Battle of Jinzhou

Battle of Jinzhou
Part of the Chinese Civil War

People's Liberation Army launches final strike on Jinzhou
DateOctober 7–15, 1948
LocationJinzhou and proximity
Result Fall of Jinzhou for the Nationalist Government
Belligerents
National Revolutionary Army People's Liberation Army Northeast Field Army
Commanders and leaders
Fan Hanjie (POW) Lin Biao
Luo Ronghuan
Liu Yalou
Strength
~150,000 250,000
Casualties and losses
20,000 deaths, 80,000 captured 24,000

Battle of Jinzhou (simplified Chinese: 锦州之战; traditional Chinese: 錦州之戰; pinyin: Jînzhou Zhīzhàn) was a battle between the Communist People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the Kuomintang's National Revolutionary Army (NRA) during the Chinese Civil War. It was one of the most decisive battles during the war in Manchuria; literally an epitome of the Liaoshen Campaign.

Background

Jinzhou is where the main route from central China through Shanhai Pass enters Manchuria, and is a key strategic point. The fall of Jinzhou to the Communists would allow the Communist to drive into the North China Plain. Mao Zedong addressed the importance of capturing Jinzhou in a telegram to the Communist commanders in the Northeast, saying that the key to the success of the entire Liaoshen Campaign is "to strive to capture Jinzhou in one week." [1]

Outside the city

To attack Jinzhou, it was necessary for the PLA to clear away the Nationalist positions in the outskirts of Jinzhou. Between October 8 to October 13, the Communists captured all the Nationalist strongholds outside Jinzhou, which set up the final assault on October 14. In the meantime, in the Battle of Tashan nine PLA divisions defeated eleven NRA divisions attempting to reinforce Jinzhou.

Final assault

The PLA massed 900 artillery pieces, and launched the final assault on Jinzhou on October 14, 1948. The entire defensive line of Jinzhou was broken through soon after. Nationalist resistance ended the next day on October 15.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Mao Zedong Military Anthology, Page 480-482

See also

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