy and impatience. We must take the Kinmen Island incident as a deep warning.To educate the corps that are still fighting, we must refrain from underestimating the enemy's impatience, steadily and systematically wipe out the remnants of the enemy, and liberate the whole country.Military Commission

October 29 Published according to Mao Zedong's manuscript. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ note [1] Su Yu (1907-1984), born in Hunan Huitong, was the deputy commander of the Third Field Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army at that time.Yuan Zhongxian (1904-1957), born in Changsha, Hunan, was the acting chief of staff of the Third Field Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army at that time.Zhou Junming, born in 1902 in Queshan, Henan, was the deputy chief of staff of the Third Field Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army at that time.

[2] Ye, refers to Ye Fei (1914-1999), a native of Nan'an, Fujian, who was then the commander of the Tenth Corps of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.Chen, referring to Chen Qingxian (1908-1984), a native of Huangpi, Hubei, who was then the Chief of Staff of the Tenth Corps of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.