Chapter 397 3. The battle conference for attacking Hainan Island

According to the instructions of the Central Military Commission and the Fourth Field Army, after more than a month of understanding and research on the situation, the 15th Corps initially formed the determination and implementation plan to attack Hainan Island. From February 1 to 2, 1950, Ye Jianying, the first secretary of the South China Branch of the Communist Party of China, Deng Hua, and Lai Chuanzhu hosted a combat meeting in Guangzhou. Attending the meeting were: Hong Xuezhi, Deputy Commander of the 12th Corps and Commander of the 40th Army Han Xianchu, Commander of the 43rd Army Li Zuopeng, Political Commissar Zhang Chiming, Deputy Commander of the Qiongya Column Ma Baishan, Chief of Staff Fu Zhenzhong and others.

The meeting analyzed and studied the situation and the characteristics of the battle between the enemy and us. It was believed that although the Kuomintang army had more than 100,000 troops, its morale was low and its combat effectiveness was not strong. In addition, it was in the situation of defending around the island and fighting on both sides with the People's Liberation Army and the Qiongya Column. In a short period of time, it is difficult to concentrate superior forces to fight against the People's Liberation Army; inspired by the national victory, the People's Liberation Army has high morale, strong combat effectiveness, and the cooperation of Qiongya Column. Hainan Island has a long coastline and many landing points, making it impossible for the Kuomintang army to defend against it.

However, although the Kuomintang army is weak in combat effectiveness, it has the natural danger of the Qiongzhou Strait and cooperates with the sea and air force. It has considerable advantages and should not be underestimated. The powerful weapons of military aircraft and warships cannot form combat effectiveness before crossing the sea and landing. Under such circumstances, how the People's Liberation Army crossed the Qiongzhou Strait in wooden sailboats and broke the Kuomintang army's sea and air blockade became the key to the success or failure of the Hainan Island campaign. Focusing on this issue, during the discussion at the meeting, everyone felt that only by smuggling in large numbers at night and making it difficult for the enemy to detect, can enemy planes and ships be rendered useless.Hainan Island is relatively large, with many landing points, and Qiongzong is there to support them. Small batches of smuggled immigrants can go up.As long as a few batches go up to join Qiong Zong and increase the strength of the island, we will be able to cope with the main force of our army to make a large-scale forced landing.

Therefore, the meeting finally determined the campaign guidelines of "active smuggling, combining small crossings in batches with final landing" for sea crossing operations.The meeting also decided that the 40th and 43rd armies would try to cross one regiment each before the Lunar New Year, so as to gain experience and facilitate further battles; in order to increase the speed of navigation and reduce losses and the impact of wind and tide, the means of crossing the sea should mainly be refitted motor sailboats. Based on the calculation of carrying 30,000 people at a time, it is planned to refit 600 motor sailboats, repair and purchase 30 landing craft.This work must be completed before May, and a large-scale landing operation will be launched in June.Since the Kuomintang army bombed the Leizhou Peninsula with planes during the day and patrolled the Qiongzhou Strait with warships at night, it is suggested that the Fourth Field Army increase anti-aircraft weapons and heavy artillery to the coastal areas of the strait to cover ships and troop training.

After the meeting, the 15th Corps reported the operational policy and implementation plan determined at the meeting to the Fourth Field Army and the Central Military Commission.The 43rd Army is preparing to smuggle first with a regiment. On February 10, Lin Biao, Deng Zihui and others called the Central Military Commission and forwarded it to Mao Zedong: "According to Deng Hua and Lai Chuanzhu: if our army lands on Hainan Island one at a time, the problem of ships will be extremely difficult to solve, and at the same time it will be impossible to deal with it." The enemy's navy and air force are disrupting the situation. Therefore, they suggest that within this time, we should first use the method of smuggling, and after arriving in Hainan Island, we will meet with Feng's troops to fight small-scale mobile warfare and guerrilla warfare, and then try to cross the sea with large forces." And said: "We agree that a regiment of the 43rd Army will cross the sea first, and we also agree that other troops will look for opportunities to cross the sea one after another."

On the 12th, Mao Zedong replied to Lin Biao in the Soviet Union: "It is agreed that the 43rd Army will cross the sea with one regiment first, and other troops will find opportunities to cross the sea in batches. If this method is effective, Hainan Island may be liberated early." 1 volume, the first edition of the Central Literature Publishing House in November 1987, page 259)