Peng's notable subordinates in the Northwest Field Army included Zhang Zongxun and Wang Zhen.
By April, Mao agreed that Peng's objective was to "keep the enemy on the run... tire him out completely, reduce his food supplies, and then look for an opportunity to destroy him.
[6] On February 1, 1949, the joint defense military area command covering the Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Shanxi and Suiyuan provinces was renamed the Northwest Military Area Command and the Northwest Field Army was renamed the First Field Army of the PLA.
[7] The forces in Northwest China were designated the First Field Army, with Peng Dehuai as commander and also serving as political commissar.
Swaine goes on to say that '..The few remaining First FA combat units were transferred out of the region, to areas such as Central China or Tibet.