Battle of Jinzhou

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Battle of Jinzhou
Part of the Chinese Civil War

People's Liberation Army launches final strike on Jinzhou
Date 7 October 1948 - 15 October 1948
Location Jinzhou and proximity
Result Fall of Jinzhou for the Nationalist Government
Combatants
National Revolutionary Army People's Liberation Army Northeast Field Army
Commanders
Fan Hanjie Lin Biao
Strength
~200,000 250,000
Casualties
20,000 deaths, 80,000 captured unknown
Chinese Civil War
Major engagements in bold
Liaoshen Campaign (Changchun - Jinzhou) - Huaihai Campaign - Pingjin Campaign - Quemoy
edit

Battle of Jinzhou (Simplified Chinese: 锦州之战; Traditional Chinese: 錦州之戰; pinyin: Jînzhou Zhīzhàn) was a battle between the People's Liberation Army and the National Revolutionary Army during the Chinese Civil War. Being one of the most decisive battle during the war in Northeast, it was literally an epitome of the Liaoshen Campaign.

Contents

[edit] Importance of Jinzhou

Being the major juncture of Shanhai Pass, Jinzhou's geographical position made it a key strategic point. The fall of Jinzhou to the opposition would allow the opposition to drive deep 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]

[edit] Outside of Jinzhou City

To strike the Jinzhou city, it was necessary for the People's Liberation Army to clear away the Nationalist positions in the outskirts of Jinzhou. Between October 8 to October 13, the Communist captured all the Nationalist stronghold outside of Jinzhou, which sets up the final assault on October 14.

[edit] Final assault

The People's Liberation Army gather up 900 cannons, and launched the final assault on Jinzhou on October 14, 1948. Entire defensive line of Jinzhou was breakthrough shortly after. The Nationalist's resistance ended the next day on October 15.

[edit] Footnotes

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