Battle of Dongshan Island
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Dongshan Island (东山岛战斗) was a battle fought between the Nationalists
and the Communists during the last days of the Chinese Civil War
over the control of the Eastern Mountain (Dongshan, 东山) Island at the southern tip of Fujian
, China
. It resulted in the Communists taking the island from the nationalists
.
Order of battle
:
After Zhangzhou-Xiamen Campaign, more than 5000 soldiers of the Nationalist
17th Army retreated to Eastern Mountain (Dongshan, 东山) Island off Fujian
. Since the Nationalists were using the island as a stepping-stone to launch raids against the mainland, the 91st Division
of the 31st Army and the 94th Division
of the 32nd Army of the People's Liberation Army
launched an assault to take the island on 11 May 1950 with the help of three artillery battalions. After 10 hours of fighting, the Nationalist retreated from the island, having suffered some 2,044 fatalities.
The Communist victory was a result of lessons learned in previous battles with the Nationalist troops for control over coastal islands, including the Battle of Kuningtou
, the Battle of Denbu Island, and the Battle of Nan'ao Island
, each of which illustrated the necessity for massing absolute numerical and technical superiority. As a result, the attackers outnumbered the defenders nearly three to one.
While a strategic loss for the Nationalists, the abandonment of the Eastern Mountain (Dongshan, 东山) Island did teach valuable lessons. Primarily it resulted in less overstretch and better handling of defence on islands closer to Taiwan proper. The Nationalists
also learned from the mistakes used in their defence and battle, as shown three years later during the Dongshan Island Campaign
, when they attacked and seized islands they'd previously abandoned.
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
and the Communists during the last days of the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
over the control of the Eastern Mountain (Dongshan, 东山) Island at the southern tip of Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. It resulted in the Communists taking the island from the nationalists
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
.
Order of battle
Order of battle
In modern use, the order of battle is the identification, command structure, strength, and disposition of personnel, equipment, and units of an armed force participating in field operations. Various abbreviations are in use, including OOB, O/B, or OB, while ORBAT remains the most common in the...
:
- Defenders: nationalistKuomintangThe Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
order of battleOrder of battleIn modern use, the order of battle is the identification, command structure, strength, and disposition of personnel, equipment, and units of an armed force participating in field operations. Various abbreviations are in use, including OOB, O/B, or OB, while ORBAT remains the most common in the...
:- The 17th Army
- Attackers: communist order of battleOrder of battleIn modern use, the order of battle is the identification, command structure, strength, and disposition of personnel, equipment, and units of an armed force participating in field operations. Various abbreviations are in use, including OOB, O/B, or OB, while ORBAT remains the most common in the...
:- The 91st DivisionDivision (military)A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the 31st Army - The 94th DivisionDivision (military)A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the 32nd Army
- The 91st Division
After Zhangzhou-Xiamen Campaign, more than 5000 soldiers of the Nationalist
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
17th Army retreated to Eastern Mountain (Dongshan, 东山) Island off Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
. Since the Nationalists were using the island as a stepping-stone to launch raids against the mainland, the 91st Division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the 31st Army and the 94th Division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the 32nd Army of the People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
launched an assault to take the island on 11 May 1950 with the help of three artillery battalions. After 10 hours of fighting, the Nationalist retreated from the island, having suffered some 2,044 fatalities.
The Communist victory was a result of lessons learned in previous battles with the Nationalist troops for control over coastal islands, including the Battle of Kuningtou
Battle of Kuningtou
The Battle of Guningtou , also known as the Battle of Jinmen , was a battle fought over Kinmen in the Taiwan Strait during the Chinese Civil War in 1949...
, the Battle of Denbu Island, and the Battle of Nan'ao Island
Battle of Nan'ao Island
The Battle of Nan’ao island was a battle fought between the nationalists and the communists during the Chinese Civil War and communists emerged as the victors. Nan’ao island of Shantou remained in the nationalist hands after Guangdong fell into communist hands...
, each of which illustrated the necessity for massing absolute numerical and technical superiority. As a result, the attackers outnumbered the defenders nearly three to one.
While a strategic loss for the Nationalists, the abandonment of the Eastern Mountain (Dongshan, 东山) Island did teach valuable lessons. Primarily it resulted in less overstretch and better handling of defence on islands closer to Taiwan proper. The Nationalists
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
also learned from the mistakes used in their defence and battle, as shown three years later during the Dongshan Island Campaign
Dongshan Island Campaign
Dongshan Island Campaign was a series battles fought on the Eastern Mountain Island, Fujian between the nationalists and the communists during the Chinese Civil War when the nationalists unsuccessfully attempted to retake the island from the Communists...
, when they attacked and seized islands they'd previously abandoned.
See also
- List of Battles of the Chinese Civil War
- National Revolutionary ArmyNational Revolutionary ArmyThe National Revolutionary Army , pre-1928 sometimes shortened to 革命軍 or Revolutionary Army and between 1928-1947 as 國軍 or National Army was the Military Arm of the Kuomintang from 1925 until 1947, as well as the national army of the Republic of China during the KMT's period of party rule...
- History of the People's Liberation ArmyHistory of the People's Liberation ArmyThe history of the People's Liberation Army began in 1927 with the start of the Chinese Civil War and spans to the present, having developed from a peasant guerrilla force into the largest armed force in the world.-Historical background:...
- Chinese Civil WarChinese Civil WarThe Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...