ORDER OF BATTLE // September 16, 1948
Battle of Jinan
Estimated force strength by side, with confidence labels per surviving record.
Forces engaged
2 sides catalogued · combined 244,296 estimated
Republic of China Army
104,296
Medium-confidence figure
People's Liberation Army
140,000
Medium-confidence figure
Battle context
The Battle of Jinan, fought from September 16 to September 24, 1948, resulted in the capture of Jinan by the communist Eastern China Field Army. Jinan was the capital of Shandong Province, a major urban center of roughly 600,000 people, and a significant transportation hub in northeastern China. Its fall removed a key Kuomintang stronghold from the region and demonstrated the PLA's capacity to take a heavily garrisoned provincial capital. The communist victory directly set the stage for the Huaihai Campaign, one of the largest and most consequential engagements of the Chinese Civil War, making Jinan a pivotal turning point in the wider struggle for control of mainland China.
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