In the long history of China, the battlefield of the Central Plains of the Liberation War is undoubtedly one of the brilliant pearls. A turning point in this history was marked in 1948 on March 8, when the People's Liberation Army targeted its military targets at the Kuomintang position in Luoyang.
Why did Luoyang, the historic ancient capital, suddenly become the focus of military disputes? The reason lies in its relative isolation. To the outside world, the city seems to be at the center of a strategic vortex. However, truly occupying Luoyang was not an easy task. In addition to facing a strong local defense, Pei Changhui's troops were nearby, posing a greater threat to the PLA.
But after a major victory by General Peng Dehuai in the Yichuan area, Hu Zongnan of the Kuomintang felt unprecedented pressure and hastily mobilized Pei Changhui's troops. This strategic mistake was like a fatal mistake made on the Go board, leaving Luoyang isolated.
This is undoubtedly a great opportunity for the People's Liberation Army. The four active columns, like four fierce tigers ready to pounce, focused on Luoyang, the "fat" prey. Under the leadership of the Party, and especially the highly respected chairman, they keenly grasped this historic opportunity. After a unified decision at the top level, the People's Liberation Army, jointly commanded by Chen Shiyu and Tang Liang, gathered nearly 100,000 elite people and began the siege of Luoyang.
From a geographical point of view, Luoyang is located in the west of Henan Province, in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, surrounded by a natural topographic defense line. It has Heishi Pass in the east and Hangu Pass in the west, making Luoyang a strategic place, easy to defend and difficult to attack.
In China's strategic territory, Luoyang occupies a unique position. As the junction of Shaanxi, Jin, and Yu provinces, it is not only an important transportation artery in physical geography, but also has immeasurable strategic value. Luoyang was also a key supply base for the Kuomintang army, and its loss meant a fatal blow to Chiang's army, especially the connection between their Central Plains and Northwest troops.
Two major cities, Xi'an and Zhengzhou, will face unpredictable risks. Luoyang, the ancient political, economic and cultural center that was the capital of several dynasties, stands at a crossroads in history.
The defenders' defense plan for Luoyang shows that they attach great importance to this ancient city. The perimeter of the city was surrounded by solid walls, while four carefully planned defensive lines were arranged inside the city, forging an impregnable defensive shield for Luoyang. Although most of the 206th Division in the Luoyang defenders were young and had limited combat experience, they were armed with advanced American-made weapons, and their strength could not be underestimated. The Garichi brigade consisted of exiled landlords from Qingyang and Jiyuan, and these defenders formed a strong barrier.
Commanding this force was Qiu Xingxiang, known as "Qiu Laohu". This confident and proud general not only vigorously advertised his army strength to the outside world, but also vowed that any army that ventured to attack Luoyang would be in deep trouble. His tactical deployment is truly unique, with multiple layers of defense. On the periphery, he deployed security regiments and security brigades in Longmen and Huangshan areas.
And the youth army of 3,500 students, as part of the defenders, is his proud work. As its name suggests, this army consists of passionate and energetic young people. In addition, there was a special battalion guarded on the western side, while the main forces of the division were firmly stationed in the city.
The Battle of Yuxiang-Gui in 1944 shocked the Kuomintang. Chiang Kai-shek, in the face of the defeat on the battlefield, conducted in-depth reflection. He firmly believes that the cultural level and overall quality of the soldiers have become the key to victory. He therefore put forward the idea of creating a more elite and well-trained force. The inspiring slogan "Every inch of mountains and rivers, every inch of blood, 100,000 young people and 100,000 soldiers" began to spread widely among the Kuomintang troops. Then, the nine divisions of the Youth Army emerged on the stage of history from 201 to 209, with a total of 100,000 elite divisions, of which the 206th division was composed of idealistic and enthusiastic students and intellectual youth.
March 7, 1944, became a turning point for the Kuomintang. They realized the PLA's strategic intentions for Luoyang and quickly mobilized a large number of troops in order to strengthen Luoyang's defenses. Sun Zhen, as the newly appointed commander, began to organize and lead this upcoming defensive battle. On the opposite side, the People's Liberation Army, according to the military strategy of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China, mainly aimed at the Kuomintang troops who were rushing to reinforce Luoyang.
At this critical moment, Chen Shiyu and Tang Liang, two military think tanks, had an in-depth discussion on strategy. They speculated that the entire 47th Army would not risk it alone, and might wait for reinforcements from the entire 18th Army to inject more troops into Luoyang. This undoubtedly poses more challenges for the PLA. But in war, rapid decision-making and execution are often the key to victory. Chen and Tang knew that they had to fight quickly before the entire 18th Army arrived to completely solve the 206th Division under Qiu Xingxiang's command.
Examining the topography, they analyzed that Luoyang's southern terrain was restrained, while the western and northern sides were vulnerable to enemy fire. Only by attacking from the east could the Kuomintang deal a fatal blow. In the end, Chen Shiyu's Hua Ye and Sun Jixian's Third Column Army chose to encircle in the northeast direction, mainly attacking the eastern gate of Luoyang. Chen Geng and the Fourth Column of Nakano decided to move from the southwest, intending to occupy the southern gate of Luoyang. Such a strategic layout made Luoyang embattled, and the battle situation was extremely fierce.
In a strategic military layout, meticulous planning and execution is like a dance of precision and boldness. In 1948, just before the fierce Battle of Luoyang, Wang Jian'an's Eighth Column hid in the narrow areas of Yanshi and Songshan, while Qin Jiwei of Zhongye led the Ninth Column to assemble in the Xin'an and Yuchi areas. In order to thwart reinforcements from Wuhan, Song Shilun of Huaye cleverly deployed his army from Zhumadian to Queshan.
By March 9, 1948, the sky over Luoyang was filled with the tense atmosphere of the impending battle. The third and fourth columns, riskly split into two roads, crossed the Yi and Luo rivers, and boldly launched an attack on Luoyang. In just 48 hours, they had already occupied several key locations in Luoyang.
The center of gravity of the campaign was undoubtedly the eastern gate of Luoyang. The fortified walls seem to be a symbol of confrontation. But Zhang Ming, who led the first battalion of the 23rd Regiment, did not flinch. After five hours of fierce fighting, they broke through this barrier. Qiu Xingxiang, known as "Qiu Laohu," tried to mobilize his troops to retake lost territory, but the People's Liberation Army was unstoppable.
There is a very interesting anecdote that after the war, Zhang Ming and Qiu Xingxiang became neighbors of Nanjing. Shedding their wartime identity, they often visit each other, which fully proves that although war can be cruel, the warmth in human nature always transcends everything. On the battlefield, Qiu Xingxiang used a variety of tactics to try to regain the lost territory, but the third column, relying on momentum, not only held their position, but also advanced further.
As the situation became increasingly serious, Qiu Xingxiang on the one hand commanded his troops to hold on to Dongmen Street and engage in fierce urban warfare with the People's Liberation Army, and on the other hand, sent a signal to Nanjing for help.
But time is precious. By noon, the third column had entered the center of the city. At the same time, the fourth column led by Chen Geng fought fiercely at Ximen. It is especially worth mentioning the fifth company of the 28th regiment, which, as the vanguard of this attack, under the heavy fire of the enemy, showed their bravery and tactical wisdom, successfully blew up part of the city wall and broke the enemy's defenses. But it also came at a huge cost — of the 120 soldiers of the Fifth Company, only 19 survived. Their heroic deeds are praised in history and are known as the "heroes of Luoyang".
Although the situation has tilted in favor of the PLA, the dust of the war has not yet completely settled. Qiu Xingxiang, a brave and resolute commander, remained closely anchored with his troops at the strategic points of Luoyang Middle School. Although the Third and Fourth Columns made several attempts to break through their lines, the city's topographic structure and strong defenses made each impact seem like a tide hitting a reef.
Seeing the situation, Chen Shiyu chose to go to the front line in person, his purpose was not only to understand the situation of the war, but also to find a strategic point that could change the situation. After a detailed investigation, he decided to use heavy artillery to carry out concentrated shelling of this core area in order to destroy the enemy's defenses.
When the fighting became fierce to this extent, Chiang Kai-shek, the head of the Kuomintang, felt unprecedented pressure. He urgently ordered reinforcements and sent three important generals, Hu Zongnan, Sun Yuanliang, and Bai Chongxi, to reinforce. But the complexity of war stems not only from the rivalry between the two sides, but also from multiple factors such as geography, climate and strategic layout.
The 38th Division led by Hu Zongnan intended to go to Luoyang through Tongguan, but they were blocked by the Ninth Column in Xin'an and Yuchi. Sun Yuanliang, on the other hand, chose to set out from Zhengzhou and Xuchang, but by the time they approached Yanshi and Songshan, Wang Jian'an had already mobilized the Huaye Eighth Column and prepared to meet the enemy. Sun Yuanliang immediately realized that he was in a predicament and decided to pause his advance and wait for reinforcements from Hu Zongnan.
On the other side, Bai Chongxi was discussing with his subordinates how to quickly rush to the front. However, just as Sun Yuanliang's troops were preparing to cross the Yi River, a sudden rainstorm broke their plan. The water level of the Yi River has skyrocketed, and the river has become turbulent, even destroying bridges. In this situation, Qiu Xingxiang
A telegram was sent to Nanjing, saying that it was a sign of providence, implying that their fate with Luoyang was already closely linked.
When Chiang Kai-shek learned of this, he immediately called Sun Yuanliang and warned him that if he hesitated any longer, he would be punished by military law.
Sun Yuanliang, after receiving Chiang Kai-shek's warning telegram, decisively marched in the direction of Yanshi. However, a natural disaster in the mountains, flash floods, temporarily halted Hu Zongnan's troops. Under these circumstances, Sun Yuanliang once again showed his military wisdom of seriousness and prudence and paused his advance.
Luoyang's garrison commander, Qiu Xingxiang, chose a tall building late at night from where he could overlook the city. When he witnessed the PLA transporting supplies out of Luoyang, a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes, thinking that the PLA might withdraw.
The night that followed, Qiu Xingxiang's thoughts fluctuated. He thought that the incoming reinforcements had arrived, but as the night deepened, when the PLA successfully broke through the Dongkeng Road, he clearly realized that the situation had been reversed. In a struggle between life and death, he attempted suicide, but ended up still in captivity, after a series of transfers and placements.
But the course of history is always full of drama. Hu Zongnan's troops finally crossed the Yi River in one night and successfully broke through the blockade of the Luo River. Immediately afterwards, Chen Shiyu and Tang Liang made a bold decision to abandon Luoyang. However, this is only temporary. Just a few days later, the troops of the Ninth Column launched another offensive against Luoyang and successfully recaptured this historic land.
Behind the Battle of Luoyang is not just a game of military tactics. It is a test of the commander's wisdom, determination, and resilience. In those times of change, countless brave men marched forward for ideals, beliefs and the dignity of the nation. This battle is not only a memorial to their heroism, but a record of the entire era. When we look back at history today, the Battle of Luoyang and the heroes behind it have become eternal beacons, illuminating the way to the future, and reminding us to never forget that hot and dedicated era.