Battle of Jinan
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Jinan was a critical engagement fought between the Kuomintang
(KMT or Chinese Nationalist Party) and the Communist Party of China
(CPC) from during the
Chinese Civil War
. The communist Eastern China Field Army besieged and finally captured the city of Jinan
, the capital of Shandong
Province and a major urban center as well as a transportation hub in northeastern China with a population of about 600,000 at the time of the battle. The communist victory set the stage for the Huaihai Campaign
.
The defenders of Jinan became isolated in the summer of 1948, when the communist Eastern China Field Army commanded by Chen Yi
captured the railway line south of the city. In charge of the city's defense was general Wang Yaowu
, he commanded nine regular brigades, five security brigades, as well as special force units amounting to a total troop strength of about 100,000.
The defenses of Jinan were organized in two lines: an outer ring around the outskirts of the city and inner line following the historical city wall. The outer ring was fortified by a four-ply line of pillboxes, barbed wire, and a new dug 3-meter wide moat. The inner ring consisted of the ancient brick wall of the city that was strengthened with sand bags. The most valuable strategic assets of the city, the main airfield, the railroad station, and the commercial district, were located to the west of the historical city center and outside of the inner ring. Hence, they were protected only by the outer ring of defenses.
The communist forces encircled the city in a pincer movement carried out by an eastern and a western group. The eastern group was composed of the 9th column, the Bohai column, and one division of the Bohai military region. The western group consistent of the 3rd column, the 10th column, the Liang Guang column, four regiments of the mid-south Shandong column, and one division from the Jiluyu (Hebei-Shandong-Henan) Military Region. The 13th column served as the preparation team for the entire attack.
General Wu Huawen
was in charge of the outer ring of defenses. General Wu defected to the communist side with about 8,000 of his troops before the battle began. His defection may have been prompted by letter sent to him by close relatives who had been captured by the Communist in the summer. Most of Wu's troops had fought on the Japanese side during the Second Sino-Japanese War
and were integrated into Su Yu's forces immediately. After the outer ring of defenses was lost due to Wu's defection, communist forces launched a bloody assault on the historical city center. The historical city wall was first breached at its southeastern corner around 2am on September 24. Another breach at the southwest corner also occurred before dawn. After the city wall was breached the remaining Kuomintang garrison was quickly overrun and captured.
General Wang Yaowu tried to escape in civilian clothes but was captured in Shouguang County. Pang Jingtang , the Kuomintang party chief in Shandong as well as 23 other high-ranking Kuomintang officials were also captured.
Jinan was the first major urban center to be captured by the communists (the Siege of Changchun
had begun on May 23 already, but the city was only captured on October 19, 1948). Zhou Enlai
hence referred to the Battle of Jinan as the starting point for the "three great battles" , namely the Liaoshen Campaign
(the first stage of which had begun on September 12, 1948, i.e., a few days prior to the Battle of Jinan already), the Huaihai Campaign
, and the Pingjin Campaign
that established communist control over northern China.
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...
(KMT or Chinese Nationalist Party) and the Communist Party of China
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...
(CPC) from 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...
. The communist Eastern China Field Army besieged and finally captured the city of Jinan
Jinan
Jinan is the capital of Shandong province in Eastern China. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilisation and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub...
, the capital of Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
Province and a major urban center as well as a transportation hub in northeastern China with a population of about 600,000 at the time of the battle. The communist victory set the stage for the Huaihai Campaign
Huaihai Campaign
Huaihai Campaign or Battle of Hsupeng was a military action during 1948 and 1949 that was the determining battle of the Chinese Civil War. It was one of the few conventional battles of the war. 550,000 troops of the Republic of China were surrounded in Xuzhou and destroyed by the communist...
.
The defenders of Jinan became isolated in the summer of 1948, when the communist Eastern China Field Army commanded by Chen Yi
Chen Yi (communist)
Chen Yi was a Chinese communist military commander and politician. He served as the 2nd Mayor of Shanghai and the 2nd Foreign Minister of China.-Biography:Chen was born in Lezhi, near Chengdu, Sichuan, into a moderately wealthy magistrate's family....
captured the railway line south of the city. In charge of the city's defense was general Wang Yaowu
Wang Yaowu
Wang Yaowu was a high-ranking KMT general and the Governor of Shandong Province who successfully fought against both the Imperial Japanese Army and the Chinese Communists. In September 1948 Communist forces launched the Battle of Jinan and Wang was captured and held as a prisoner of war until his...
, he commanded nine regular brigades, five security brigades, as well as special force units amounting to a total troop strength of about 100,000.
The defenses of Jinan were organized in two lines: an outer ring around the outskirts of the city and inner line following the historical city wall. The outer ring was fortified by a four-ply line of pillboxes, barbed wire, and a new dug 3-meter wide moat. The inner ring consisted of the ancient brick wall of the city that was strengthened with sand bags. The most valuable strategic assets of the city, the main airfield, the railroad station, and the commercial district, were located to the west of the historical city center and outside of the inner ring. Hence, they were protected only by the outer ring of defenses.
The communist forces encircled the city in a pincer movement carried out by an eastern and a western group. The eastern group was composed of the 9th column, the Bohai column, and one division of the Bohai military region. The western group consistent of the 3rd column, the 10th column, the Liang Guang column, four regiments of the mid-south Shandong column, and one division from the Jiluyu (Hebei-Shandong-Henan) Military Region. The 13th column served as the preparation team for the entire attack.
General Wu Huawen
Wu Huawen
Wu Huawen was a military commander during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. During his career, he switched his allegiance several times, first from the Kuomintang to the Wang Jingwei regime, a Japanese puppet government, then back to the Kuomintang, and finally to the...
was in charge of the outer ring of defenses. General Wu defected to the communist side with about 8,000 of his troops before the battle began. His defection may have been prompted by letter sent to him by close relatives who had been captured by the Communist in the summer. Most of Wu's troops had fought on the Japanese side during the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
and were integrated into Su Yu's forces immediately. After the outer ring of defenses was lost due to Wu's defection, communist forces launched a bloody assault on the historical city center. The historical city wall was first breached at its southeastern corner around 2am on September 24. Another breach at the southwest corner also occurred before dawn. After the city wall was breached the remaining Kuomintang garrison was quickly overrun and captured.
General Wang Yaowu tried to escape in civilian clothes but was captured in Shouguang County. Pang Jingtang , the Kuomintang party chief in Shandong as well as 23 other high-ranking Kuomintang officials were also captured.
Jinan was the first major urban center to be captured by the communists (the Siege of Changchun
Siege of Changchun
The Siege of Changchun was a siege operation launched by the People's Liberation Army during the Chinese Civil War against the city of Changchun, defended by the Nationalist forces...
had begun on May 23 already, but the city was only captured on October 19, 1948). Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai was the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, serving from October 1949 until his death in January 1976...
hence referred to the Battle of Jinan as the starting point for the "three great battles" , namely the Liaoshen Campaign
Liaoshen Campaign
Liaoshen Campaign , literally the abbreviation of Liaoning-Shenyang Campaign, was part of the three major campaigns launched by the People's Liberation Army during the late stage of the Chinese Civil War. This engagement is known in the Nationalist government as the Battle of Liaoshi...
(the first stage of which had begun on September 12, 1948, i.e., a few days prior to the Battle of Jinan already), the Huaihai Campaign
Huaihai Campaign
Huaihai Campaign or Battle of Hsupeng was a military action during 1948 and 1949 that was the determining battle of the Chinese Civil War. It was one of the few conventional battles of the war. 550,000 troops of the Republic of China were surrounded in Xuzhou and destroyed by the communist...
, and the Pingjin Campaign
Pingjin Campaign
Pingjin Campaign , known as the Battle of Pingjin to the Nationalist Government, was part of the three major campaigns launched by the People's Liberation Army during the late stage of the Chinese Civil War. It began on November 29, 1948, and ended on January 31, 1949, lasted a total of 64 days...
that established communist control over northern China.