Official Version 1.0
The collapse of Chiang Kai-shek’s military power
November 6, 1948 – January 10, 1949
Historical background.
In the fall of 1948, three years into the Liberation War, the KMT had lost the initiative in almost all the battlefields and was facing an intense PLA offensive. in late October, the KMT was forced to abandon the defense of the Henan region and concentrate its forces between Xuzhou and Bengbu, constituting one of the most powerful groups of the KMT in the Central Plains –the Xuzhou Bandit-Suppression HQ.
On November 2, the Battle of Liaoshen ended with the destruction of all 36 divisions under the KMT’s Northeast Bandit-Suppression HQ., the liberation of the entire Northeast, and Lin Biao’s million-man army marching south. on November 3, the KMT Ministry of Defense finally made a decision: the Xuzhou Group abandoned Xuzhou and retreated to the Huai River. However, only two days later, on November 5, Chiang Kai-shek once again changed his determination and asked the Xuzhou troops to gather on both sides of the Jinpu Railway to start a decisive battle with the PLA.
What Chiang did not know was that the Central Military Commission had already issued a telegram on October 30 for the East China Field Army(ECFA) and the Central Plains Field Army(CPFA) to jointly launch an attack. on November 4, the East China Field Army issued the “Huaihai Campaign Attack Order”. The 65 divisions of the PLA, which belonged to the ECFA and the CPFA, were approaching Xuzhou from three sides.
Historical results.
The PLA achieved a decisive victory.
The Kuomintang army lost 1 general headquarters of the suppression, 5 Corps Army ,22 Army , 56 divisions, and a pacification zone, totaling 555,099 men, accounting for about 69% of its participation in the campaign. Among them, 320,355 were captured, 171,151 were killed and wounded, 35,093 were defected, and 28,500 were revolted. The senior generals of the Kuomintang above the rank of Major General were captured 124, surrendered 22 and revolted 8.
The PLA lost 25,954 killed, 98,818 wounded, and 11,752 missing, for a total of 136,524
