The Concept of Operations for the North-Western War Theatre

#PUBLICATION NOTE

This edition of The Concept of Operations for the North-Western War Theatre has been prepared and revised for digital publication by the Institute of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism under the Central Committee of the Communist Party in Switzerland on the basis of the following edition: The Concept of Operations for the Northwest War Theatre, in the Selected Works of Mao Zedong, First English Edition, Vol. 4, Foreign Languages Press, Beijing, 1965.

#INTRODUCTION NOTE

This is a telegram from Comrade Mao Zedong in Wangjiawan, Jingbian, Shaanxi, China to Peng Dehuai, He Long, Xi Zhongxun, Zhu De, and Liu Shaoqi dated the 15th of April, 1947. It was first published in the Selected Works of Mao Zedong, Vol. 4, in 1960.

The telegram was sent to the North-Western Field Army, which was then composed of the People's Liberation Army forces of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia and Shanxi-Suiyuan Liberated Areas.

#Workers and oppressed people of the world, unite!

#THE CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS FOR THE NORTH-WESTERN WAR THEATRE

#TELEGRAM TO THE NORTH-WESTERN FIELD ARMY OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY

#Mao Zedong

#15th of April, 1947

#★

#1

The enemy is now quite tired, but not yet tired out. They are in considerable difficulties with their food supply, but not yet in extreme difficulties. Although our army has not destroyed any large number of the enemy's forces since wiping out their 31st Brigade,¹ in the last 20 days, we have achieved the objective of tiring them and considerably reducing their food supplies, thus creating favourable conditions for tiring them out completely, cutting off all their food supplies, and finally wiping them out.

#2

At present, despite the enemy's fatigue and shortage of food, their policy is to drive our main force east across the Yellow River, then seal off Suide and Mizhi, and divide their forces for «mopping-up» operations. The enemy troops reached Qingjian on the 31st of March, but did not advance north immediately; their purpose was to leave us a clear passage. Their advance west towards Wayaobao was designed to drive us to Suide and Mizhi. Having discovered our troops, they are now veering to the south and west of Wayaobao and then they will again advance toward that town to drive us northward.

#3

Our policy is to continue our former method, that is, to keep the enemy on the run in this area for a time (about another month), the purpose is to tire them out completely, reduce their food supplies drastically, and then look for an opportunity to destroy them. There is no need for our main force to hurry north to attack Yulin or south to cut off the enemy's retreat. It should be made clear to the commanders and fighters and also to the masses that this method of our army is the necessary road to the final defeat of the enemy. Unless we reduce the enemy to extreme fatigue and complete starvation, we cannot win final victory. This may be called the tactics of «wear and tear», that is, of wearing the enemy down to complete exhaustion, then wiping them out.

#4

As you are now in localities east and north of Wayaobao, it would be best to induce the enemy to move to the north of Wayaobao; then you may attack the weaker part of Liao Ang's² forces and induce the enemy to move east; afterward, you may turn toward Ansai, and induce the enemy to move west again.

#5

But within a few days, you must order the entire 359th Brigade to complete its preparations for a southward drive, so that a week from now, it can be sent southward to make a surprise attack on the area south of the Yanchang-Yan'an line and north of the Yichuan-Luochuan line and cut the enemy's food transport line.

#6

Please reply whether you consider the above views sound.