First Stage
The offensive started on December 15, 1947 when communist 2nd column suddenly surrounded Faku (法库), while at the same time, the communist 4th column approached Shenyang. In the meantime, the communist 1st column, 3rd column, 6th column, and 7th column penetrated into the regions surrounding Tieling, Xinmin, Shenyang and Faku (法库), while the 10th column approached Kaiyuan.
On December 18, 1947, the 22nd division of the nationalist Newly Organized 6th Army was sent out from Tieling to reinforce Faku (法库), but was ambushed by the communist 2nd and 7th columns on the way, losing an entire regiment, after which the nationalist reinforcement retreated back to Tieling. Another regiment of the nationalist 59th division was also lost to the same communist units to the south of Faku (法库), and as a result, the nationalists temporarily suspended all rescue attempts to relieve Faku (法库). To counter the communist threat to Shenyang, Chen Cheng strengthened defense of Tieling, Xinmin, Shenyang regions by redeploying the 50th division and the 53rd division from Changchun, the 81st division and the 91st division from Siping (city), the 195th division from southern Liaoning, the 43rd division and 54th division from Jinzhou. Chen Cheng’s redeployment of his troops left many areas vulnerable, and taking this advantage, the communist 2nd column and the 7th column took Zhangwu after annihilating the 79th division of the 49th Army of the nationalist defenders of city on December 28, 1947. The next day, the nationalist 207th division deployed to the northwest of Shenyang was badly mauled by the communist 6th column. Fearing the nationalist formations would be decimated once left their strongholds, Chen Cheng ordered his troops to assume defensive positions behind city walls instead of going out to engage the enemy.
In order to lure the nationalists out of their strongholds, the communist 1st column penetrated into central Liaoning region, while the 4th column penetrated into the regions between Shenyang and Liaoyang, and the 8th column along with the 9th column attacked the isolated nationalist outposts. Smaller cities like Beipiao、Black Mountain (Heishan, 黑山), Tai’an(台安) and Greater Tiger Mountain (Dahushan 大虎山) fell into communist hands.
Read more about this topic: Winter Offensive Of 1947 In Northeast China
Famous quotes containing the word stage:
“The stage is about to be swept of corpses.
You have no more chance than an infusorian
Lodged in a hollow molar of an eohippus.”
—Allen Tate (1899–1979)
“Self-pity in its early stage is as snug as a feather mattress. Only when it hardens does it become uncomfortable.”
—Maya Angelou (b. 1928)