Heshui Campaign

Part of Chinese Civil War

Date	May 28, 1947 – May 31, 1947
Location	Eastern Gansu, Northwestern China
Result	Nationalist victory

Belligerents

National Revolutionary Army

People's Liberation Army

Commanders and leaders

Ma Jiyuan

Ma Bufang

Wang Zhen

Strength

3,500

6,500

Casualties and losses

800 killed
720 wounded

2,500

Heshui Campaign (simplified Chinese: 合水战役; traditional Chinese: 合水戰役; pinyin: Héshuǐ zhànyì), consisted of several fierce battles fought between the communists and the nationalist Ma clique’s force, which consisted mostly of cavalry. The campaign was fought in the post-World War II era in the eastern Gansu province in northwestern China during the Chinese Civil War, and it was one of the few conflicts from which the nationalists emerged as the victor.

After Panlong Campaign, the communist force under the command of Peng Dehuai in northwest China had scored three consecutive victories against its nationalist adversary, and had forced the nationalists in northwestern China to cease further offensives. Both sides took rest and the communists held a celebration at Ansai (安塞) region during this break. Zhou Enlai personally went to join the celebration on Mao Zedong’s behalf and suggested that Peng’s force should take the opportunity to take a much-needed break while the nationalists were resting, but Peng Dehuai disagreed because Ansai region was a very poor region lacked any resources and thus could not support his large army numbered over twenty thousands. Instead, Peng Dehuai suggested that his force should strike toward eastern Gansu while the local nationalist force under the command Hu Zongnan was resting, so that the communists could replenish themselves in the newly conquered area in eastern Gansu. When Peng’s suggestion was finally telegraphed to Mao Zedong on May 14, 1947, Mao replied in the same day and agreed. Peng Dehuai also hoped that taking eastern Gansu would force the Ma clique to redeploy its forces and thus provide an opportunity for another communist victory, as he and Xi Zhongxun had told Mao in their telegraph on May 28. Little did the communists know how wrong they were.

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