Gongzhutun Campaign
Encyclopedia
Gongzhutun Campaign was a series of battles fought in the regions of Gongzhutun (公主屯, Princess Village) in Northeast China
between the nationalists
and the communists
during the Chinese Civil War
in the post-World War II era and resulted in communist victory. The campaign was part of the Winter Offensive of 1947 in Northeast China
.
After witnessed the separate enemy offensives at regions including Northern Ticket (Beipiao, 北票), Black Mountain (Heshan, 黑山), Greater Tiger Mountain, (大虎山), Tai’an (台安) in late December, 1947, and learning that the communist 1st column and the 2nd column remained at Zhangwu in the second stage of the Winter Offensive of 1947 in Northeast China
, Chen Cheng
believed that the communist force was no longer concentrated together and thus he had an opportunity to launch a counterattack. The five nationalist
armies deployed at Shenyang
, Xinmin
and Tieling
were ordered to attack westward from Shenyang
, hoping to relieve Faku (法库) by destroying the communist 1st column, 6th column, and the 10th column. The nationalist
push begun on January 1, 1948 in three fronts:
Learning the news of the nationalists
sending out reinforcement, and the 195th Division of the nationalist Newly Organized 5th Army was moving toward the Princess Village (Gongzhutun, 公主屯) region on January 2, 1948, the communists planned to concentrate a total of 7 columns to destroy the weakest nationalist
southern front:
Not willing to risk losing any territory, Chen Cheng
divided his force into half: have of the force would relieve the besieged southern front, while the remaining half would continue the push to Faku (法库). The communist resistance was much greater than nationalists
had expected, resulting in neither half had the enough strength needed to complete their missions. On January 2, 1948, the nationalist Newly Organized 5th Army was stopped at the Princess Village (Gongzhutun, 公主屯) by the communist 6th Column, and on the same day, communist 2nd Column, 3rd Column and 7th Column had also reached and encircled the nationalist army in at the Princess Village and surrounding regions including Yellow Family's Ridge, (Huangjialing, 黄家岭), Xin Family's Hotel, (Xinjiadian, 辛家店), Anfu Village (Anfutun, 安福屯), and Chuanxin Hotel (Chuanxindian, 川心店).
In the afternoon on January 5, 1948, the communist trap was completed and a full scale assault on the besieged enemy was launched. The communist 3rd Column attacked from east and south, the communist 7th Column attacked from west and southwest, the communist 6th Column and 2nd Column attacked from north and northwest. After fierce battle, most of nationalist positions outside the Princess Village (Gongzhutun, 公主屯) had lost, and by dawn of January 6, 1948, the survivors only held a 10 square kilometer region centered at Princess Village (Gongzhutun, 公主屯). On January 5, 1948 the nationalist forces on the other two fronts attempted to reinforce their comrades-in-arms by their advances were checked by the communist 10th Column and 1st Column respectively at Liao River
20 km away.
In the morning of January 6, 1948, the relentless assaults on the surviving nationalists at Princess Village (Gongzhutun, 公主屯) resumed under intense artillery shelling. The 7th Division of the communist 3rd Column concentrated over 50 artilleries to bombard Anfu Village (Anfutun, 安福屯), and annihilated the nationalist defenders from the 195th Division of the Newly Organized 5th Army. Immediately afterward, the communist 2nd Column and 7th Column besieged the 585th Regiment of the 195th Division of the nationalist Newly Organized 5th Army at Taoist Priest Wang's Village (Wangjiatun, 王道士屯), and after numerous futile attempts to counterattack, the nationalist 585 Regiment was forced to surrender. The 584th Regiment and other units of the 195th Division of the nationalist Newly Organized 5th Army lost the willing to continue to wait for the reinforcement and attempted to break northeastward to the region of Rear Wen Family's Platform (Houwenjiatai, 后文家台), but they were completely annihilated in the knee-deep snow by the communist 2nd Column and 6th Column when they were bogged down.
In the morning of January 7, 1948, the 5th Division of the communist 2nd Column and the 9th Division of the communist 3rd Column jointly launched the assault on the army headquarter of the nationalist Newly Reorganized 5th Army, and the divisional headquarter of the 43rd Division of the nationalist Newly Reorganized 5th Army, and another nationalist regiment at the region of Frontal Wen Family's Platform (Qianwenjiatai, 前文家台). Under the cover of intense artillery bombardment, the battle was over within an hour and the nationalist survivors were completely annihilated. In the evening of January 7, 1948, the communist 6th Column and two divisions of the communist 2nd Column jointly launched the assault on the two regiments of the 43rd Division of the nationalist Newly Reorganized 5th Army at the Yellow Family's Ridge, (Huangjialing, 黄家岭), and the nationalist
southern front was completely devastated, with the commander of the Newly Organized 5th Army
and the commanders the 43rd division
and the 195th division
captured alive by the communists. Learning the news of the defeat of the southern front, the nationalist
reinforcements to Faku (法库) and the southern front both withdrew back to Shenyang
and Tieling
, after suffering over 4,000 fatalities in their futile attempt to relief their besieged comrades-in-arms.
During this campaign, the communists had succeeded in totally annihilating the nationalist Newly Organized 5th Army numbering more than 20,000, capturing the army commander and the nationalist divisional commanders of both the 195th Division and the 43rd Division. The communists also captured 261 artillery pieces, 6,880 guns, 137 motor vehicles, and 1,409 horses and mules. Gongzhutun Campaign was a decisive campaign in the Winter Offensive of 1947 in Northeast China
in that it helped to determine the outcome of the offensive.
Northeast China
Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces...
between 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...
and the communists
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
during 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...
in the post-World War II era and resulted in communist victory. The campaign was part of the Winter Offensive of 1947 in Northeast China
Winter Offensive of 1947 in Northeast China
Winter Offensive of 1947 in Northeast China is a series of battles initiated by the communists against the nationalist during the Chinese Civil War after World War II.-Prelude:...
.
After witnessed the separate enemy offensives at regions including Northern Ticket (Beipiao, 北票), Black Mountain (Heshan, 黑山), Greater Tiger Mountain, (大虎山), Tai’an (台安) in late December, 1947, and learning that the communist 1st column and the 2nd column remained at Zhangwu in the second stage of the Winter Offensive of 1947 in Northeast China
Winter Offensive of 1947 in Northeast China
Winter Offensive of 1947 in Northeast China is a series of battles initiated by the communists against the nationalist during the Chinese Civil War after World War II.-Prelude:...
, Chen Cheng
Chen Cheng
Chen Cheng , was a Chinese political and military leader, and one of the main National Revolutionary Army commanders during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. After moving to Taiwan at the end of the Civil War, he served as the Governor of Taiwan Province, Vice President and...
believed that the communist force was no longer concentrated together and thus he had an opportunity to launch a counterattack. The five 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...
armies deployed at Shenyang
Shenyang
Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...
, Xinmin
Xinmin
Xinmin is a city in Liaoning province, People's Republic of China. It is a county-level city under the administration of Shenyang, the provincial capital.-Administrative Divisions:...
and Tieling
Tieling
Tieling is a prefecture-level city in Liaoning province of the People's Republic of China.The population is 3 million at the 2nd of 2004. Tieling is a city where coal mining is an important industry.The mayor of Tieling is Li Wenke...
were ordered to attack westward from Shenyang
Shenyang
Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...
, hoping to relieve Faku (法库) by destroying the communist 1st column, 6th column, and the 10th column. 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...
push begun on January 1, 1948 in three fronts:
- The Newly Organized 3rd ArmyArmyAn army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
and the Newly Organized 6th ArmyArmyAn army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
in the north - The Newly Organized 1st ArmyNew 1st ArmyNew 1st Army was reputed as the most elite Chinese military unit of the Kuomintang. Nicknamed the "1st [Best] Army Under the Heaven" during the Chinese Civil War, it caused the most Japanese Army casualties during the Sino-Japanese War ....
and the 71st ArmyArmyAn army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
in the middle - The Newly Organized 5th ArmyArmyAn army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
along with the 43rd 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...
and the 195th 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...
in the south.
Learning the news of 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...
sending out reinforcement, and the 195th Division of the nationalist Newly Organized 5th Army was moving toward the Princess Village (Gongzhutun, 公主屯) region on January 2, 1948, the communists planned to concentrate a total of 7 columns to destroy the weakest 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...
southern front:
- The communist 1st column, 4th column, and 10th column were deployed to the north and northwest of ShenyangShenyangShenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...
to prevent other 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...
fronts from reinforcing the southern front - The communist 6th column engaged the 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...
troops in the southern front and lured the enemy to Princess Village (Gongzhutun, 公主屯) region. - The communist 2nd column, 3rd column and the 7th column penetrated deep behind the 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...
line, surrounding the enemy.
Not willing to risk losing any territory, Chen Cheng
Chen Cheng
Chen Cheng , was a Chinese political and military leader, and one of the main National Revolutionary Army commanders during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. After moving to Taiwan at the end of the Civil War, he served as the Governor of Taiwan Province, Vice President and...
divided his force into half: have of the force would relieve the besieged southern front, while the remaining half would continue the push to Faku (法库). The communist resistance was much greater than 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...
had expected, resulting in neither half had the enough strength needed to complete their missions. On January 2, 1948, the nationalist Newly Organized 5th Army was stopped at the Princess Village (Gongzhutun, 公主屯) by the communist 6th Column, and on the same day, communist 2nd Column, 3rd Column and 7th Column had also reached and encircled the nationalist army in at the Princess Village and surrounding regions including Yellow Family's Ridge, (Huangjialing, 黄家岭), Xin Family's Hotel, (Xinjiadian, 辛家店), Anfu Village (Anfutun, 安福屯), and Chuanxin Hotel (Chuanxindian, 川心店).
In the afternoon on January 5, 1948, the communist trap was completed and a full scale assault on the besieged enemy was launched. The communist 3rd Column attacked from east and south, the communist 7th Column attacked from west and southwest, the communist 6th Column and 2nd Column attacked from north and northwest. After fierce battle, most of nationalist positions outside the Princess Village (Gongzhutun, 公主屯) had lost, and by dawn of January 6, 1948, the survivors only held a 10 square kilometer region centered at Princess Village (Gongzhutun, 公主屯). On January 5, 1948 the nationalist forces on the other two fronts attempted to reinforce their comrades-in-arms by their advances were checked by the communist 10th Column and 1st Column respectively at Liao River
Liao River
The Liao River is the principal river in northeast China . The province of Liaoning and the Liaodong Peninsula derive their names from the river....
20 km away.
In the morning of January 6, 1948, the relentless assaults on the surviving nationalists at Princess Village (Gongzhutun, 公主屯) resumed under intense artillery shelling. The 7th Division of the communist 3rd Column concentrated over 50 artilleries to bombard Anfu Village (Anfutun, 安福屯), and annihilated the nationalist defenders from the 195th Division of the Newly Organized 5th Army. Immediately afterward, the communist 2nd Column and 7th Column besieged the 585th Regiment of the 195th Division of the nationalist Newly Organized 5th Army at Taoist Priest Wang's Village (Wangjiatun, 王道士屯), and after numerous futile attempts to counterattack, the nationalist 585 Regiment was forced to surrender. The 584th Regiment and other units of the 195th Division of the nationalist Newly Organized 5th Army lost the willing to continue to wait for the reinforcement and attempted to break northeastward to the region of Rear Wen Family's Platform (Houwenjiatai, 后文家台), but they were completely annihilated in the knee-deep snow by the communist 2nd Column and 6th Column when they were bogged down.
In the morning of January 7, 1948, the 5th Division of the communist 2nd Column and the 9th Division of the communist 3rd Column jointly launched the assault on the army headquarter of the nationalist Newly Reorganized 5th Army, and the divisional headquarter of the 43rd Division of the nationalist Newly Reorganized 5th Army, and another nationalist regiment at the region of Frontal Wen Family's Platform (Qianwenjiatai, 前文家台). Under the cover of intense artillery bombardment, the battle was over within an hour and the nationalist survivors were completely annihilated. In the evening of January 7, 1948, the communist 6th Column and two divisions of the communist 2nd Column jointly launched the assault on the two regiments of the 43rd Division of the nationalist Newly Reorganized 5th Army at the Yellow Family's Ridge, (Huangjialing, 黄家岭), and 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...
southern front was completely devastated, with the commander of the Newly Organized 5th Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
and the commanders the 43rd 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...
and the 195th 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...
captured alive by the communists. Learning the news of the defeat of the southern front, 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...
reinforcements to Faku (法库) and the southern front both withdrew back to Shenyang
Shenyang
Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...
and Tieling
Tieling
Tieling is a prefecture-level city in Liaoning province of the People's Republic of China.The population is 3 million at the 2nd of 2004. Tieling is a city where coal mining is an important industry.The mayor of Tieling is Li Wenke...
, after suffering over 4,000 fatalities in their futile attempt to relief their besieged comrades-in-arms.
During this campaign, the communists had succeeded in totally annihilating the nationalist Newly Organized 5th Army numbering more than 20,000, capturing the army commander and the nationalist divisional commanders of both the 195th Division and the 43rd Division. The communists also captured 261 artillery pieces, 6,880 guns, 137 motor vehicles, and 1,409 horses and mules. Gongzhutun Campaign was a decisive campaign in the Winter Offensive of 1947 in Northeast China
Winter Offensive of 1947 in Northeast China
Winter Offensive of 1947 in Northeast China is a series of battles initiated by the communists against the nationalist during the Chinese Civil War after World War II.-Prelude:...
in that it helped to determine the outcome of the offensive.
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...