Shanghai Campaign - First Stage

First Stage

The campaign begun on May 12, 1949 when the planned assaults on the outer defense perimeters of the city had begun. Two days later, the communist IX Corps succeeded in taking regions included Flat Lake (Ping Hu, 平湖), Golden Mountain Guarrison (Jin Shan Wei, 金山卫), Fengxian, Nanhui, Qingpu, Songjiang, threatened the flank of the defenders at River Sand (Chuan Sha, 川沙). The nationalist 51st Army was forced to be redeployed from the city to strengthen the defense of White Dragon Port (Bailong Gang, 白龙港), Lin’s Family’s Pier (Linjia Matou, 林家码头) and other positions at outer defensive zones. Meanwhile, the communist X Corps succeeded in taking Taicang, Kunshan, Jiading, and Liu River (Liu He, 浏河) regions, and continued their attack on Yuepu (月浦), Yang’s Firm (Yang Hang, 杨行), Liu’s Firm (Liu Han, 刘行) regions. However, from their concrete bunkers and with the help of naval and air support, the defenders held on and when the nationalist 99th Division of the 21st Army was redeployed from the city to Yuepu (月浦), Yang’s Firm (Yang Hang, 杨行), Liu’s Firm (Liu Han, 刘行) regions for reinforcement, the defenders was able to successfully beaten back the attacking enemy.

After the setback, the enemy adjusted their tactic by adopting small formations to take one bunker at a time, and with the rapid utilization of the experienced gained in fighting against the fortified positions consisted of concrete bunkers, the speed of attack was greatly accelerated. By May 19, 1949, the communist X Corps had managed to take Yuepu (月浦) and the International Broadcasting Station, and annihilated the defenders stationed at Liu’s Firm (Liu Han, 刘行) region. Meanwhile, the communist IX Corps had managed to take Zhoupu (周浦) and River Sand (Chuan Sha, 川沙) region, and completely annihilated the nationalist 51st Army defending the White Dragon Port (Bailong Gang, 白龙港), and isolated the nationalist 12th Army at High Bridge (Go Qiao, 高桥) region, while cutting off the links between the nationalist 37 Army at Pudong with other nationalist units via land.