Battle of Tainan

Battle of Tainan
File:Taoyuantroops.jpg Taoyuanese troops in Tainan. One of them is armed with the Lucian Bren gun
Date 18 July - 25 July 1947 Location Tainan, Taoyuan, East Asianna Result Taoyuanese Victory
Belligerents
Taoyuan	Quenmin Bactieu and the Adelaidines
Commanders and leaders
Soong Feng-jeou Lee Fu-jin Mi Ra-jin	Kiều Hữu Dương Liễu Hung Gia
Strength
10,000 troops 15 tanks 5 guns	13,000 troops 9 tanks 4 guns
Casualties and losses
279 troops 521 wounded 2 guns	558 troops 1,542 garrisoned troops captured 4 tanks 3 guns

The Battle of Tainan was the first battle that took place during the Taoyuanese Civil War. It was primarily fought between the Taoyuanese rebels led by General Soong Feng-jeou and the Quenminese government forces led by Field Marshal Kiều Hữu Dương. The objective was for the Taoyuanese rebels to liberate Tainan, which would then clear a route for the Taoyuanese to liberate central and northern Taoyuan. The Quenminese, from this point, had been receiving pressure from Lord Mountbatten to comply to the Taoyuanese demands. However, it would not meet it until October 19; When the Quenminese finally surrendered and ended the war.

The first attacks by the Taoyuanese were driven out by the Quenminese forces occupying the city. However, Soong ordered an intense barrage on the city, which caused confusion among the defenders in the city. On the other hand, Duong attempted to retaliate by sending in an artillery team to counter-battery the Taoyuanese barrage. Unfortunately, it had failed due to the Taoyuanese guns having more range than the cannons the Quenminese possessed. The eastern flank fell to the Taoyuanese two days after the attack. Duong sent a massive counterattack to repair the line. However, the shelling continued to get intense and by the 21st, Soong called in the 1st Taoyuanese Armored Division to reinforce the troops being kept out of the town. With armored support, the Taoyuanese were able to finally attack the town and take the central square. On the 24th, Soong pursued what was left of the Quenminese defenders before declaring the city secured by the following morning.