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The Chinese Civil War.

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  • #16
    Well, there were actually two 'PLA' during that period; new fourth army and eight route army.

    The new fourth army was much more active in fighting the IJA especially in the area near Shanghui. Gregor Benton wrote a 1000 pages monster on the new fourth army and its war records and activities. (the books is a bit soft for my taste, nevertheless it is a good addition to any China-library)




    New Fourth Army: Communist Resistance Along the Yangtze and the Huai, 1938-1941 by Gregor Benton

    http://www.amazon.com/New-Fourth-Arm...9035194&sr=8-7
    “the misery of being exploited by capitalists is nothing compared to the misery of not being exploited at all” -- Joan Robinson

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    • #17
      Kuomintang Forces

      There were some shining moments.

      The April, 1938 defeat of Juzo Nishio's 2nd Army at Tai-erh-chuang by the 5th War Area command under the direction of Li Tsung-jen was an interesting example of the Chinese nationalist army's operational art under conditions of structural duress.

      Partial strength Chinese forces, through a thorough preparation of the battlefield assisted by numerous staff studies undertaken at the Central Military Academy and supplemented by work done at the Chinese Staff College at Lu-Ta laid the groundwork. The battle was fought over about a month and one-half (between mid-February and early April, 1938).

      Implementation was more problematic but was adroitly managed by Li despite numerous problems of command and supply arising during the campaign. The campaign itself was fought over a mixed-density battlefield comprising cities, open farmland, and hill/mountain passes and notable for both the cost to and tenacity displayed by the nationalist forces. It represents, according to the author, the first Chinese victory over the Japanese in 340 years and served as a source of interest to Franklin D. Roosevelt as a result of observations lettered to him by Marine Capt. Evan Carlson.

      Please reference City Fights: Selected Histories of Urban Combat From World War II to Vietnam, ed. Col. John Antal and Major Brad Gericke U.S.A.
      "This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski
      "The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're uncool." Lester Bangs

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      • #18
        Ahh, my grandfather was the commander of a PLA reinforced division under Lin Biao during the civil war. He had some interesting stories but never wrote a memoir regarding those experience.

        He did write a brief memoir regarding earlier actions as a guerilla commander working against Japanese occupation forces. Quite an interesting read, especially compared to reports out of Iraq regarding insurgent activities.

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        • #19
          Got any stories you want to relate?

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          • #20
            LCol, trouble is that my grandfather last told me these stories when I was about 8 years old, and now my memory is a bit hazy.

            From digging around the Chinese internet, I found out he was actually the Chief of Staff of the 133 div of the 45th army of Lin Biao's 4th group army . However, there are no detailed records of the 133 division's actions during the war that exactly match my recollection of the stories.

            Ironically, as a local hero during the resistance, his anti-Japanese stories are much better documented. Starting from page 42, the document in the following link tells a bunch of stories about him. The stories are written in a dramatic fashion, but their general outlines and some specific facts do match my recollections.

            http://www.lf-sztsg.org.cn/dfwx/h12.pdf


            The other document (PDF attached to this post) contains a compendium of memoirs by people who actually participated in the resistance. It includes several articles from him.

            When I get a chance, I'll try to verify a couple of the Civil War stories I remember with my father. If they check out, I'll relate them here.
            Attached Files
            Last edited by citanon; 13 Dec 08,, 16:29.

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            • #21
              Many thanks

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              • #22
                Thanks for sharing.
                “the misery of being exploited by capitalists is nothing compared to the misery of not being exploited at all” -- Joan Robinson

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                • #23
                  Gents, you are both welcome!

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                  • #24
                    An interesting entry from "The Decisive Encounters --The Chinese Civil War, 1946-1950' by Odd Arne Westad


                    A PLA Officers on Bandits and Foreigners in Manchuria, 1947

                    The residents of Korean origin seemed particularly frightened. The problem was more complicated by their inability to speak Chinese. Nor could the [PLA] detachment find an interpreter among the Han population. Some said, "We moved here only 18 months ago. We don't understand Korean." Others begged off with the excuse, "Though I've lived here a long time, I've a bad ear for languages. I can't speak a single sentence." And when asked where a Chinese could be found who spoke Korean, they replied evasively: "The plain is big and people are few and scattered. We really don't know much about the folks in other settlements." As to the local Koreans, the moment they saw so much as a shadow of a PLA man, they ran home and barred their doors, and the whole family huddled together fearfully...." The PLA men found this situation very puzzling. Some were irritated and said the local people were stubborn and backward, that they were all in league with he bandits.



                    Clearly, the Great Leader (TM) had a role to play in PLA's "out reach" program in Manchuria
                    “the misery of being exploited by capitalists is nothing compared to the misery of not being exploited at all” -- Joan Robinson

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                    • #25
                      The Case of Liu Shanben.

                      The first group of four pilots and two mechanics flow a Japanese made transport from Nanjing to Yanan on Aug 20, 1945 and Liu Shanben flew his Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber to Yanan on June 26, 1946 and they were the first core personal of the PLA-AF. In sum, a total of 20 KMT airplanes and 54 pilots and aviation personnel defected to the PLA in 1949. Liu Shanben became the commander of the 10 PLAAF Division and let the bombing raides against South Korean Intelligence post on Tawhwa-do Island on the evening of Nov 30, 1951.


                      "November 30: In one of the largest aerial battles of the war, F-86 pilots of the 4th FIG engaged over the island of Taehwa-do forty-four enemy aircraft flying south to bomb a UN target. The Sabre pilots destroyed twelve and damaged three others. Maj. George A. Davis Jr., USAF, 334th FIS, achieved Korean War ace status by downing a TU-2 and a MiG-15. He was the first to be an ace in two wars, since he had been an ace in World War II as well. Maj. Winton W. Marshal, USAF, 335 FIS, also became an ace, destroying an LA-9 and a TU-2. Enemy forces attacked Taehwa-do, north of Cho-do, forcing friendly forces to retreat to Cho-do. Fifth Air Force aircraft dislodged the enemy, enabling friendly forces to retake the island."

                      http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/korean_w...ember1951.html
                      “the misery of being exploited by capitalists is nothing compared to the misery of not being exploited at all” -- Joan Robinson

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                      • #26
                        The Case of Liu Yalou

                        Liu, the first commander of PLAAF joined the Red Army at the age of 19. He participated in the Long March, became Political Commissar of a Division in Oct 1933, Commander of a Division in July 1935. Studied at the Red Army University in 1936. Send to Soviet Union in April 1938 for Advanced Study, entered Frunze military academy in Jan 1939 and remind in the Soviet Red Army throughout the WWII. In 1945 when Soviet entered the war with Japan, he served as a commissioned officer with the Soviet Red Army. Promoted as COS of fourth field Army in 1947 and Commandant of the NE Aviation School. 1949, Appointed commander of the 14th Army-Group and First commander of PLAAF in Nov 11, 1949.
                        “the misery of being exploited by capitalists is nothing compared to the misery of not being exploited at all” -- Joan Robinson

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