Battle of Rugao-Huangqiao
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Rugao
-Huangqiao (Ru Huang Zhangdou, 如黄战斗) was a battle fought between the communists
and the nationalists
during the Chinese Civil War
in the post World War II
era and resulted in communist victory. The battle was a one seven major battles in Central Jiangsu Campaign.
Order of battle
After battles fought at Dingyan (丁堰) and Linxin (林梓) in Central Jiangsu Campaign, the communists had severed the Rugao
– Nantong
Highway, and the nationalist 187th Brigade defending Rugao
was isolated. To avert the situation, the nationalist 99th Brigade of the Reorganized 69th Division was ordered to be deployed from the Yellow Bridge (Huangqiao, 黄桥) Town to reinforce Rugao
. Meanwhile, the nationalist Reorganized 25th Division deployed at Yangzhou
and Jiangdu (江都) was ordered to attack Shaobo (邵伯) in the north. The communist, in response, ordered their 1st Division, 6th Division, 5th Brigade and the Specialized Regiment to attack Taizhou, Jiangsu
from Dingyan (丁堰) and Linxin (林梓) regions, in the hope of luring the nationalist Reorganized 25th Division to abandon its attack on Shaobo (邵伯) and reinforce Taizhou, Jiangsu
, so that it could be ambushed on its way. Although the communist plan succeeded in forcing the nationalists to abandon their attack on Shaobo (邵伯), the planned ambush of the nationalist Reorganized 25th Division failed to materialize. Instead, the nationalist 99th Brigade of the Reorganized 69th Division became the unfortunate victim.
In the morning of August 25, 1946, the nationalist 99th Brigade of the Reorganized 69th Division begun its march toward Rugao
from Yellow Bridge (Huangqiao, 黄桥) Town, with nationalist 187th Brigade and a regiment of the nationalist 79th Brigade coming out of Rugao
to meet their comrades-in-arms. By the noon, the nationalist 99th Brigade of the Reorganized 69th Division met the communist main force on the road from Yellow Bridge (Huangqiao, 黄桥) Town to Rugao
. The communist 1st Division and 6th Division immediately launched their assault on the nationalists, successfully besieging the enemy in isolated pockets in the regions of Fenjie (分界) and Jiali (加力). The communists decided to concentrate their forces 4 to 5 times than that of their enemy to annihilate the weakest enemy first, and then the stronger one.
On August 26, 1946, the nationalist 99th Brigade of the Reorganized 69th Division at Fenjie (分界) region was first to be completely annihilated, and on the next day, the nationalist 187th Brigade and a regiment of the nationalist 79th Brigade at Jiali (加力) region was also annihilated completely. The victorious communists then launched their assault on Yellow Bridge (Huangqiao, 黄桥) Town, and remaining 5 companies of the nationalist 160th Brigade simply could not challenge the overwhelmingly superior enemy force, and gave up the town and surrendered. With the fall of Yellow Bridge (Huangqiao, 黄桥) Town, the nationalists was forced to cease their offensive to regroup for the next stage of the campaign and the battle ended.
Rugao
Rugao is a city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China, located in the Golden Triangle region in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It is one of the historical and cultural city of Jiangsu province....
-Huangqiao (Ru Huang Zhangdou, 如黄战斗) was a battle fought between 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...
and 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...
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
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
era and resulted in communist victory. The battle was a one seven major battles in Central Jiangsu Campaign.
Order of battle
- Nationalists
- A regiment of the 79th Brigade
- 99th Brigade of the Reorganized 69th Division
- The 160th Brigade
- The 187th Brigade
- The Reorganized 25th Division
- Communists
- The 1st Division
- The 6th Division
- The 5th Brigade
- The Specialized Regiment
After battles fought at Dingyan (丁堰) and Linxin (林梓) in Central Jiangsu Campaign, the communists had severed the Rugao
Rugao
Rugao is a city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China, located in the Golden Triangle region in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It is one of the historical and cultural city of Jiangsu province....
– Nantong
Nantong
Nantong is a prefecture-level city in Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. Located on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, near the river mouth, Nantong is a vital river port bordering Yancheng to the north, Taizhou to the west, Suzhou and Shanghai to the south across the river, and...
Highway, and the nationalist 187th Brigade defending Rugao
Rugao
Rugao is a city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China, located in the Golden Triangle region in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It is one of the historical and cultural city of Jiangsu province....
was isolated. To avert the situation, the nationalist 99th Brigade of the Reorganized 69th Division was ordered to be deployed from the Yellow Bridge (Huangqiao, 黄桥) Town to reinforce Rugao
Rugao
Rugao is a city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China, located in the Golden Triangle region in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It is one of the historical and cultural city of Jiangsu province....
. Meanwhile, the nationalist Reorganized 25th Division deployed at Yangzhou
Yangzhou
Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it borders the provincial capital of Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou to the east, and Zhenjiang across...
and Jiangdu (江都) was ordered to attack Shaobo (邵伯) in the north. The communist, in response, ordered their 1st Division, 6th Division, 5th Brigade and the Specialized Regiment to attack Taizhou, Jiangsu
Taizhou, Jiangsu
Taizhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu province of eastern China. Situated on the north bank of the Yangtze River, it borders Nantong to the east, Yancheng to the north and Yangzhou to the west....
from Dingyan (丁堰) and Linxin (林梓) regions, in the hope of luring the nationalist Reorganized 25th Division to abandon its attack on Shaobo (邵伯) and reinforce Taizhou, Jiangsu
Taizhou, Jiangsu
Taizhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu province of eastern China. Situated on the north bank of the Yangtze River, it borders Nantong to the east, Yancheng to the north and Yangzhou to the west....
, so that it could be ambushed on its way. Although the communist plan succeeded in forcing the nationalists to abandon their attack on Shaobo (邵伯), the planned ambush of the nationalist Reorganized 25th Division failed to materialize. Instead, the nationalist 99th Brigade of the Reorganized 69th Division became the unfortunate victim.
In the morning of August 25, 1946, the nationalist 99th Brigade of the Reorganized 69th Division begun its march toward Rugao
Rugao
Rugao is a city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China, located in the Golden Triangle region in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It is one of the historical and cultural city of Jiangsu province....
from Yellow Bridge (Huangqiao, 黄桥) Town, with nationalist 187th Brigade and a regiment of the nationalist 79th Brigade coming out of Rugao
Rugao
Rugao is a city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China, located in the Golden Triangle region in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It is one of the historical and cultural city of Jiangsu province....
to meet their comrades-in-arms. By the noon, the nationalist 99th Brigade of the Reorganized 69th Division met the communist main force on the road from Yellow Bridge (Huangqiao, 黄桥) Town to Rugao
Rugao
Rugao is a city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China, located in the Golden Triangle region in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It is one of the historical and cultural city of Jiangsu province....
. The communist 1st Division and 6th Division immediately launched their assault on the nationalists, successfully besieging the enemy in isolated pockets in the regions of Fenjie (分界) and Jiali (加力). The communists decided to concentrate their forces 4 to 5 times than that of their enemy to annihilate the weakest enemy first, and then the stronger one.
On August 26, 1946, the nationalist 99th Brigade of the Reorganized 69th Division at Fenjie (分界) region was first to be completely annihilated, and on the next day, the nationalist 187th Brigade and a regiment of the nationalist 79th Brigade at Jiali (加力) region was also annihilated completely. The victorious communists then launched their assault on Yellow Bridge (Huangqiao, 黄桥) Town, and remaining 5 companies of the nationalist 160th Brigade simply could not challenge the overwhelmingly superior enemy force, and gave up the town and surrendered. With the fall of Yellow Bridge (Huangqiao, 黄桥) Town, the nationalists was forced to cease their offensive to regroup for the next stage of the campaign and the battle ended.
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...