Chapter 105 Opinions on Central China's Streamlined Military and Simplified Administration

(August 4, 1942) Comrade Chen Yi[1]: It is very good that we have seen the overall situation in central China after reading the telegram about streamlining the army and simplifying the administration.You just held the enlarged meeting at the end of April, so there is no need to rush to change it.But there is one thing I want you to pay attention to, that is, with the extremely brutal struggle, the reduction of the base area will inevitably come, and it may come soon. If this point is not considered in advance, you will suffer big losses in the future.Under such circumstances, neither Central China nor North China can maintain a large army. If we try to maintain it as we wish, it will be difficult to sustain it for a long time. We should not forget the experience of the Central Soviet Area in the second half of 1934.Taking Central China as an example, you have decided to expand the existing 80,000 main force and 40,000 local army to 100,000 main force and 100,000 local army, for a total of 200,000. Not including the party and government, Jiangnan, eastern Anhui, Huaibei, and central Hubei have all been reduced. , this sum is too large.Next year will definitely be a very difficult year. The degree of difficulty is beyond the imagination of many people, and the senior leadership must take it into account.There could still be a long march during the civil war, but now there must be no long march.If the resources and financial resources of the people in the base areas are quickly exhausted, and the people are trapped and the army is worried, there is a danger of sitting dead.Now North China and Shandong must make a great determination to implement a thorough streamlining of troops and administration, otherwise they will not be able to maintain it next year.Although the situation in central China is slightly different, the general direction is the same. Please consider this matter in advance and make a comprehensive plan by the end of the year or next spring to achieve the goal of streamlining.

Mao Zedong August 4th Printed from transcripts kept at the Central Archives. -------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ note [1] Chen Yi, at that time served as acting secretary of the Central China Branch of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China and acting commander of the New Fourth Army.