Chapter 284 2. The target of the initial battle was determined to be the Huang Botao Corps

The Huaihai Campaign proposed by the Huaye Front Committee was actually limited to Huaiyin, Huai'an, and Haizhou in the East China battlefield. On September 25, when the Central Military Commission approved this proposal, it emphasized that the first operation of the Huaihai Campaign should first annihilate the Huang Botao Corps of the Kuomintang Army on the line from Xin'an Town to the Canal. This instruction of the Central Military Commission determined the initial goal of the Huaihai Campaign, which was to annihilate Huang Botao's corps first.It can be seen from this that the Central Military Commission's focus at that time was to annihilate the main force of the enemy army to the north of the Yangtze River.Because, at that time, there were not too many enemies defending the Huaihe River, but Huang Botao's Corps had three armies at that time. Our army annihilated Huang Botao's Corps, which could achieve the goal of annihilating a large number of enemies.

Judging from the geographical location of Huang Botao's Corps, there are also many favorable conditions for our army. Huang Botao's Corps is far away from Xuzhou, with a prominent location and a long contact line, which is conducive to our army's division and encirclement.When our army fights in Xin'an Town, we can rely on the liberated areas in southern Shandong and northern Jiangsu, and we can get logistical support at any time.If our army wiped out Huang Botao's corps in the first battle, it would be equivalent to cutting off the right arm of the enemy in Xuzhou, and the balance of forces between the enemy and us on the southern front would change rapidly.If Huang Botao's corps is surrounded and wiped out by me, the two corps of Qiu Qingquan and Li Mi in Xuzhou may be mobilized by me. Our army can continue to expand the results of the battle and seek to wipe out these two corps; Huai, threatening Nanjing, so as to mobilize the enemy of Xuzhou to the south, so that our army can annihilate the enemy during the movement; it can also attack the Jinpu Railway to the west, cooperate with the middle field, and completely isolate Xuzhou.

On October 11, the Central Military Commission issued a power release entitled "Operation Policy on the Huaihai Campaign", which read: First, the focus of the first phase of this campaign is to concentrate our forces to wipe out Huang Botao's corps, complete a breakthrough in the middle, and occupy Xin'an Town, Canal Station and other places. ... In the first stage, strive to end within two to three weeks after the start of the campaign. In the second and second stages, use about 5 columns to attack and wipe out the enemies in Haizhou, Xinpu, Lianyungang, and Guanyun areas, and occupy the cities. ...This stage also takes two to three weeks.

In the third and third stages, it is conceivable to fight on the two Huaihe Rivers.At that time, the enemy will increase the strength of about 1 division (the entire 8th division is being transported from Yantai to the south), so it is also necessary to prepare about 5 columns of troops to attack, and use the rest of the main force as reinforcements and containment.At this stage, it will take about two to three weeks. The three stages will take about one and a half months to two months. Fourth, you completed the Huaihai Campaign in 11 and 12 months.Rest in January next year. From March to July, fight together with Liu and Deng, beat the enemy to various points along the river, and your main force will probably be able to carry out cross-river operations in autumn (the above quote is from the fourth volume of "Selected Works of Mao Zedong", pages 1293-1294).

"Operation Policy on the Huaihai Campaign" is Mao Zedong's conception of the campaign based on the actual situation at that time.Later, although the situation changed and the scale and scope of the campaign expanded, Mao Zedong put forward the principle of combat in this policy, the principle of using force and the combat method of "attacking aid and aid" and the first annihilation of Huang Botao's corps. A series of guiding ideologies such as breakthroughs were completely successful, and the development of the campaign was larger and smoother than expected.