Chapter 5 Instructions to Su Yu's Ministry of Mobile Operations in Wide Areas

(January 10, 1948) Su Chen[1], and told Chen Xie, Liu Deng[2]: Jiashen telegram [3] was informed. (1) Jiadian [4] of the Military Commission has answered your questions, and both plans must be implemented.You are now concentrating all your efforts on preparations, recuperating your troops, improving morale and tactics, rectifying discipline (very important), holding cadre meetings, and implementing the plan to move southwest after the 25th. (2) More than ten counties in the southwest are a large mobile area.There are mountainous areas and flat lands, food-deficient areas and abundant areas.The enemy situation is not very serious.In several steps, strive to capture Nanyang, Xichuan, Xiping, Lushi, Xiangfan[5], Laohekou and other cities, and strive to wipe out the 65th Division and other enemy and landlord armed forces.The siege first goes through reconnaissance and trial attack.When the environment permits, use tunnel operations to attack.If it is impossible to attack, temporarily change to besieging the city to fight for reinforcements, or abandon it without attacking, and then attack another place.Don't pre-exist the idea that you must open a certain city and wipe out as many enemies as you can.When the army is tired, it rests (full attention to rest), and when it is rested, it goes to war.We must prepare to send reinforcements from the Ninth, Tenth, and Twentieth Divisions.When the reinforcements arrive, look at the situation, fight if it's easy to fight, and maneuver when it's not easy to fight, and make a decision on the fly.This campaign will include many battles, and the time will not be fixed.If it goes well, you can play longer, one month or two months, it depends on the situation.If the situation is favorable, it is also conceivable to maneuver in the triangle area of ​​Xinyang, Hankou, and Xiangyang.The difficulty for you is where to place the wounded.You should work with Chen Xie to set up a temporary rear in the middle of the Han River.It is estimated that it will be safe after the local stubbornness is eliminated.Chen Xie has a brigade that has occupied Yunxi and Yunyang.As long as Xichuan, Junxian [6], Laohekou, etc. are occupied again, and a small force of armed and political workers are sent to wipe out the bandits and mobilize the masses, the rear will be there.You are familiar with this area, perhaps one of several roads for fall maneuvers.

(3) You should call Chen Xie for a meeting to roughly agree on the combat steps.Chen Xie, the Ten Columns, and the Twelve Columns are under your command, so you should command them boldly.For smaller enemies, the two armies will operate in separate divisions, and for larger enemies (still only fighting medium-scale battles), they will act in contracts.In short everything is handled by your camera. (4) The supplementary matter can be resolved when you arrive at Zhengzhou and Tongguan to fight on the Zhengzhou and Tongguan lines after the implementation of the second plan. (5) Commander Chen [7] has talked about your situation here, and we think it is satisfactory.

Mao Zedong Zihui Printed from manuscript. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ note [1] Su Chen refers to Su Yu and Chen Shiju, who were respectively the deputy commander and chief of staff of the East China Field Army at that time. [2] Chen Xie, refers to Chen Geng and Xie Fuzhi, who served as the former secretary and deputy secretary of the Chen Xie Group of the Shanxi-Hebei-Luyu Field Army respectively.Liu Deng refers to Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping, who were the commander and political commissar of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Field Army at that time.

[3] Refers to the telegram sent by Su Yu and Chen Shiju to the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China on January 9, 1948.The telegram proposed two plans to act on the Zhengshan line, break the Jinpu line, and move to Nanyang and Xiangfan. [4] Refers to the telegram to Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping drafted by Mao Zedong for the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China on January 9, 1948.See pages 5-6 of this volume. [5] Refers to Xiangyang and Fancheng in Hubei, which were merged into Xiangfan City in 1950. [6] Jun County, now Danjiangkou City, Hubei Province.

[7] Commander Chen, referring to Chen Yi, who was the commander and political commissar of the East China Field Army at that time, and was the commander of the New Fourth Army during the Anti-Japanese War.