Luding Bridge - The Third Battle at Luding City

The Third Battle At Luding City

Four hours after the communist victory, nationalist reinforcements arrived from the eastern bank of the Dadu River, and together with the survivors of the defenders who were scattered by the Red Army in earlier battles, the nationalists launched their attack from the eastern suburb of Luding City around 10:00 p.m. on the night of May 29, 1935. The 4th regiment, 2nd division, 1st Chinese Red Army Corps expected a fierce battle, but instead, the battle was short-lived. The nationalists either surrendered or escaped into the surrounding mountains almost as soon as the battle began, because the 1st regiment, 1st division, 1st Chinese Red Army Corps on the eastern bank of Dadu River, led by commander Yang Dezhi (杨得志) and political commissar Li Lin (黎林) had also arrived, soon followed by the main force of the 1st division led by the Chief-of-the-General-Staff of the Chinese Red Army, Liu Bocheng, and the political commissar of the 1st corps, Nie Rongzhen. Red Army units on both banks of Dadu River had met at the Luding City as Mao had planned.