Soviet Military Order from Operations Chief, Section Chief Lieutenant General Filyashev/Filyashkii to Commander of East-Asian Operational Section General Lieutenant Managarov

MVC No. 5462, Moscow, General Lieut., Chief of Foreign Operations Section, July 6, 1948

TO:  Chief of East-Asian Operational Section, General Lieut. Managarov.

 Section Chief left on duty for a trip abroad last week and will return to Moscow in August.  After his return you should come here to report personally on the work entrusted to your service during the past six weeks.  As to the time of your coming to Moscow, you will be informed by telegram.

All the supplementary equipment you requested for the need of the Chinese PLA will be sent quickly to Major General Pokrovin in the next week.  Heavy tanks will sent first while mortars will be dispatched after munitions.

You should immediately direct the attention of the Chief of Staff of the PLA [to the fact] that their right flank protrudes too much in front and that is why they cannot have victory very easily.  The Minister of the Armed Forces of the USSR, therefore, has urgently communicated this message to Lieut. General Fedenko and we hope that the Chief of Staffs will adopt decisions to arrest the right flank so as to smooth out the left.  Tempting plans to surround the opponent from the right flank, so as to turn it sharply to the left, [are] too dangerous as an opponent threatened in the flank movement may make use of the troop dislocation to counter-attack during the movement.

In general, the Chief of Staffs should act methodically and not be enthusiastic about overly aggressive operations.  Now that victory is already near, it would be a crime to give the opponent the least possibility of having any success or to gain initiatives in any front.

Our Chief of Staffs is dissatisfied with the lack of coordination in operation between the commanding chiefs and the army.  In this regard, Lieut. General Fedenko has already received a series of instructions and I think he will adopt necessary measures to remove the above-mentioned defects.

Now, after the arrival of Lieut. General Fedenko at the HQ of the Chief of Staffs of the Liberation Army, you will be responsible for the problem of supply and leave the purely operational part to him.  Your staff is now too far away from the front.  In your post, you are irreplaceable and the Ministry, therefore, does not want to burden you with too much work.

Be particularly energetic to have contact with the organs of the PLA on questions of provisions and try to avoid repeating the mistakes of last year.  Adopt every resolute measure so that in the coming winter the army will not suffer shortages.  We can provide bread, canned meat and fish, sugar and butter.  Petrol is already on the way and will arrive at the appointed place in a few days.  Henceforth, all your actions should have only one objective:  to assist in liquidating the enemy at whatever price. This liquidation is absolutely necessary to us for establishing our position in the Far East.  A grave political situation in Europe threatens us with a war against the United States of America and her allies and therefore we should be prepared everywhere. Dazzled by their hatred of the Communists, the Kuomintang cannot see the precipice into which they are falling and since the matter concerns the safety of our Siberian border, we have no choice.  We want a China friendly to the Soviet Union, not one which politically and economically is enslaved by international capitalists and is hostile to us.

Your bills of account will be sent tomorrow to the Controller Section of the Ministry and the next courier will bring you the conclusion of their study.

With comradely greetings,

Operations Chief, Section Chief Lieut. General. (Signature--Filyashev/Filyashkii)