Chapter 97 Chapter 12 Lunan Campaign: Wipe out 3 Reorganized Divisions in 35 Days

The victory in the Battle of Subei opened a gap in the semi-encirclement of the East China Kuomintang Army's 4-way offensive and defeated the Kuomintang Army's offensive.However, Xuzhou Sui Department did not abandon its original strategic plan.During the Battle of Subei, the situation of the other three Kuomintang armies was as follows: after capturing Yancheng, the Yanfu Corps continued to attack Funing; after capturing Lianshui, the Huailian Corps turned to defense along the south bank of the Liutang River; They occupied Shuiguo, Xiangcheng, Bianzhuang (now Cangshan County), Pixian, Great Wall, Lanling, Hongshan Town and other towns east of Taizao Road.However, frightened by the prestige of the People's Liberation Army's complete annihilation and reorganization of the 69th Division, they dared not continue to advance to Linyi, and turned to the defensive on the spot.

The Xuzhou Sui Department issued a combat order on December 31, and the determined strategic goal was: "In order to continue to defeat the main force of the Communist bandit Chen Yi in the area south of Longdong, and then pursue and suppress its remnants in southern Shandong, we should continue to attack Dongxin'an Town, Shuyang, Xixin'an Town (now Xinyi County), Tancheng, Ma (Ma) Tou Town and other points, entered and left the area north of Longdong, and then marched southward to suppress Lunan." The tasks of each corps are stipulated as follows: "The Yilin Corps (Ma Liwu, the commander of the reorganized 26th Division) has the 1st Fast Column attached to the 26th Division (the 1st Fast Column, which was the only three mechanized columns of the Kuomintang Army at that time) The one with the best equipment and the strongest combat effectiveness has a reorganized 80th Brigade and the 1st Battalion of the 1st Tank Regiment, Search Battalion, Automobile Battalion, Engineer Battalion, Artillery 1 Regiment and 1 Battalion. Equipped with American and Japanese medium-sized, 69 light tanks. Its chariot units were directly trained by American officers and fought on the India-Myanmar battlefield during the Anti-Japanese War), the 51st Division, and the 20th Division. The Communist Army in the area north of the city (now Xuecheng) to Zaozhuang railway line) actively mopped up, and indeed covered the safety of the left side of the Longdong Corps. The entire 77th Division headed from the vicinity of the Great Wall to Ma (Market) Town, The bandits in Tancheng are advancing and suppressing; the main force is to defend the Great Wall, and sweep up the loose bandits on both sides of the Yihe River." (KMT Army "Xuzhou Suishu Operation Plan") At the same time, order the Longdong Corps (under the jurisdiction of the reorganized 64th, 59th, and 70th divisions) to capture After Xin'an Town, attack Tancheng and Xutang Station; order the Longnan Corps (under jurisdiction of the reorganized 11th Division and the supplemented 69th Division) to attack Xin'an Town, Gaoliu, and Yinping; order the Huaishu Corps (under jurisdiction of the Reorganized 74th Division) and the 171st Division) to attack Shuyang; order the Fuhai Corps (under jurisdiction of the reorganized 44th, 25th, 65th, and 83rd Divisions) to defend the Funing area with a part, and the main force to attack Nanxin'an Town and Baitabu.In an attempt to annihilate the main force of the People's Liberation Army in East China in northern Jiangsu, or rush to the north of Longhai Road, and then concentrate all efforts on a decisive battle with the People's Liberation Army in southern Shandong.