Chapter 98 Measures for Handling Foreign Warships and Ships Entering the Huangpu River

(May 20, 1949) Su Zhang[1], and told the General Front Committee, Liu Zhangli[2]: Both Haowei and Haowu telegrams [3] are known. (1) The Huangpu River is an inland river in China. No foreign warships are allowed to enter it. Anyone who dares to enter and move freely may attack it. Anyone who shoots at us must return fire until it is sunk, injured or deported. (2) However, if there are foreign warships that have not moved while anchored in Shanghai and have not fired at our army, do not shoot. (3) Chinese and foreign ships that carry troops and supplies for the enemy into and out of the Huangpu River should also be attacked.

(4) Chinese and foreign ships that have not moved while berthed in Shanghai, or those that have been approved by our side, will be allowed to berth or sail, and will be protected. (5) In order to deal with the interference of foreign warships, you should have sufficient mental and physical preparations, that is, to annihilate or expel the armed forces of foreign interveners. If you feel insufficient troops or artillery fire, you should quickly deploy them from other places to make up. (6) Noon telegraph said that there were two ships flying foreign flags, please find out which flags are flying so that they can be announced.Afterwards, any incident involving ships outside the Customs should be ascertained and reported in detail.

Military Commission Hai Published according to Mao Zedong's manuscript. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ note [1] Su Zhang, referring to Su Yu and Zhang Zhen, who were respectively the deputy commander, second deputy political commissar and chief of staff of the Third Field Army at that time. [2] Liu Zhangli refers to Liu Bocheng, Zhang Jichun, and Li Da, who were respectively the commander, deputy political commissar, director of the Political Department, and chief of staff of the Second Field Army at that time. [3] Refers to the telegrams sent by Su Yu and Zhang Zhen to the CCP Central Military Commission and the General Front Committee at the end of May 19, 1949 and at noon on the 20th.The telegram on the 19th said that on the afternoon of the 18th, three U.S. warships, six Kuomintang ships and sailboats left Wusong.On the 20th, it was reported that there were five enemy ships on the line from the west of Gaoqiao to Linjiazhai along the river, two of which were flying foreign flags and three were without flags. They bombarded our position violently to cover the enemy's attack on our position.Because the five ships are close together, they are afraid of making mistakes, so they have been strictly prohibited from fighting.For this reason, it has brought great difficulties for me to hold on to the position. Please tell me how to deal with it.