Former Battlefield Site of the Shuangduiji Sector in the Huaihai Campaign

Former Battlefield Site of the Shuangduiji Sector in the Huaihai Campaign

The former battlefield site of the Shuangduiji sector in the Huaihai Campaign is a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

The former battlefield site of the Shuangduiji sector in the Huaihai Campaign is located south of Shuangduiji in Suixi County, Huaibei City.

In December 1995, the memorial park was approved as one of the first batch of patriotic education demonstration bases in Anhui Province. In 2000, it was designated as a provincial-level key martyrs' memorial building protection unit. In June 2001, the park was listed by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee as one of the second group of 100 national patriotic education demonstration bases, and it is also a cultural relic protection unit of Anhui Province.

On October 1, 1981, the Monument to the Martyrs of the Shuangduiji Sector in the Huaihai Campaign was completed. The monument is situated in the central part of the memorial park, standing 22.5 meters tall and constructed from white granite. The base of the monument has two levels: the first level is 31 meters long from north to south and 31 meters wide from east to west; the second level is 25 meters in both length and width. There are 18 steps on each of the four sides, surrounded by green pines. The front of the monument base is inscribed with the memorial text, while the front of the main body bears the personal inscription by Comrade Deng Xiaoping: “Eternal Glory to the Martyrs of the Huaihai Campaign!” The top and bottom edges are adorned with laurel patterns. The apex of the monument is embedded with a bas-relief of the Huaihai Campaign Victory Commemorative Medal. In front of the monument lies a cement-paved square covering an area of approximately 2,100 square meters.

In October 1988, the Memorial Hall of the Shuangduiji Annihilation Battle in the Huaihai Campaign was completed, measuring 32 meters in length, 28 meters in width, and covering an area of over 900 square meters. Comrade Zhang Aiping inscribed the name of the memorial hall. The structure features an aesthetically pleasing design with traditional-style upturned eaves covered in golden glazed tiles, yellow exterior walls, and 44 round-domed high windows distributed around the perimeter. The open central hall is 14 meters wide, 6.8 meters high, and 10 meters deep. The east, south, and west halls are interconnected, forming a unified space. The center includes a courtyard spanning 98 square meters. The entire building boasts bright colors and a generous form, combining elements of classical and modern architectural styles. The exhibition hall displays over 300 precious historical photographs, more than 200 cultural relics, and over 20 battle maps, charts, and artworks, along with one electric sand table model. These exhibits vividly and historically reflect the full scope of the Huaihai Campaign. The displayed content is divided into eight sections, with emphasis on the annihilation battle in the Shuangduiji area. The first to seventh sections cover the campaign itself and consist of eight exhibition rooms. The eighth section is the Martyrs’ Memorial Hall, showcasing the deeds, portraits, and personal belongings of 27 martyrs.

On November 22, after annihilating Huang Baitao’s Corps, the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China and the General Front Committee of the Huaihai Front, based on the battlefield situation and following consultations, determined that the next target for annihilation should be Huang Wei’s Corps, which had recklessly advanced alone from the Mengcheng area toward Suzhou. It was decided to deploy seven columns of the Central Plains Field Army and two columns of the East China Field Army to encircle and annihilate Huang Wei’s Corps in the areas north and south of the Huihe River; the main forces of the East China Field Army were tasked with blocking potential reinforcements from the Nationalist forces in Xuzhou and Bengbu to ensure the success of the operation against Huang Wei’s Corps.

On the 23rd, in order to coordinate with Li Yanzhen’s Corps in Bengbu and the Qiu Qingquan and Sun Yuanliang corps in Xuzhou for a north-south advance to reopen the Xuzhou-Bengbu (Xuzhou to Bengbu) transportation route, Huang Wei deployed his 10th Army on the left, 14th Army on the right, 18th Army in the center, and 85th Army in reserve to attack Nianpingji on the southern bank of the Huihe River. The 4th Column of the Central Plains Field Army put up a tenacious defense. To lure the enemy deeper, they abandoned their positions at Nianpingji that night. On the morning of the 24th, Huang’s Corps forcefully crossed the Huihe River and advanced to Dongpingji, Renjiaji, Qiliqiao, and Zhukou areas, falling into the pre-set pocket formation of the Central Plains Field Army. Realizing the unfavorable situation, Huang ordered his forces to pull back southward in the afternoon, preparing to advance along the southern bank of the Huihe River toward Hugouji and Guzhen, intending first to link up with Li Yanzhen’s Corps and then proceed northward along the Tianjin-Pukou Railway. By dusk that day, the Central Plains Field Army launched a full-scale offensive. The 3rd, 1st, 2nd, and 6th Columns attacked respectively from Sundianji, Wugouji, Baishaji, and Caoji, moving from west to east; the 11th Column struck from Jinxianji from east to west, while the 4th and 9th Columns advanced from Wujiahu and Shaowa Fang from north to south. By the morning of the 25th, Huang Wei’s Corps was completely encircled in an area centered on Shuangduiji, southwest of Suzhou, spanning approximately 7.5 kilometers both vertically and horizontally.

On the 26th, Chiang Kai-shek ordered Huang Wei to exploit the loose encirclement by the Communists and the weak forces to the southeast to launch a full-scale breakout. On the 27th, following the order, Huang deployed the 11th and 118th Divisions of the 18th Army, the 18th Division of the 10th Army, and the 110th Division of the 85th Army to launch successive attacks on the positions of the 6th Column of the Central Plains Field Army and the 12th Brigade of the Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Region with tank and air support, all of which were repelled. During the breakout attempt, the commander of the 110th Division, Liao Yunzhou, led his troops in a defection. Thereafter, in accordance with Chiang’s order to hold the line and await reinforcements, Huang deployed the 18th Army to defend Pinggudui and Jianduidui for depth defense, the 85th Army to defend Yaowei and Lizhuang areas for western defense, the 14th Army to defend Zhangweizi and Yangsima areas for eastern defense, and the 10th Army to defend from Mawei Zi to Yangzhuang and Lizhuang areas for north-south defense. The corps headquarters was stationed at Xiaomazhuang, north of Shuangduiji. In response to Huang Wei’s Corps relying on villages and bunker clusters for defense, the Central Plains Field Army adopted a “bunker against bunker” and “trench against trench” tactic, carrying out extensive close-range engineering work to tighten the encirclement, attacking village by village, and consolidating control after each capture. By early December, the defensive zone of Huang Wei’s Corps had further shrunk, with only seven or eight mobile regiments remaining capable of assault, and the corps was trapped in a dire shortage of food and ammunition.

At 16:30 on the 6th, the Central Plains Field Army launched a full-scale offensive. The Eastern Group, composed of the 4th, 9th, and 11th Columns along with the main artillery forces of the East China Field Army’s Special Column and the Independent Brigade of the Yu-Wan-Su Military Region, the Western Group, formed by the 1st and 3rd Columns along with the 13th Column of the East China Field Army and part of the artillery, and the Southern Group, made up of the 6th Column, the 7th Column of the East China Field Army, and the 12th Brigade of the Shaan-Gan-Ning Border Region, simultaneously launched assaults on the opposing forces of Huang Wei’s Corps. The fighting was unprecedentedly fierce. By the 13th, Huang Wei’s Corps was compressed into a narrow strip no more than 1.5 kilometers wide from east to west. Liu Bocheng and Chen Yi promptly issued the “Appeal Urging Huang Wei to Surrender Immediately.” Huang Wei refused to lay down his arms. To swiftly resolve the battle, the General Front Committee of the Huaihai Front once again adjusted the deployment, bringing the 3rd and 13th Columns of the East China Field Army into action within the Southern Group. That night, the Communists launched a general offensive. By dusk on the 15th, Huang Wei’s Corps was completely annihilated.