Old photographs of the Nationalist government evacuating Nanjing in 1949, piles of gold ingots and piles of furniture

After the "Three Great Battles", the Nationalist government lost the land north of the Yangtze River, and the capital of the Nationalist government, Nanjing, was threatened. In January 1949, the Nationalist government informed the embassies in Nanjing of the secret decision to move the capital to Guangzhou. In February 1949, the army crossed the streets of Nanjing and prepared to retreat to the south.

In February 1949, the army retreated.

In February 1949, the army was fully prepared to retreat.

In February 1949, the army was in retreat.

The soldiers prepared to retreat south by boat.

Piles of gold ingots were piled up in the open, ready to be transported away.

Soldiers guarding supplies to be transported.

The materials and equipment were loaded on ships and transported to Guangdong.

The wreckage of the aircraft, which became scrap iron, waited to be recycled and transported to the south.

Refugees in the train station.