Battle of Hainan Island

Battle of Hainan Island
Part of the Chinese Civil War and the Cross-Strait conflict

PLA junks preparing to cross the Qiongzhou Strait
Date16 April – 1 May 1950
Location
Result Communist victory
Territorial
changes
The People's Republic of China takes control of Hainan.
Belligerents
China People's Republic of China Taiwan Republic of China
Commanders and leaders
Xue Yue
Units involved

 People's Liberation Army

  • 40th Army of the 12th Corps
  • 43rd Army of the 15th Corps

Hainan Independent Column

  • 1st, 3rd, 5th Corps
Hlai militia

 Republic of China Army

  • 32nd, 62nd, 64th Armies
  • 163rd Division of the 109th Army

 Republic of China Navy

  • 3rd Fleet

 Republic of China Marine Corps

  • 2nd Marine Brigade[1]
 Republic of China Air Force
Strength
100,000 soldiers
15,000 militiamen[citation needed]
140,000–200,000 soldiers and militiamen
52 ships[citation needed]
40 aircraft[citation needed]
Casualties and losses
4,000 casualties 33,000 casualties[citation needed]
1 ship sunk, 5 damaged[citation needed]
2 aircraft shot down[citation needed]

The Battle of Hainan Island (simplified Chinese: 海南岛战役; traditional Chinese: 海南島戰役) occurred in 1950, during the final phase of the Chinese Civil War. The People's Republic of China (PRC) conducted an amphibious assault on Hainan Island on 16 April, assisted by the Hainan communist movement which controlled much of the island's interior, while the Republic of China (ROC) controlled the coast; their forces were concentrated in the north near Haikou and were forced to retreat south after the landings. The communists secured Hainan's southern cities by the end of the month and declared victory on 1 May.

  1. ^ Hao-Chang, Yu (November 1966). "Republic of China Marine Corps". Marine Corps Gazette. Marine Corps Association.