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德怀、克诚同志：
睡不着觉，想了一下。打金门停止若干天似较适宜。目前不打，看一看形势。彼方换防不打，不换防也不打。等彼方无理进攻，再行反攻。中东解决，要有时间，我们是有时间的，何必急呢？暂时不打，总有打之一日。彼方如攻漳、汕、福州、杭州，那就最妙了。这个主意，你看如何？找几个同志议一议如何？政治挂帅，反复推搞〈敲〉，极为有益。一鼓作气，往往想得不周，我就往往如此，有时难免失算。你意如何？如彼来攻，等几天，考虑明白，再作攻击。以上种种，是不是算得运筹帷幄之中，制敌千里之外，我战则克，较有把握呢？不打无把握之仗这个原则，必须坚持。如你同意，将此信电告叶飞，过细考虑一下，以其意见见告。
晨安！
毛泽东
七月廿七日上午十时
[...]
Comrades [Peng] Dehuai and [Huang] Kecheng:
[I] could not sleep [last night], but thought about it again. It seems more appropriate to hold our [plans] to attack Kinmen [Quemoy; Jinmen] for several days. While holding our operations, [we will] observe the situational development there. We will not attack whether or not the other side relieves a garrison. Until they launch a provocative attack, [we will] then respond with a counterattack. The solution of the problem in the Middle East takes time. Since we have time, why should we be in a big hurry? We will hold our attack plans now, but one day we will put it into implementation. If the other side invades Zhang[zhou], Shan[tou], Fuzhou, and Hangzhou, a best scenario [for us to take action] would emerge. How do you think about this idea? Could you have a discussion about this with other comrades? It is extremely beneficial [for our decision-making] with politics in command and going through repeated deliberations. To make a plan too quickly usually results in an unthoughtful consideration. I did such things quite often and sometimes had unavoidable miscalculations. What is your opinion? Even if the other side attacks us, [we still] can wait for a couple of days for a clear calculation, and then start our counterattack. Can all of the above points be accounted as working out splendid plans here to defeat the enemy in battles a thousand miles away, and having some certainty of success that we will be ever-victorious? We must persist in the principle of fighting no battle we are not sure of winning. If you agree [with the above points], telegraph this letter to Ye Fei and ask him to think about it very carefully. Let me know his opinion.
Have a peaceful morning!
Mao Zedong
10:00 a.m., 27 July [1958]
[...]
Mao Zedong decides to delay the planned bombardment of the nationalist-controlled Kinmen Island in the Taiwan Strait.
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