Chapter 37 Some considerations on attacking Changchun[1]

(June 7, 1948) Lin Luoliu[2]: (1) Basically agree with the third plan of your call[3] at 19:30 on the 5th, which is to conquer Changchun in three to four months, try to wipe out and aid the enemy, and then attack Chengde or others after the autumn harvest place. (2) Whether Changchun can be conquered depends on: A. Time.B. Siege method.C. Ability and methods of fighting and aiding.In your plan, the problem of time has been resolved, that is, not half a month as you originally planned, but three to four months.With such a long period of time, the strength of the army was strengthened by training, and new methods of attacking the city could be adopted.

(3) Regarding the method of siege, we believe that a combination of tunnel warfare and ground warfare must be adopted in order to reduce casualties and ensure victory. If ground attack methods are used alone, the casualties will be huge, and victory may not be guaranteed. . (4) With regard to the issue of annihilating and aiding the enemy, we believe that under the condition that there are enemy forces as large as Shenyang and Jinzhou and that reinforcements are inevitable (you should take the enemy's inevitable reinforcements as the basis for your combat plan), even if there are three to four The method of combining tunnel operations and ground operations in a month's time cannot guarantee victory in the attack on Changchun. It is necessary to ensure the victory of preventing and annihilating the enemy's aid in terms of troop deployment and combat methods at the same time, in order to ensure victory in the attack on Changchun. .We believe that you should have no less than five columns (preferably six columns) to build necessary strong positions on the roads that must be passed between Shenyang and Changchun to aid the enemy (use the positions originally established by the enemy in Changtu, Siping, Gongzhuling, etc. repair) to carry out long-distance blocking operations first, so as to consume and frustrate the reinforcements, and have the ability to annihilate part or most of the reinforcements, in order to guarantee the victory in Changchun.We believe that the combination of tunnel and ground combat methods within three to four months is the first condition for ensuring the victory of Changchun, and preventing and annihilating the enemy is the second condition for ensuring the victory of Changchun. The two conditions cannot be missing one.

(5) This plan is suspected of dividing the troops equally.However, because our army adopts the method of combining tunnels with the ground, that is, on the one hand, it uses most of the tunnels to attack below the enemy's fortress, and on the other hand, it gradually builds fortifications on the ground and advances, so that the enemy can counterattack (the enemy will inevitably carry out many desperate battles). counterattack, so our army must gradually build a strong fortress when advancing) can only consume the enemy itself, but cannot fight our army out, so we can save troops. Our army has about four or five columns and seven independent divisions for use. Siege is enough.In the implementation of the battle, according to the changes that are beneficial to us and unfavorable to the enemy, you can adjust the strength of the siege and reinforcements at your discretion, and focus on the reinforcements at a certain time (this is the first important thing) ), at another time to focus on siege.

(6) It is very necessary for you to cut off the enemy's sources of food from the ground, and you must do this.However, the enemy may obtain food from the air, and the food in the city may not last more than three months.Therefore, you should mainly focus on the methods of siege and the deployment of reinforcements and combat methods. That is to say, even if the enemy's food can last for five or six months, and there are strong enemy troops outside to help us, we still have the means to fight in three or four months. Conquer Changchun within a month. (7) The victory in Changchun will open up the way for you to go south and conquer each major city one by one. The conquest of each major city will gain experience from the Changchun Campaign.I hope that you will carefully organize this battle, anticipate various difficulties that will occur in the battle, and gradually sum up experience until complete victory.

(8) During the three to four months of attacking Changchun, you must simultaneously complete the food, ammunition, uniforms, recruits, etc. necessary for the next step in the Chengde, Zhangjiakou, and Datong areas, or in the eastern Jidong, and Jinzhou areas. Preparations for road transport of supplies. (9) You and the command posts of each column must build solid and reliable air-raid shelters. Military Commission 15 o'clock on the 7th Published according to Mao Zedong's manuscript. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ note [1] The plan to attack Changchun proposed in this article was not implemented due to new considerations (see "Stop Attacking Changchun Plan and Prepare for the Southward Advance" on pages 111-112 of this volume).On October 19, 1948, Changchun was peacefully liberated in the Liaoshen Campaign.

[2] Lin Luoliu, referring to Lin Biao, Luo Ronghuan, and Liu Yalou, who were respectively the commander, political commissar, deputy political commissar and chief of staff of the Northeast Field Army at that time. [3] Refers to the telegram sent by Lin Biao, Luo Ronghuan, and Liu Yalou to the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China at 19:30 on June 5, 1948.The three plans for our army's actions in the Northeast proposed by the telegram are: 1. At present, we will officially attack Changchun, but there is no certainty, and the possibility of success is small.Second, at present, Changchun is besieged with a small number of troops, food is blocked, and the main force is fighting in Jehol and eastern Hebei along the Beining line.However, fighting in the south, in addition to the possibility of flying everywhere, or because the enemy's strength is concentrated, it is difficult to fight, and food supplies are also extremely difficult.Third, use two to four months to implement a long-term siege of Changchun, and then attack the city.Telegram believes that it is better to adopt the third option at present.