Chapter 33 To eradicate the Huaihe River

(July-September 1950) one week[1]: In addition to the current prevention and rescue, radical measures must be considered. Preparations should be started now, and a large-scale Huaihe River diversion project will be organized in autumn.Please invite relevant personnel to discuss (1) current prevention and rescue, and (2) fundamental guidance.How, please decide. Mao Zedong July 20 two week: Please ask the Ministry of Water Resources to make a Huaihe River guide plan within a limited time and send it to me for reading.This plan must be finalized in August, approved by the Government Affairs Council, and construction will begin in early autumn.How to do it at your discretion.

Mao Zedong August 5th three week: Please pay attention to the third item of this telegram [2] about changing the work plan in northern Jiangsu.The three provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, and Henan must start at the same time to guide the Huaihe River. The work plans of the party committees of the three provinces must be centered on this, and they must be informed as soon as possible. Mao Zedong August 31 Four week: It is now at the end of September, and it is not appropriate to extend the construction period for Huaihe River. Please urge early surveys, early planning, and early start of construction.

Mao Zedong September 21st Printed from manuscript. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ note [1] Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. [2] Refers to the telegram sent by the East China Military and Political Committee to Zhou Enlai on August 28, 1950, to report to Zhou Enlai the opinions of the Subei District Committee of the Communist Party of China on the Huaihe River.The third item in the opinion of the Party Committee of the Northern Subei District is: "If the Huaihe River is guided this year, it is necessary to mobilize all the forces of the party, government, military and civilians in northern Jiangsu. The entire work policy of northern Jiangsu this year must be reconsidered. The established work arrangements such as land reform and demobilization must be changed. It is difficult for us to make a turn in this year's work; moreover, we are in a hurry in terms of Huaihe River management technology, manpower organization, ideological mobilization, river bed relocation, and other material preparations. It will be greatly affected. If the central government asks northern Jiangsu to change the entire work policy and obey the entire plan to guide the Huaihe River in order to save the floods in northern Anhui, we should also try our best to overcome the difficulties and complete the grand plan of controlling the Huaihe River.”