The Rise and Fall of Chiang Kai-shek's Five Major Forces

Author: Zhang Jun, Song Kai / Country:
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: The Nationalist Army had five main forces, which were its main capital for daring to launch the civil war. (Chiang Kai-shek) deployed these five main forces to the two battlefields he considered crucial. In the Northeast, they were Sun Liren's New 1st Army and Liao Yaoxiang's New 6th Army. In the East China Theater, they were Du Yuming's New 5th Army, Hu Lian's 11th Division, and Zhang Lingfu's 74th Division. Among the five main forces, the 74th Division was widely recognized as the elite of the elite. The Huazhong Field Army fought the 74th Division to a standstill. Zhang Lingfu considered the 57th Brigade's "humiliation" when it managed to gain some advantages the previous day as a "disgrace." The 57th Brigade repeated the tactic the next day, using mountain guns and light and heavy machine guns to suppress the long-barreled, short-barreled weapons of the 6th Division from across the river, while infantry with flame throwers launched a fierce assault on the beachhead of the Yu River. The 6th Division had no choice but to retreat from the (position), withdrawing to Hanzhuang, 8 miles outside Lianshui City, to hide and wait for an opportunity to strike again. The 57th Brigade thus stumbled its way to the gates of Lianshui City. At this point, apart from the 58th Brigade, which was blocked by the 9th Corps of the Huazhong Field Army in Daizhen Town, the 51st Brigade and the 192nd Brigade of the 28th Division also gathered at the gates of Lianshui City. The 2nd Division of the New Fourth Army's 5th Brigade and the 10th Corps had no choice but to divide their forces to guard the various city gates of Lianshui. After a fierce battle, they drove back the 57th Brigade of the New Fourth Army's 6th Division, which was at its peak of morale and confidence. They broke through a gap in the West Gate wall with one burst of energy and surged into the city like a tide, while the soldiers of the 2nd Division's 5th Brigade retreated like a tide, retreating, retreating. Lianshui City was in extreme danger!
Turns of events often lie in some randomness. To the west of the city, there was a majestic and ancient seven-story brick tower that overlooked the entire city, wide and sturdy. Long before the battle, the 5th Brigade had set up three heavy machine guns on the first, third, and fifth floors of the tower, with a firing range that covered the entire city. The officers and soldiers of the 57th Brigade, who were in the midst of their assault, probably did not expect to encounter such a barrier on their path forward. A burst of gunfire came, and over 200 frontline troops were either killed or injured, falling to the ground. At this moment, Chen Xuyun also entered the city. The danger he faced in this place, where he could neither call for help from heaven nor earth, was clearer than anyone else's. And the longer they delayed, the greater the danger. Therefore, he formed a "death squad" from the non-commissioned officers and veteran soldiers, launching wave after wave of assaults. But apart from heavy casualties, the brick tower still maintained its (firepower). Later, he had six cannons brought from outside the city and rained down a frenzied barrage on the ancient tower. "It took four hours to fire 800 shells, and the tower was hit from all sides, but it still stood tall. The brave soldiers on the tower continued to fiercely (hit) the enemy," as recorded in The Great March of Chen and Su's Army 45 years later.
At this moment, a tragic news also reached the defenders: the commander of the 10th Corps, Xie Xiangjun, was hit by enemy artillery and died heroically! Xie Xiangjun was from Dawu, Hubei, a senior commander who had risen from a porter. The slogan "Avenge Commander Xie" echoed through the ancient city of Lianshui! Taking advantage of the setback in the 57th Brigade's offensive, the 5th Brigade of the New Fourth Army quickly regrouped its forces and immediately launched a counterattack. The 10th Corps advanced separately, and the 6th Division, which had been hidden in Hanzhuang, also reorganized and charged back. The 57th Brigade, which had entered the city, saw itself about to be encircled like a dumpling and immediately fled in disarray. In this battle, the 57th Brigade and the 192nd Brigade suffered over 7,000 casualties, while the Huazhong Field Army lost 6,963 people, including the commander of the 10th Corps, Xie Xiangjun. The two sides fought to a near stalemate, but the Huazhong Field Army managed to hold Lianshui and gained the strategic upper hand. Since the start of the civil war, the 74th Division had only encountered such a tough opponent twice. Although they had only suffered 2,000 casualties among the 7,000+ Huazhong Field Army soldiers they defeated, they still considered this defeat a major "setback" and a "disgrace." They gritted their teeth, waiting for an opportunity to retaliate. P86-87