Second Encirclement Campaign against Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi Soviet
Encyclopedia
The Second Encirclement Campaign
against Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi Soviet
was a campaign launched by the Chinese Nationalist Government
that was intended to destroy the communist
Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi Soviet and its local Red Army. It was met with the Communists' Second Counter-Encirclement Campaign at Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi Soviet . The local Red Army successfully defended their territory in the tri-provincial border region from February 1935 to April 18, 1935.
, the Nationalist Government immediately regrouped and launched their Second Encirclement Campaign in the hope of not leaving their communist enemy enough time to rest, regroup and recover.
The Nationalists deployed the veteran unit of the First Encirclement Campaign, the 2nd Garrison Brigade, as the force to chase the enemy main force. The Nationalist 115th Brigade and Garrison Regiment stationed at Lantian
(蓝田, Bluefield), Shanyang
(山阳) and Shangxian (商县, Merchant County) were also mobilized to attack the town of Gepai (葛牌).
in the modern-day municipal region of Ankang
. While on their retreat, the Communists took the county town of Ningshan
and Foping
, completely annihilating the defending forces.
On March 8, 1935 Communist forces took Huayang town (华阳镇) of Yang County
. The Nationalist 2nd Garrison Brigade, in close pursuit, reached a point east of Huayang at the same time. Two days later, to the town's southeast, the Communists ambushed the Brigade at Shitasi (石塔寺, Stone Tower Temple); five battalions were completely annihilated, over six hundred Nationalist troops were KIA
, and over five hundred guns were captured. The nationalist commander Zhang Feisheng (张飞生) was wounded but successfully escaped with his life, but the nationalist 2nd Garrison Brigade was forced out of action as a result of the defeat.
In late March the Communist 25th Army returned to the modern municipal region of Shangluo
, camping between Lantian and Gepai towns. Although the Nationalist 3rd Garrison Brigade at Zhashui
(柞水) and ZhenAn
(镇安) county-towns could not stop their communist adversary, it did manage to follow closely. However, on April 9, 1935 the Nationalist 3rd Garrison Brigade was ambushed by the communists near Jiujianfang (九间房, Nine Houses), south of Gepai. Two regiments were completely annihilated, more than a thousand Nationalist troops were taken prisoner - including the brigade commander Zhang Hanmin (张汉民). Riding on their victory, the communists took the county town of Luonan
(雒南) on April 18.
and Shanyang (山阳)
counties, and in the towns of Wuxing (五星, Five Star), Zhenzuo (镇柞) and Yunxi (郧西). The Red regular force climbed to 3700 by May, and a 2,000 member strong guerrilla force was established as well. The base area was centered around Gepai and Caojiaping (曹家坪, Cao family plot).
Uniquely in the history of 20th century Chinese Encirclement Campaigns
, this second Government defeat did not result in any further large-scale attacks against its target. Instead, in their next encirclement campaign, nationalist took a more prudent method of setting a blockade against the commie base. The reason for the rather conservative approach was because Chiang Kai-shek
was worried about something much more serious: the potential link up of Mao Zedong
's main force and the local Red force in the commie base. As a result, majority of the nationalist force deployed in the next campaign
was concentrated in the south, acting as a blockade between Mao's force and the local Red force. The weak nationalist blockade ion the north would eventually enables the local Reds to escape in the following campaign to join their comrades in the Shaanxi
- Gansu
Soviet. The Red's temporary survival here meant that the Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi Soviet would have an important role to play in succoring the troops soon coming into Shaanxi from their various Long Marches
.
Second Encirclement Campaign
The Second Encirclement Campaign is an abbreviated name used for several different encirclement campaigns launched by the Nationalist Government with the goal of destroying the developing Chinese Red Army and its communist bases in several separate locations in China during the early stage of...
against Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi Soviet
Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi Soviet
The Hubei–Henan–Shaanxi Soviet was a communist controlled region in north-central China in the mid-1930s, a constituent part of the Chinese Soviet Republic, a self-declared sovereign state....
was a campaign launched by the Chinese Nationalist Government
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...
that was intended to destroy the communist
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...
Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi Soviet and its local Red Army. It was met with the Communists' Second Counter-Encirclement Campaign at Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi Soviet . The local Red Army successfully defended their territory in the tri-provincial border region from February 1935 to April 18, 1935.
Order of battle
- Nationalist
- 115th Brigade
- 2nd Garrison Brigade
- 3rd Garrison Brigade
- local security forces
- Communists
- 26th Army of Chinese Red Army
Background
After their defeat in the First Encirclement Campaign against Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi SovietFirst Encirclement Campaign against Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi Soviet
The First Encirclement Campaign against the Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi Soviet was a campaign launched by the Chinese Nationalist Government intended to destroy Communist Party of China's Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi Soviet and its local Red Army. It was met by the Communists' First Counter-Encirclement Campaign...
, the Nationalist Government immediately regrouped and launched their Second Encirclement Campaign in the hope of not leaving their communist enemy enough time to rest, regroup and recover.
The Nationalists deployed the veteran unit of the First Encirclement Campaign, the 2nd Garrison Brigade, as the force to chase the enemy main force. The Nationalist 115th Brigade and Garrison Regiment stationed at Lantian
Lantian County
Lantian County is a county of Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.-Transport:*China National Highway 312...
(蓝田, Bluefield), Shanyang
Shanyang County
Shanyang County is a county of Shangluo, Shaanxi, China, has an area of 3,515 square kilometers and a population of 440,000 as of 2004....
(山阳) and Shangxian (商县, Merchant County) were also mobilized to attack the town of Gepai (葛牌).
Engagement
The campaign begun in mid-February 1935 with the Nationalist attack on the town of Gepai. The 25th Red Army, no match for their Nationalist adversary which enjoyed both numerical and technical superiorities, decided to withdraw south to YunxiYunxi County
Yunxi County is a county of Hubei, China. It is under the administration of Shiyan city....
in the modern-day municipal region of Ankang
Ankang
Ankang is a city in Shaanxi province, China.- Geography :Ankang is geographically considered to be part of southern China. However, on administrative terms, as Shaanxi is officially part of Northwestern China, it is considered to be part of the Northwest....
. While on their retreat, the Communists took the county town of Ningshan
Ningshan County
Ningshan County is a county of Ankang, Shaanxi, China....
and Foping
Foping County
Foping County is a county of Hanzhong, Shaanxi, China....
, completely annihilating the defending forces.
On March 8, 1935 Communist forces took Huayang town (华阳镇) of Yang County
Yang County
Yang County is a county of Hanzhong, Shaanxi, China....
. The Nationalist 2nd Garrison Brigade, in close pursuit, reached a point east of Huayang at the same time. Two days later, to the town's southeast, the Communists ambushed the Brigade at Shitasi (石塔寺, Stone Tower Temple); five battalions were completely annihilated, over six hundred Nationalist troops were KIA
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
, and over five hundred guns were captured. The nationalist commander Zhang Feisheng (张飞生) was wounded but successfully escaped with his life, but the nationalist 2nd Garrison Brigade was forced out of action as a result of the defeat.
In late March the Communist 25th Army returned to the modern municipal region of Shangluo
Shangluo
-Administrative divisions:...
, camping between Lantian and Gepai towns. Although the Nationalist 3rd Garrison Brigade at Zhashui
Zhashui County
Zhashui County is a county of Shangluo, Shaanxi, China, has an area of 2,322 square kilometers and a population of 160,000 as of 2004....
(柞水) and ZhenAn
Zhen'an County
Zhen'an County is a county of Shangluo, Shaanxi, China, has an area of 3,487 square kilometers and a population of 283,312 as of 2004....
(镇安) county-towns could not stop their communist adversary, it did manage to follow closely. However, on April 9, 1935 the Nationalist 3rd Garrison Brigade was ambushed by the communists near Jiujianfang (九间房, Nine Houses), south of Gepai. Two regiments were completely annihilated, more than a thousand Nationalist troops were taken prisoner - including the brigade commander Zhang Hanmin (张汉民). Riding on their victory, the communists took the county town of Luonan
Luonan County
Luonan County is a county under the administration of Shangluo city, in Shaanxi, China. It has an area of 2,562 square kilometers and a population of 450,000 as of 2004....
(雒南) on April 18.
Results
With more than three fifths of their deployed force now out of action after continuous defeat, the Government army was forced to call off its Second Encirclement Campaign against the Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi Soviet. Taking advantage of their victory, the Communists further consolidated their position in Luonan (雒南)Luonan County
Luonan County is a county under the administration of Shangluo city, in Shaanxi, China. It has an area of 2,562 square kilometers and a population of 450,000 as of 2004....
and Shanyang (山阳)
Shanyang County
Shanyang County is a county of Shangluo, Shaanxi, China, has an area of 3,515 square kilometers and a population of 440,000 as of 2004....
counties, and in the towns of Wuxing (五星, Five Star), Zhenzuo (镇柞) and Yunxi (郧西). The Red regular force climbed to 3700 by May, and a 2,000 member strong guerrilla force was established as well. The base area was centered around Gepai and Caojiaping (曹家坪, Cao family plot).
Uniquely in the history of 20th century Chinese Encirclement Campaigns
Encirclement Campaigns
Encirclement Campaigns is a term used to describe several different campaigns launched by forces of the Chinese Nationalist Government against forces of the Communist Party of China during the Chinese Civil War. The campaigns were launched between the late 1920s to the mid-1930s with the goal of...
, this second Government defeat did not result in any further large-scale attacks against its target. Instead, in their next encirclement campaign, nationalist took a more prudent method of setting a blockade against the commie base. The reason for the rather conservative approach was because Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
was worried about something much more serious: the potential link up of Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
's main force and the local Red force in the commie base. As a result, majority of the nationalist force deployed in the next campaign
Encirclement Campaigns
Encirclement Campaigns is a term used to describe several different campaigns launched by forces of the Chinese Nationalist Government against forces of the Communist Party of China during the Chinese Civil War. The campaigns were launched between the late 1920s to the mid-1930s with the goal of...
was concentrated in the south, acting as a blockade between Mao's force and the local Red force. The weak nationalist blockade ion the north would eventually enables the local Reds to escape in the following campaign to join their comrades in the Shaanxi
Shaanxi
' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...
- Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
Soviet. The Red's temporary survival here meant that the Hubei-Henan-Shaanxi Soviet would have an important role to play in succoring the troops soon coming into Shaanxi from their various Long Marches
Long March (disambiguation)
The Long March may refer to:* Long March, a massive military retreat undertaken in 1934 by the Red Armies of the Communist Party of China** the route on that retreat taken by the First Front Red Army with the CPC central leadership...
.
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...