Chapter 76 Resolutely overcome the idea of ​​returning to the army and create bases behind enemy lines

(September 10, 1946) Comrades of the District Party Committee [1], and reported to the Central Plains Bureau: (1) We fully agree with the Central Plains Bureau's report on the 8th [2] that all the 15th brigade will be transferred to southern Shaanxi, and another part of the force will be sent to Dahongshan to contact local forces and develop the Dahongshan base area.In this way, western Hubei, central Hubei, and southern Shaanxi became horns, restraining a large part of Jiang's army and assisting North China, Central China, and Northwest China to smash the Kuomintang's attack.This is your great strategic mission. You should convey this strategic mission to every commander and resolutely overcome the thinking of returning to the team.

(2) Jiang's army is currently using 14 brigades to deal with our Central Plains Army (including southern Shaanxi, western Hubei, central Hubei, eastern Hubei, and western Anhui), and 98 brigades along the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the southern Jinpu line, and the New Yellow River [ 3] and the entire Longhai line (from Xuzhou to Tianshui) to attack our Liberated Areas in central Jiangsu, Huaihai, southern Shandong, eastern Henan, western Shandong, southern Shanxi and eastern Longhai.In less than two months from Wuyuan to Shenqi[4], eighteen and a half brigades have been annihilated by us or have received annihilationary blows from us.We plan to wipe out about 20 more enemy brigades in the next four to six months, so that we can crush the Kuomintang's large-scale offensive and gain the possibility of developing into the Central Plains.If we can wipe out another 20 enemy brigades, then our Liu and Deng[5] armies will surely cross the New Yellow River and advance toward the line of Nanyang and Xinyang, and our Central China Army and part of the Shandong Army will surely advance toward the Dabie Mountains. Then we can directly cooperate with you in combat.

(3) Therefore, it is your sacred task to resolutely overcome the idea of ​​returning to the army, establish a few bases behind the enemy, establish a firm foothold, and contain a large number of enemies. (4) At the same time, if the distance is short and the troops are small, it is still possible to return to the team at risk. A large force like yours is so far away, and there is a danger of being dragged down if you forcefully return to the team, so it is absolutely unfeasible. (5) In order to carry out the above-mentioned strategic tasks and facilitate the provision of food and clothing, according to the instructions of the Central Plains Bureau, all the 15th Brigade should be quickly transferred to southern Shaanxi, and then Li Renlin[6] should be sent to Dahongshan with the radio station and a rather large force.

(6) If food and clothing are very difficult in Northwest Hubei, except that the Fifteenth Brigade and Chen Xianrui[7] have decided to transfer to southern Shaanxi and Luo Wen[8] must stay in Northwest Hubei and cannot be changed, Wang Liu[9] can be considered as one The main force will go to Dahongshan to develop the base area, but it must be estimated that the entire 66th Division and most of the 72nd Division will attack central Hubei. (7) In short, no matter what it is to create base areas behind enemy lines instead of returning to the army, you should carry out a resolute struggle against the extremely dangerous idea of ​​returning to the army and against the strategic mission, and against some comrades who waver and flee in difficulties.

(8) To the effect of this telegram, you can notify the person in charge of each division, but you and each division must burn it after reading it, and do not lose it. Communicate verbally to comrades below the division. central Shen Hui Published according to Mao Zedong's manuscript. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ note [1] Refers to the Northwest Hubei District Committee of the Communist Party of China. [2] Refers to the telegram sent by the Central Plains Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to Wang Shusheng and the Party Committee and the Central Military Commission of Northwest Hubei District on September 8, 1946.The telegram said: Leaving the main force of the Central Plains army behind enemy lines can play a great strategic role.As far as the Central Plains Army itself is concerned, it can only survive and develop by working hard to create base areas.We should resolutely abandon the idea of ​​returning to the north, immediately transfer all the 15th brigade to southern Shaanxi, and use a part of them to cross the Xianghe River and reach Dahongshan in the east, severely disrupting the new situation in Dahongshan.We suggest that Li Renlin lead the radio station and a TV station back to Dahongshan.

[3] New Yellow River, see note [4] on page 46 of this volume. [4] From Wuyuan to Shenqi, that is, from July 13th to September 8th. [5] 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. [6] Li Renlin (1914-1995), a native of Tianmen, Hubei.At that time, he served as the commander of the Fourth Military Division of the Northwest Hubei Military Region. [7] Chen Xianrui, born in 1913, was born in Jinzhai, Anhui.At that time, he served as the deputy commander and chief of staff of the Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi Military Region.

[8] Luo Wen, referring to Luo Houfu and Wen Minsheng, who were respectively the second deputy commander and the second deputy political commissar of the Northwest Hubei Military Region at that time. [9] Wang Liu, referring to Wang Shusheng and Liu Zijiu, who were respectively the commander, political commissar and first deputy political commissar of the Northwest Hubei Military Region at that time.