New Fourth Army

New Fourth Army
Unit name	New Fourth Army
Dates	1937–1947
Country	China
Allegiance	Chinese Communist Party
Branch	National Revolutionary Army (nominal, 1937–1941), People's Liberation Army (from 1947)
Type	Army
Role	Guerrilla warfare
Battles	Second Sino-Japanese War, Chinese Civil War
Notable commanders	Ye Ting, Xiang Ying, Chen Yi, Liu Shaoqi

New Fourth Army. The New Fourth Army was a major Communist military formation during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. Formed in 1937 from Communist guerrilla remnants in southern China, it operated nominally under the National Revolutionary Army of the Kuomintang-led Nationalist government as part of the Second United Front. The army played a significant role in guerrilla warfare behind Japanese lines in Central China and became a central point of conflict between the Chinese Communist Party and the Kuomintang, culminating in a major clash in 1941.

Background and formation

Following the Xi'an Incident of 1936, the Chinese Communist Party and the Kuomintang agreed to a temporary alliance against Japan. This Second United Front led to the integration of Communist forces into the National Revolutionary Army. In October 1937, the New Fourth Army was officially established, incorporating Communist guerrillas who had survived the Long March in the southern provinces like Jiangxi and Fujian. Its commander was the Communist general Ye Ting, with Xiang Ying serving as deputy commander and political commissar. The army was initially stationed with its headquarters at Yan'an's approval in Wannan.

Structure and organization

The army was organized into four detachments, initially mustering around 10,000 troops. Its structure blended Communist political control with a nominal National Revolutionary Army chain of command. The political commissar system, led by figures like Xiang Ying and later Liu Shaoqi, ensured Chinese Communist Party authority. Key leaders included Chen Yi, who commanded the First Detachment, and Zhang Yunyi. The army established base areas in Jiangsu, Anhui, and Zhejiang, operating a network of political and military committees to mobilize the rural population against the Imperial Japanese Army.

Major campaigns and battles

The New Fourth Army primarily waged guerrilla warfare against Japanese occupation forces in the lower Yangtze River basin. It engaged in numerous skirmishes and raids, disrupting Japanese supply lines and consolidating rural base areas. Significant actions included battles to defend its bases in Northern Jiangsu and operations along the Tianjin–Pukou Railway. While avoiding large-scale conventional battles, its expansion and activities in Central China brought it into increasing territorial conflict with Kuomintang forces under Chiang Kai-shek, particularly those of the Third War Zone commanded by Gu Zhutong.

The New Fourth Army Incident

Tensions over the army's expansion and deployment erupted in January 1941 in the New Fourth Army Incident, also known as the Wannan Incident. Kuomintang forces from the Third War Zone ambushed the army's headquarters contingent in Southern Anhui, alleging it had disobeyed orders to relocate north of the Yangtze River. In the ensuing clash, the New Fourth Army was decimated; deputy commander Xiang Ying was killed, and commander Ye Ting was captured. The Chinese Communist Party denounced the attack as a betrayal, marking the effective collapse of the Second United Front.

Post-incident reorganization and later operations

The Chinese Communist Party immediately rebuilt the force, rejecting its old designation and placing it under a new military command. Chen Yi was appointed acting commander, with Liu Shaoqi as political commissar. The reorganized army expanded rapidly in North Jiangsu and Shandong, becoming a core component of the Communist East China Field Army. During the final stages of the Chinese Civil War, it participated in major campaigns like the Huaihai Campaign and the Crossing the Yangtze River Campaign, culminating in the capture of Shanghai and other key cities.

Legacy and commemoration

The New Fourth Army is celebrated in People's Republic of China historiography as a heroic force in the War of Resistance against Japan and a foundational pillar of the People's Liberation Army. The New Fourth Army Incident is memorialized as a key example of Kuomintang treachery. Numerous museums, such as the Memorial of the New Fourth Army in Yancheng, and historical sites commemorate its history. Its legacy is tightly woven into the narrative of the Chinese Communist Party's revolutionary struggle and ultimate victory in the Chinese Civil War.

Category:Military units and formations of the Second Sino-Japanese War Category:People's Liberation Army Category:Chinese Communist Party