By March 1948, the balance of power between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party on the Northeast battlefield had undergone fundamental changes.The Kuomintang Wei Lihuang Group has only more than 480,000 regular troops, plus 70,000 irregular troops, a total of more than 550,000 people. They are trapped in three isolated points in Changchun, Shenyang, and Jinzhou. Focus on the defense of the troops to restrain the Northeast People's Liberation Army outside the pass, and open up the Beining line by camera, and withdraw to the pass if the situation is unfavorable. Compared with the Kuomintang, the Northeast People's Liberation Army under the command of Lin Biao and Luo Ronghuan, together with the local troops, has 1 million people. It has superior military strength and better equipment. It has also liberated more than 97% of the land and 86% of the population in the Northeast, and controlled 95% of the population. above the railway line.

Under such circumstances, the morale of the Kuomintang defenders was low and they were in a difficult situation. Even the Kuomintang Minister of Defense had to admit that after repeated offensives by the PLA, the Northeast "has not returned to normal, and many soldiers have no fighting spirit."Therefore, the decisive battle is first chosen in the Northeast, and the victory in the initial battle can be built on a safe and reliable basis. In addition, the Wei Lihuang Group was one of the main strategic groups of the Kuomintang Army. In the spring of 1948, Chiang Kai-shek was considering the issue of withdrawing to the south. He planned to save this team, abandon Shenyang, withdraw the main force to Jinzhou, and then transfer it to the battlefields in North China and Central China. However, due to various political and military reasons, he was hesitant.To fight the Northeast Kuomintang army, we can seize the opportunity when Chiang Kai-shek hesitated to wipe out the Northeast Kuomintang army on the spot, so as to prevent them from withdrawing to the pass and increasing the difficulty of the decisive battle in the future.

At the same time, based on the analysis of the enemy's situation, Mao Zedong believed that if the People's Liberation Army directs the direction of the strategic decisive battle first to the North China battlefield, the first is insufficient strength.The second is that they will be passively attacked by the two groups of Fu Zuoyi and Wei Lihuang; if the direction of the strategic decisive battle is first directed to the East China battlefield, it will also be insufficient in strength, and will cause the enemy in the Northeast to retreat quickly, thus realizing Chiang Kai-shek's strategic contraction attempt .Therefore, starting the decisive battle in the Northeast is not only beneficial to the Northeast Liberation Army, but also conducive to the victory of the National War of Liberation.

How to "close Jiang Jun in the Northeast"?Mao Zedong pointed the primary direction of the Northeast decisive battle to Jinzhou.The reason is: From a local perspective, Changchun is alone in the enemy, and it has been trapped by the PLA for a long time. It is the enemy's weakness in the Northeast battlefield. Prepare for retreat.If the People's Liberation Army directs its operations to Changchun, the enemies of Shenyang and Jinzhou will quickly scare them away.Jinzhou is a strategic location on the Beining Line and the hub on which the Kuomintang troops in Northeast China and North China rely.

After fierce competition since July 1947, Chiang Kai-shek was in a slump militarily, and the reactionary Kuomintang rule he represented was also in decline, falling into a precarious situation.Of the 3 million Kuomintang troops attacking the liberated areas, more than 1.1 million were killed, wounded or captured, accounting for more than one-third.In terms of organizational structure, Chiang Kai-shek had a total of 248 brigades, and 97 and a half brigades were wiped out, which is more than one-third. On the contrary, Mao Zedong, as a strategist who is good at controlling the laws of war, won the initiative to reverse the overall situation of the war with his superb command art and outstanding courage, and the battle line quickly advanced to the north bank of the Yangtze River.No matter from the perspective of the northern part of Shaanxi or the national war situation, the task of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Mao Zedong insisting on staying in northern Shaanxi has been successfully completed.The development of the situation requires that the Chinese Revolutionary Command should no longer be limited to the small place of northern Shaanxi, but should go out of northern Shaanxi and march towards northern China, so as to draw a more magnificent historical picture in a wider world.

The Front Committee of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China decided that the central organs and the headquarters of the Military Commission would cross the Yellow River eastward and meet with the Working Committee of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China with Liu Shaoqi as the secretary in Pingshan County, Hebei. On March 10, 1948, Zhou Enlai announced at a meeting of all personnel of the Central Government: Over the past year, the balance of forces between the enemy and ourselves has undergone fundamental changes, and the central government has successfully completed the mission in northern Shaanxi.In order to prepare for the upcoming nationwide victory, the central government decided to cross the Yellow River eastward and move to North China.

On March 21, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Ren Bishi led the Central Committee and the Military Commission to leave Yangjiagou. After two days of marching, they crossed Jizhen and Ziliyu, and arrived at the Yuanzita Ferry in Chuankou, Wubao County, on the west bank of the Yellow River at noon on the 23rd. More than 200 sailors were carefully selected to form a sailor battalion, and the ships were numbered. In front is the turbulent Yellow River, and behind it is the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi.Standing at the ferry of the Yellow River, Mao Zedong was full of emotions and thoughts... From March 18, 1947 to March 23, 1948, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Ren Bishi led the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission to fight in northern Shaanxi. They traveled more than 2,000 miles in one year and five days, passing through 12 counties, and stopped 38 villages.This is a difficult but great and meaningful journey.

On April 12, 1948, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Ren Bishi and their entourage crossed the Great Wall Ridge and arrived at Xixiaguan Village, Fuping County. Immediately, Ren Bishi presided over a symposium with the participation of some county and district party committee secretaries.Deng Yingchao, who participated in the pilot work of land reform and party consolidation in Fuping, also came to attend the symposium.She hadn't seen Zhou Enlai for more than a year.When we met, Mao Zedong held Deng Yingchao's hand, and said half-jokingly and half-seriously: "You have persisted in working on the front line, achieved results, and gained experience. It is very good. But you have not been a good logistics minister. It has been so long , You didn't even go to the front committee to express your condolences. It's hard to be kind."

Deng Yingchao said with a smile: "Zhou Enlai is in good health, he is taken care of by the guards, and he is cared by the chairman. I don't feel at ease if I don't go." Mao Zedong jokingly said: "That's not acceptable. We can't replace you as the logistics minister." Zhou Enlai also smiled and said: "Contacting by correspondence is equivalent to meeting each other." On the afternoon of the 13th, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Ren Bishi and the Party Central Committee set off from Xixiaguan Village to Chengnanzhuang. Chengnanzhuang is the seat of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei party, government and military organs of the Communist Party of China. Nie Rongzhen is the main leader of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei party, government and army. There is still a distance from Chengnanzhuang. Although it is simple, it is quiet and elegant.A piece of newly built bungalows with white and gray roofs were built on the hillside.

Hearing that Mao Zedong was coming, Nie Rongzhen and the leaders of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Central Bureau conducted serious research, and sent Zhou Rongxin, deputy secretary-general of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Central Bureau, to lead a small team to Mount Wutai to meet Mao Zedong and his party. At that time, the war in North China was intensified, and the enemy situation in Chengnanzhuang was complicated. Out of consideration for the safety of Mao Zedong and other central leaders, Nie Rongzhen ordered the Security Office to implement a short-term martial law in Chengnanzhuang.But the people in the mountains have their own whimsical ideas. Although they don't know what kind of big man came to Chengnanzhuang, but seeing Commander Nie go all the way to greet him, he decided that the person who was coming was a very big official, so They helped the old and the young, climbed the stairs and boarded the house, and watched from the heights.Pairs of wide-open eyes focused on the center of the street.

In the evening, Mao Zedong and his entourage came to Nanzhuang, Fuping County, where the party, government and military leadership organs of the Jinchaji Border Region are located.Nie Rongzhen, Liu Lantao, Xiao Ke and other leaders of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Party, government and army held high the torch and went to the north of Pusa Ridge to greet them. Nie Rongzhen and others waited for a long time, seeing Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Ren Bishi and other central leaders approaching from a distance, their anxious hearts were suddenly relieved. "Comrade Rongzhen, Enlai, Bishi and I are here to disturb you." Mao Zedong got out of the car and shook hands with Nie Rongzhen and others with a smile. "It's not easy to go this way. I heard that it's snowing in the west." Nie Rongzhen asked with concern. Mao Zedong said meaningfully: "It's snowing, what a beautiful scenery! Wutai Mountain is a piece of white, the whole world is a piece of whiteness, how pleasant! Rong Zhen, the severe winter has passed, and the snow in this spring is creaking when I step on it. I feel very happy." Comfortable." Zhou Enlai also said happily: "As soon as we arrived at Longquan Pass, we felt this way. The villages we passed along the way were full of enthusiasm." On April 23, Zhou Enlai, Ren Bishi and others went to Xibaipo, Pingshan County, Hebei Province. Mao Zedong continued to stay in Chengnanzhuang because he was preparing to visit the Soviet Union, and prepared for the upcoming enlarged meeting of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. On April 25, Mao Zedong called Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Zhou Enlai, and Ren Bishi in Xibaipo, and raised the topic of an enlarged meeting of the Central Secretariat, including inviting representatives of various intermediate parties and mass organizations in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Pingjin, and other places to the liberated areas. Discuss the issue of convening the People's Congress and the establishment of a provisional central government; the issue of convening the Second Plenary Session of the Central Committee this winter; the issue of reducing the burden on the people as appropriate and vigorously developing agricultural and industrial production; the elimination of some anarchy and the reduction of local Issues of power; draft organizational outline for district, township, and village people's congresses; operational issues of the Chen Su Bingtuan and other issues.Mao Zedong asked them to discuss in Xibaipo first. At the end of April, Mao Zedong assessed the situation and personally drafted the "May 1st" Labor Day Slogan, calling for the consolidation and expansion of the united front against imperialism and bureaucratic capitalism.Fight to overthrow Chiang Kai-shek and establish a new China.Unite all democratic parties, people's organizations, and social elites to quickly convene a new political consultation meeting without the participation of reactionaries, discuss and realize the convening of the people's congress, and the establishment of a democratic coalition government.And resoundingly put forward the slogan "Go to Nanjing and capture the puppet President Chiang Kai-shek alive". Mao Zedong entrusted Nie Rongzhen to dictate these slogans to Zhou Enlai in Xibaipo by phone. On April 30, it was broadcast to the whole country by Shaanxi Radio Station. After the "May Day Slogan" was published, it immediately received widespread responses from various democratic parties, people's organizations, and people without party affiliation. They all expressed their willingness to form a democratic united front under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and strive for the complete realization of New Democracy.Even General Feng Yuxiang, who became a close friend of Chiang Kai-shek, was dissatisfied with Chiang Kai-shek's dictatorial civil war policy, and expressed his firm support for the Chinese Communist Party's idea of ​​convening a new Political Consultative Conference. These show that Chiang Kai-shek is heading for the end of the road. From April 30 to May 7, Mao Zedong presided over an enlarged meeting of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in Chengnanzhuang, known as the "Chengnanzhuang Conference" in history. The meeting discussed the issue of leading the war to the Kuomintang areas.Mao Zedong analyzed that it will undoubtedly be very difficult to lead the war to the Kuomintang areas, and the main force to fight it will be weakened, and many victories will not be won, but without this one, the Kuomintang cannot be defeated.After fighting out, both the enemy and ourselves will go to the area controlled by Jiang to eat. We cannot rely on the rear, and the rear must supply the front as much as possible. The meeting discussed the issue of developing production and reducing the burden on the people.Mao Zedong believed that the purpose of land reform, party consolidation, and people's congresses was to develop production and lighten the people's burden appropriately, and to increase the agriculture and industry in the rear to meet the needs of the war. Mao Zedong's strategic opinions at the Chengnanzhuang meeting were later summarized into twenty words: "Army advances, production increases by an inch, discipline is strengthened, and the revolution is invincible", which became the policy of action for a long period of time. On May 27, Mao Zedong also came to Xibaipo, with Zhu De who had arrived earlier.Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, and Ren Bishi joined together. After Mao Zedong came to Xibaipo, he sang an empty city plan in Xibaipo, which foreshadowed that Chiang Kai-shek would not have a good result in the Pingjin campaign. For Mao Zedong, who commanded the decisive battle from Xibaipo, Hebei, Fu Zuoyi was the closest enemy.During the decisive battle, they once had an interesting direct confrontation. Mao Zedong had another good game in his chest, and Chiang Kai-shek also had a wishful thinking. In the winter of 1948, the Liaoshen Campaign had begun.At the moment when the Kuomintang army was being defeated on the Northeast battlefield, Fu Zuoyi, the commander of the "Suppression General" in North China, led 5 divisions of infantry and cavalry, plus a fast troop of 400 vehicles, marched south from Beiping and Baoding, pretending to be reinforcements and being besieged by the People's Liberation Army Yan Xishan in Taiyuan attempted to attack Xibaipo, the seat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Mao Zedong. Zhou Enlai said: "Xibaipo is the last rural command post where Chairman Mao and the Party Central Committee entered Beiping and liberated the whole of China." Want to smash it.Chiang Kai-shek discussed with Fu Zuoyi many times at Yuan'en Temple in Beiping and conspired a sneak attack plan. Chiang Kai-shek believes that the main force of the Northeast Field Army is in the west of Liaoning, and the main force of the North China Liberation Army is in Taiyuan, Sui, Chabei, and East Hebei, and the central Hebei area is empty. Poe will reverse the unfavorable situation overnight.Even if the expected goal is not achieved, the strategic deployment of the Communist Party can be disrupted. Fu Zuoyi praised Chiang Kai-shek's decision verbally, but he had his own calculations in his heart.Doing so can not only solve the dangers of Taiyuan and Suiyuan, but also take the opportunity to refuse to send troops out of the customs to fight, and can also establish their own reputation.But after thinking about it, the Communist Party is not easy to deal with. The People's Liberation Army has always been surreptitious and sneaky, and it might lose its wife and lose its army.Thinking of this, he proposed a joint infantry and cavalry operation, the infantry would be transferred from the "Central Army", and the cavalry would be drawn from his troops. After hearing this, Chiang Kai-shek even called it a "good idea"!At the same time, it is emphasized that two points should be paid attention to in the action: one is absolute secrecy, the soldiers are very fast, and surprises are not expected; the other is to bring the blasting team and blow up all the important facilities in Shijiazhuang. After Fu Zuoyi accepted the task, he immediately started to formulate a sneak attack plan, search for candidates, and deploy tasks. In late October 1948, they thought that the opportunity had come, because the PLA had very few troops near Xibaipo at that time. If the sneak attack was successful, it could stimulate people's hearts and dilute the shadow of the disastrous defeat in the Northeast. ". From Beiping to Shijiazhuang, the People's Liberation Army did not have a main force, and the strength of the enemy and ourselves was very different, and the situation was very critical.Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De and other leaders saw the urgent telegram sent by the Peking underground party organization at the risk of their lives. In front of the military map, while pointing at various points and lines in Beiping-Zhuo County-Baoding-Shijiazhuang-Xibaipo, they discussed countermeasures and finally decided that Zhou Enlai would be responsible for the deployment of troops and issuing orders. Zhou Enlai quickly drafted an urgent telegram to the North China Military Region, the 2nd North China Corps and the 3rd Corps, instructing them to quickly send troops to defend Shijiazhuang.Then he directed the central government and logistics departments to prepare for the transfer, and mobilized the regular army and local troops to cooperate with migrant workers to destroy railways and roads and block the actions of the Kuomintang troops. At the same time, Mao Zedong took a psychological offensive and sang "Empty City Strategies". On October 25th and 26th, Mao Zedong wrote two pieces of news exposing Chiang Kai-shek and Fu Zuoyi's vain attempt to attack Shijiazhuang, and our army and civilians were preparing to attack, and published them on October 26th. The first page of "People's Daily" on the 28th: ​​(Xinhua News Agency, North China 25th) Confirmation: When the People's Liberation Army won great victories in North China and other battlefields across the country, Chiang Kai-shek and Fu Zuoyi in Beiping tried to attack Shijiazhuang to destroy the people life property.According to news from the front: Fushou Jiang decided to concentrate three divisions of the 94th Army and two divisions of the New Second Army to attack Shijiazhuang via Baoding.The message also added: the army is equipped with cars, and with explosives, ready to sabotage.But Jiang Fushou's extremely boring actions are doomed to fail.The heads of the party, government and army in North China are calling on the people to mobilize, cooperate with the liberation, and resolutely, thoroughly, cleanly and completely wipe out the bandit army who dared to take risks. (Xinhua News Agency, North China, 26th) In order to urgently mobilize all forces and cooperate with the People's Liberation Army to wipe out Chiang Fu's bandits who may invade the Shijiazhuang area, the heads of the party, government and army have sent to the Baoshi Line and the counties on both sides. Issue an order to mobilize all militia and local armed forces within three days, and prepare all available weapons to facilitate combat, with particular emphasis on the method of fighting cavalry.I heard that the two bandits, Jiang and Fu, invaded and harassed the forces in Shijiazhuang. In addition to the 94th Army, there are still the 4th New Cavalry Division and the 12th Cavalry Brigade, as well as an attached demolition team and more than 100 vehicles, trying to destroy our rear organs, warehouses, and factories. , schools, power plants, buildings. ...Here, the chiefs are instructing all walks of life in the local area not to panic. As long as everyone is fully prepared in advance, there is a way to avoid its destruction, lure the enemy to go deep, gather and annihilate them.The bandits harassed Hejian this spring. Because we were unprepared in advance, we suffered some losses, and the bandits also escaped by them.This time, Wu hopes to mobilize all forces to fight against the enemy, so that the bandits who dare to take risks will not run back to their lairs with one soldier and one car.In May of this year, bandits Yan and Bandit Fu planned to harass Shijiazhuang together; the counties along the Baoshi Line and the Zhengtai Line once fought against the enemy together. The people on the Baoshi Line had already had mobilization experience; this time, because Jiang Bandit was in charge of Beiping, Fu Bandit dared not move.The North China Military Region has pointed out to the counties, don't think that the last time will come, and this time will not come, if you don't prepare, you will suffer losses.Even if the enemy is afraid of annihilation, it is always beneficial and harmless for me to have such preparations. When Fu Zuoyi saw the two telegrams transcribed for him by his secretary, he suddenly felt a chill running down his back, and immediately discussed with the left and right whether to engage in this "heart-to-heart battle".They have repeatedly speculated whether the Communist Party is engaging in "empty city tactics"?Is it "waiting for help"?The final conclusion was that although the People's Liberation Army had already known about this operation, the main force of the People's Liberation Army would not be able to reach the Baoding area for a while, and it would not be a problem to deal with the 7th Column. On the morning of October 29, Mao Zedong wrote to his secretary Hu Qiaomu again, saying: "My first daily broadcast has achieved results. Zheng Tingfeng, the commander of the 94th Army, told Fu Zuoyi at the same time on the 27th, saying: "Yesterday I listened to the broadcast and learned that the bandit They seem to be wary of our army's attack on Shimen.The broadcast said that the two divisions of the New Second Army attached to our army planned to attack Shimen.Since the other party has a feeling, it must be prepared in advance, and the attack may not be effective' and other words. 'Another piece, please broadcast it today.Text is not played. " That morning, Mao Zedong wrote another oral broadcast for Xinhua News Agency.At that time, Xinhua News Agency had two types of public manuscripts. One was text broadcasting, commonly known as text broadcasting manuscripts, which were sent to newspaper offices and all over the world in the form of clear telegrams. The announcer broadcasts in front of the microphone, which is not seen in newspapers, but the transmission method is quick and easy.Mao Zedong's oral broadcast reads: "Fu Zuoyi's bandits, including Zheng Tingfeng, Liu Chunfang, E Yousan, and Du Chang (the captain of the explosion), totaled no more than 20,000 people, and they fled to Fangshun Bridge south of Baoding on the 28th yesterday. The 94th Army of the Zheng bandit only came with two divisions, leaving one division at the Dingxing line in Zhuo County. Liu, E and other bandits are following up behind the Zheng bandit. The counties on both sides of the Baoshi line... and the masses of the people in the places... The combat preparations have been completed, waiting for the bandits to arrive, and cooperate with the regular army to wipe out the enemy." On October 31, Mao Zedong personally wrote a commentary for Xinhua News Agency.He laughed at Chiang Kai-shek's defeat in the Northeast battlefield, and exposed Fu Zuoyi's conspiracy to attack Shijiazhuang. He wrote majestic, profound and powerful: (Xinhua News Agency, North China on the 31st) When the generals of the Kuomintang army are like dead dogs, unable to bite a hair of the People's Liberation Army, but they are being beaten to nowhere by the People's Liberation Army, The two dogs, Bai Chongxi and Fu Zuoyi, who seemed to have a little vitality, were selected by the American imperialists and became the treasures of the Kuomintang. Chiang Kai-shek is already a zombie with no soul, and no one believes him anymore, including his so-called 'students and cadres'.Under the order of the United States, Chiang Kai-shek promoted Bai Chongxi and Fu Zuoyi. Bai Chongxi is now the commander-in-chief of Xuzhou and Hankou, and Fu Zuoyi is the commander-in-chief of the northern front. The Americans and Chiang Kai-shek are now relying on these two dogs to block the People's Liberation Army.But Bai Chongxi and Fu Zuoyi still have a few months to live, even their masters and themselves don't know.Chiang Kai-shek lived in Beiping recently, and within two weeks, he sent off the three armies of Fan Hanjie, Zheng Dongguo, and Liao Yaoxiang. His mission was over, he had nothing to do in Peiping, and he slipped back to Nanjing yesterday.Chiang Kai-shek is not Xiang Yu, and he doesn't have the shameful mentality of "seeing Jiangdong's elders without a face". He still wants to live, and he still wants to find some tricks to stimulate the hearts and minds of the soldiers who have been separated. trick.Chiang Kai-shek originally wanted Fu Zuoyi to organize a light army to attack Jinan, but Fu Zuoyi refused.Fu Zuoyi agreed to the surprise attack on Shijiazhuang, but he asked the two families to pay for it.Fu Zuoyi sent out cavalry, Chiang Kai-shek sent out infantry, and along with some tanks and explosive teams, they headed south from Beiping.It was extremely brave. It took a week to reach the Wangdu area, and the commander was Zheng Tingfeng. Judging from the intelligence of the past few days, General Zheng seemed to feel that something was wrong and called for reinforcements from the north.Another joint venture between the two companies, Fu Zuoyi sent the 35th Army, and Chiang Kai-shek sent the 16th Army, and they were heading south to Zhuozhou.A question arises here: do they want Peiping?Now Beiping is so empty, only the 208th Division of the Youth Army is there.Tongzhou is also empty, and there are only a few soldiers in the eastern section of Pingsui.In short, the entire northern front of Chiang Kai-shek and the entire Fu Zuoyi system will be finished in only a few months, but they are still dreaming of Shijiazhuang. The commentary exposes Fu Zuoyi's shortcomings in this way, and the lines between the lines are like millions of hidden soldiers.Fu Zuoyi, who was empty in his heart, immediately retreated like Sima Yi in "The Empty City", returned to Baoding, and soon returned to Peiping. It was like a nightmare.Chiang Kai-shek and Fu Zuoyi racked their brains to devise a sneak attack plan, which was abandoned halfway and declared bankrupt. This "smart plan" and "heart-to-heart battle" was originally thought to be an astonishing move, but it was not only useless to the Kuomintang army that was failing steadily, but it caused another heavy blow to the already slack military spirit. Fu Zuoyi originally wanted to earn some capital and preserve his strength, but the result was that "stealing chickens is not enough to lose rice."During this operation that lasted more than 10 days, Fu Zuoyi lost nearly 4,000 troops, more than 240 horses, more than 90 vehicles, and a large amount of combat supplies.On the way back, the troops complained unabated, and they all fled for fear of being intercepted by the People's Liberation Army. Fu Zuoyi faced the joint attack of the Northeast and North China PLA, coupled with the lack of morale within the army and the grievances of the people, it can be said that the situation is critical.Where to go, Fu Zuoyi is in the midst of difficult thinking and choices. At this time, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De and other leaders of the Communist Party of China were planning the battle of Pingjin while commanding Liu Chendeng on the southern front to launch the Huaihai War.