Chapter 188 3. Prepare to attack Baobei

After training, all units of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Field Army are eager to fight a large-scale annihilation battle like other friendly theaters, and wipe out the Kuomintang army with whole divisions and brigades. With their own active and powerful actions, they can complete the weakening and containment of the North China region assigned by the Central Military Commission. The Kuomintang Army cooperated with the Northeast Democratic Coalition Army in the task of eliminating the Kuomintang Army in the Northeast. The task of annihilating the enemy will come soon. In mid-September, our Northeast Democratic Coalition Army launched an autumn offensive between Changchun, Jilin, Siping and Beining Line between Mianxi and Yixian.In order to reinforce the Northeast, Chiang Kai-shek had to transfer troops from the 21st Division of the 92nd Army, the 54th Division of the 13th Army, and the 43rd Division of the 94th Army from the North China battlefield.In this way, the weakness of the Kuomintang army's insufficient mobile corps in North China was more exposed.

In order to face-to-face destroy the Kuomintang army and cooperate with the Northeast Democratic Allied Forces, the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Field Army held an enlarged meeting of the front committee with the participation of cadres above the brigade on October 3, and proposed two combat directions for the next step: one is to go out of the Qing Dynasty and Hebei.He believes that although there are not many enemy troops, they "still have to attack fortifications, and it is inconvenient to advance and retreat."The second is to attack Baobei.He believes that "the progress of the main force is completely concentrated (the 7th Brigade alone participates in the war on time), which can create conditions for aid, has a future for development, can advance and retreat freely, contain the enemy, and cooperate with the Northeast to benefit." (Yang Dezhi, Yang Chengwu, Geng Biao to the Central Military Commission on October 3, 1947, Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi, Nie Rongzhen, Xiao Ke and others sent a telegram)

The leaders of the field army also reported to the Central Military Commission, the Central Work Commission and the military region three operational plans for attacking Baobei: (1) With the 2nd and 4th columns and the independent 7th brigade, go east to west, and the 3rd column from west to east, conquer Xushui and Rongcheng, clear Gucheng and Baoding, and open up a battlefield for reinforcements; and then , with a feint attack from the north to the outskirts of Baoding to attract the enemy's aid, and a part to guard Xushui, the main force is ready to annihilate and aid the enemy near Xushui.

(2) Clear the small strongholds between Gucheng, Xushui, and Baoding, and isolate the three points of Gu, Xu, and Bao; Suicheng or Yaocun pursued and annihilated them one by one. (3) Besiege Laishui with one unit, and try to fight for aid between Laishui and Gaobeidian.It is considered that Cases 1 and 2 are appropriate. On October 4th, the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Field Army issued a combat order: determined to "take advantage of our army's massive attack in the Northeast, and the enemy's northern parallel to assist the Northeast. When our region is on the defensive, we will launch the Battle of Baobei again."Besiege Xushui with the 2nd Column attached to the Independent 7th Brigade, destroy the railway between Xushui and Xuhe Bridge, clear the enemy's blockhouses along the line, and attract the Kuomintang troops to send aid; Gather in the east area and prepare to annihilate reinforcements from the north and east during the movement; use the independent 8th brigade to monitor the 3rd Shimen Army.

On October 5, Zhu De and Liu Shaoqi replied to the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Field Army, agreeing to "strike out to protect the north and still focus on seeking mobile warfare." ("Zhu De Biography" page 576)