Battle of Nanpéng Island

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Date	August 9, 1950 - August 9, 1950
Location	Nanpéng Island (南鹏岛), Yangjiang
Result	Communist victory

Combatants

National Revolutionary Army

Chinese Red Army

Commanders

Strength

421

> 1,000

Casualties

421

Minor

Battle of Nanpéng Island (南鹏岛战斗) was a battle fought between the nationalists and the communists during the Chinese Civil War and resulted in the communist victory. After Guangdong fell into communist hands, a detachment of the nationalist troops held out on Nanpéng Island (南鹏岛) of Yangjiang. This remnant of the nationalist force proved to be a major headache the communists because the island is strategically located between the Pearl River mouth and the Qiongzhou Strait, controlling the shipping line that was vital to the local economy.

The communists decided to rid of the nationalist force and take the island. In the morning of August 9, 1950, the third battalion of the 364th regiment of the 41st Army of the People’s Liberation Army attacked the island. After two hours of fighting, the entire nationalist garrison of Nanpéng Island (南鹏岛) of 421 was lost and the island was firmly in the communist hands. The communist succeeded in capturing one motorized vessels, twenty junks, one artillery piece, ten machine guns, and another 194 firearms.

The nationalists did not have any chance against the overwhelming enemy because the island is located too far away from any friendly bases, and in the event of breaking out of the battle, no nationalist reinforcement could reach the island in time. The local commanders had repeatedly asked the permission to withdraw to Taiwan but their pleas were ignored due to political reasons because holding out at the enemy’s doorstep far away from any friendly bases had very significant symbolic meaning, but in doing so, the fate of the local defenders were sealed.