The Campaign of the North China Plain Pocket, also called the Breakout on the Central Plains () by the Chinese Communist Party, was a series of battles fought between the nationalists and the communists during the Chinese Civil War, resulting in a successful communist breakout from the nationalist encirclement. The campaign marked the beginning of the full-scale civil war fought between the communists and the nationalists in the post-World War II era.
The communist victory was largely attributed to their ability to surprise the nationalists with movements and avoid battle in locations with overwhelming Nationalist forces. In a sense, the Nationalists did not evenly distribute their forces, which created pocket holes in their encirclement. The Nationalists were also easily distracted by small Communist forces used to draw attention away from their main forces. The communist was able to locate the relatively weaker defended points of the Nationalist defense and break them. Communists also engaged in close-quarters combat in order to limit the power of the Nationalist artillery and air force, making them less effective than they could have been.
Prelude The communist base in this region was established in the middle of World War II along the border area of the Hubei, Hunan, Henan, Jiangxi, and Anhui provinces after the communists had successfully driven Japanese forces from the countryside and remote mountainous regions. After the end of World War II, the returning nationalists were determined to eliminate the communists in the region. After more than 240 offensives with a mobilized force of 300,000, they had successfully blockaded the communist base and divided it into three isolated pieces. The nationalist headquarters at Zhengzhou was tasked with the job to eliminate the enemy in the region with the help of the nationalist Wuhan headquarters.
In mid-June 1946, Chiang Kai-shek issued a secret order to the Liu Zhi (刘峙), the nationalist Commander-in-chief of Zhengzhou headquarters and Cheng Qian (程潜), and the nationalist Commander-in-chief of Wuhan Headquarters, giving the general direction of the operation by mobilizing the nationalist blockade force to launch a decisive assault on the besieged communists. Since both sides were still officially at peace, the nationalist forces under the command of Wuhan headquarters would be transferred to the command of the Zhengzhou headquarters in order to avoid the blame of the general public. At 2:00p.m. on June 20, 1946, Liu Zhi (刘峙) issued the order to every unit of the nationalist force under his command, and the general objective was to mass troops with absolute numerical and technical superiority to concentrate on the communists in the border areas of Henan and Hubei provinces, eliminating the enemy forces after separating them into smaller pockets by attacking them from southern and eastern Henan. The communist force at/near Xinyang, Jingfu (经扶), Huangchuan (潢川) regions, especially those at Xuanhua Hotel (Xuanhua Dian, 宣化店) and Pobo (泼陂) River regions would be the most desirable target.
Order of battle The nationalists mobilized roughly 300,000 troops for the planned elimination of the communists and the subsequent occupation of their base. The communists planned to leave over half of their 60,000 strong force in the region to fight the guerrilla war after the other half had withdrawn.
Encirclement force: nationalist order of battle Commander-in-chief of Zhengzhou Headquarters: Liu Zhi 刘峙 Commander-in-chief of Wuhan Headquarters: Cheng Qian 程潜 The 11th Army The 48th Army The 1st Division The 3rd Division The 11th Division The 15th Division The 41st Division The 47th Division The 48th Division The 66th Division The 72nd Division The 75th Division The 90th Division The 169th Brigade Local Security Brigades and Regiments
Breakout force: communist order of battle The communists called their base the Central Plains Military Region with a total force of 60,000, including two columns and three military districts totaling six division-strength brigades:
Central Plains Military Region prior to the breakout: Commander-in-chief: Li Xiannian Deputy commander-in-chief: Wang Zhen and Wan Shusheng (王树声) Political commissar: Zheng Weisan (郑位三) Deputy political commissar: (王首道) Chief-of-staff: Wang Zhen Deputy Chief-of-staff: Zhu Zaoguan (朱早观) Chief of the Political Directorate: Wan Shoudao (王首道) Deputy Chief of the Political Directorate: Liu Xing (刘型) First Column: Commander-in-chief: Wang Shusheng (王树声) Political commissar: Dai Jiying (戴季英) Second Column: Commander-in-chief: Wen Jianwu(文建武) Political Commissar: (任质斌) Jianghan (江汉) Military District: Commander-in-chief: Luo Houfu (罗厚福) Political Commissar: Wen Minsheng (文敏生) Eastern Hubei Military District: Commander-in-chief: Zhang Tixue (张体学) Political Commissar: Nie Hongjun (聂鸿钧) Henan Military District: Commander-in-chief and Political Commissar: Huang Lin (黄 霖) While the negotiation with the nationalists for the legal withdraw continued, preparation was also made for the inevitable, and the communist force was restructured into three groups for the breakout: Right Route Force: 15,000 troops under the command of Li Xiannian, consisted of: The headquarters staff of the original communist base The 13th Brigade of the 2nd Column The 45th Regiment of the 15th Brigade of the 2nd Column The 359th Brigade under the command of Wang Zhen The Cadres Brigade Left Route Force: 10,000 troops under the command of Wang Shusheng (王树声) and Liu Zijiu (刘子久), consisted of: Most units of the 1st Column, with the exception of the 1st Brigade. The 15th Brigade of the 2nd Column (except the 45th Regiment). Eastern Route Force: 7,000 troops commanded by the commander Pi Dingjun (皮定钧) and political commissar Xu Zirong (徐子荣). The 1st Brigade of the 1st Column The remaining of units were tasked to cover the main force to break out and then remain in the region afterward to fight guerrilla wars against the enemy, and the majority of the forces of the Jianghan (江汉) Military District would withdraw to the west of the Xiang River (襄河).
Strategies
The nationalist strategy The nationalist commander-in-chief of the operation Liu Zhi 刘峙 made the following plans: The nationalist 41st Division guarding Xuchang, Queshan and Minggang was deployed to Xinyang and Luo Mountain (Luo Shan, 罗山) to take regions included Hill Mountain Gate (Gang Shan Meng, 岗山门), Dragon Town (Long Zhen, 龙镇), Light Mountain (Guang Shan, 光山), and Chen Xing's Hotel (Chen Xing Dian, 陈兴店), and attack northward to Xuanhua Hotel (Xuanhua Dian, 宣化店) region. The nationalist 47th Division guarding the Light Mountain (Guang Shan, 光山) and the Luo Mountain (Luo Shan, 罗山) regions was deployed to the east and west of Light Mountain (Guang Shan, 光山) region in order to occupy regions included Sleeping Dragon Stage (Wo Long Tai, 卧龙台), Fuliu Hotel (Fu Liu Dian, 付流店), and then would attack northeastward toward Pobo (泼陂) River and adjacent regions. The 174th Brigade of the nationalist 48th Division under the command of Wei Lihuang was redeployed to the north and the south of Merchant City (Shang Cheng, 商城) to occupy regions included Fuliu Hotel (Fu Liu Dian, 付流店), Dachong (大冲), Shuangmenlan (双门拦), and then would also attack in the Pobo (泼陂) River direction.
The nationalist 72nd Division guarding Huang'an (黄安) and Jingfu (经扶) was redeployed to occupy regions included Wester River (Xi He, 西河), Jingfu (经扶) and Shuangmenlan (双门拦), and most of its units with the exception of the 15th Brigade would attack in the Pobo (泼陂) River direction. The 15th Brigade of the nationalist 72nd Division would attack in the direction of King Yu's City (禹王城) to coordinate its attack with that of the 18th Brigade of the nationalist 11th on Mulan Magnolia Mountains from Huangpi (黄陂). The nationalist 66th Division guarding Xinyang and Garden (Huayua, 花园) regions was deployed to regions included Summer Hotel (Xia Dian, 夏 店), Guo Family's Hotel (Guo Jia Dian, 郭家店), Great New Hotel (Da Xin Dian, 大新店) to attack Xuanhua Hotel (Xuanhua Dian, 宣化店) region. The nationalist 15th guarding Square City (Fang Cheng, 方城) and Noon Sun (Wu Yang, 午阳) regions was deployed to Xinyang and Guangshui to occupy Great New Hotel (Da Xin Dian, 大新店) and Three Miles Hotel (San Li Dian, 三里店) regions, and then would attack Xuanhua Hotel (Xuanhua Dian, 宣化店) region.
A portion of the nationalist 169th Brigade, the 3rd Division and the 75th Division were taken for support. Liu Zhi 刘峙, the nationalist commander-in-chief of the operation was confident that the first full scale confrontation between Chiang Kai-shek and his communist enemy of the Chinese Civil War in the post-World War II era would result in a decisive nationalist victory. The deployment of the nationalist force was concentrated in the eastern direction, which appeared to be the most obvious direction that the enemy would be likely to take.
Communist strategy The communists were initially divided on the withdrawal strategy. On June 2, 1946, the political commissar, Zheng Weisan (郑位三), of the communist force telegraphed Mao Zedong to report the initial strategy, suggesting that the bulk of the force should attempt to enter Wudang Mountains in western Hubei, and when the situation allowed, enter Sichuan. The remaining force would split into two parts with one part remaining in the region to fight a guerrilla war. The other part would strike southwestward, first reaching Hunan because it was easier to cross the Yangtze River in comparison to the Yellow River. On June 14, 1946, Zheng Weisan telegraphed Mao Zedong for a second time for an update, claiming that there were two opinions, and the first one insisted on staying in the region to fight a guerrilla war south of the Yellow River in Hubei, Henan, Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces, and even to expand south of the Yangtze River when the situation allowed. The second opinion preferred to withdraw to North China Plain because it was simply too difficult to stay in the original region. On July 19, 1946, Yan'an replied by claiming that there were two possibilities: one was that the northern withdraw was successful, and the other that the withdraw was impossible, so that preparation must be made to achieve the first objective whenever possible, and to be safe, plans must be also made to create new communist base if the northward withdraw was not possible.
In accordance with the instructions from Yan'an, the local communists made the decision to break out westward with the bulk of the existing force. There were two parts of the plan: the first was to push toward regions via Inner Township County (Nei Xiang, 内乡), Xichuan (淅川) and Jingzi Pass (Jingzi Guang, 荆紫关) via the Funiu guerrilla base, and after the nationalist force guarding Xuchang was forced to redeploy, the communist force would then cross the railroad and rivers to reach the communist base in Taiyue (太岳) region via Lushi (卢氏) and Luoning (洛宁). If unsuccessful, then the communists would fight a guerrilla war from their guerrilla base in the Funiu Mountains and then expand to the Qins, gradually reaching southern Gansu or Shaanxi to link up with the communists in these bases. If unable to achieve this first objective, the communists were also prepared to enter Wudang Mountains by crossing the Xiang (襄) River to create new communist base, and when the situation permitted, enter southern Gansu via Sichuan, but the first objective should be achieved whenever it was possible. The second part of the plan involved leaving at least 10,000 troops behind in central and eastern Hubei to fight a guerrilla war and if the guerrilla warfare was not sustainable, then the communist force remained in central Hubei would break out into the Wudang Mountains, and eastern Hubei would break out to southern Anhui.