Campaign To Defend Siping - Third Stage

Third Stage

On May 15, Du Yuming gave the order to launch a general assault on the Siping and declared to his men that the city must be taken this time. The nationalist assault came in three fronts: the 88th Division and the New 6th Army of the nationalist right front would attack the enemy’s left flank, targeting cities including Gongzhuling, Meihekou, Changchun and Qitamu (其塔木). The New 1st Army on the nationalist central front would directly attack city and then would take Shuangcheng and Dehui after taking Siping, and continue its push to the regions north of Songhua River. Two divisions of the 71st Army on the nationalist left front would attack enemy’s right flank, targeting Zheng Family’s Village (Zheng Jia Tun, 郑家屯) and Shuangcheng. On May 15, 1946, with 10 times numerical superiority and additional technical superiority, the nationalist 50th Division at the left flank of the nationalist central front launched its fierce attacks under air cover and air support on the peak # 258 held by the enemy, located to the east of Siping and south of Hafu (哈福). After severe casualties, the enemy was forced to give up peak # 258.

On May 17, Du Yuming ordered the nationalist 195th Division in reserve into action and soon took Hafu (哈福), and surrounded the most critical point of defense of the city, the highest point in the east, a hill called Pagoda Mountain (Ta Zi Shan, 塔子山) located 10 km to the southeast of the city. Excited about the progress, Du reported to Chiang Kai-shek that Siping would be taken soon. Chiang, on the other hands, was not so sure and worried that the nationalist offensive would once more suffer a setback, sent the nationalist Deputy Chief of the General Staff Bai Chongxi to Northeast China to investigate. The night Bai reached Shenyang, Bai told Du Yuming that Chiang had felt the battle to take Siping took too long, and he could not wait any longer. As long as Siping was taken, the nationalists would have a better position on the peace negotiation table than their communist enemy and taking Changchun would be after taking Siping.

Both sides were well aware the importance of the hill and nationalists launched multiple assaults on the hill, and all were beaten back by the communist 19th Regiment of the 7th Brigade of the Western Manchurian 3rd Division defending the hill. The nationalists then concentrate all available firepower to bombard the enemy position with an area around a hundred square metres at the hilltop at a rate of more than 30 rounds per minute, and the under the cover of intense artillery shelling, the nationalist New 6th Army under its commander Liao Yaoxiang (廖耀湘) attacked the hill from three sides in the east, the south, and the west. After beating back nationalist attacks for six times, it was obvious reinforcement was needed. The communist 10th Brigade was order to reinforce Pagoda Mountain (Ta Zi Shan, 塔子山) but they were delayed when crossing the Liao River, and this was the most important reason caused the eventual abandonment of city.

It was obvious that it would be only a matter of time before the communist stronghold at Pagoda Mountain (Ta Zi Shan, 塔子山) to be taken by the attacking nationalists, and with neither the technical nor the numerical superiority, Lin Biao felt it was much more important to preserve the communist strength for the future and he radioed Mao Zedong on May 18, to report the situation and intention to abandon the city. After sending the message, Lin Biao ordered a general withdraw without waiting for the Mao’s reply, and by midnight, the general withdraw in an orderly fashion was completed in total secrecy. Next morning, the nationalists entered and secured the city, and only after that did Mao’s reply came on May 19, in which Mao finally changed his mind and agreed with Lin Biao. Had Lin Biao waited, his entire force in the city would be annihilated.