What Is the Battle of Kinmen Really About?
After more than a year of blogging about Kinmen Island, I have realized that I often use the term “Battle of Kinmen”, usually referring to the Battle of Guningtou in 1949. However, several other military confrontations also took place on or near Kinmen. Thus, the term battle of Kinmen can be confusing. In this article, I want to take a closer look at all events that do qualify to be called a battle and took place on Kinmen.
If you are looking for more general information about Kinmen Island, follow this link for an overview. I have also published articles on why Kinmen is part of Taiwan and on the Wind Lions of Kinmen.
What Is the Battle of Guningtou?
Let us start chronologically with the Battle of Guningtou that I just mentioned. In October 1949, Mao Zedong officially proclaimed the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Meanwhile, the Kuomintang (KMT) under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek fled to the island of Taiwan. Thus, the first Republic of China (ROC) founded in 1912 ceased to exist in its original form.
However, the Chinese Civil War was not over yet. Around two million nationalist soldiers retreated to Taiwan. They took control of the island and several smaller territories, including Kinmen. The People’s Liberation Army of Mao (PLA), aiming for total victory, set their sights on taking Kinmen just weeks after the PRC was declared. After all, the island is so close to Xiamen in China. The communist leadership viewed Kinmen as a stepping stone toward defeating the nationalists once and for all.
The PLA planned a landing at Guningtou Beach, located in the northwest of Kinmen. But due to poor planning, underestimated resistance, insufficient equipment, and a few coincidences, the attack failed. In fact, the battle ended in a decisive KMT victory. There was no invasion of Taiwan afterward either. You can see the beach in my video about the history of Kinmen.
The Next Battle of Kinmen (1950): Attack on Dadan Island
Chiang Kai-shek continued to rule Taiwan and had no intention of accepting the status quo. His famous words at the time were:
“Prepare for one year, counterattack in two years, sweep out the enemy in three years, and succeed within five years.”
However, the PLA had no intention of waiting that long. In 1950, about 700 PLA soldiers attempted to attack Dadan Island, a small island belonging to Kinmen County. Dadan measures only 0.79 km², but roughly 300 KMT soldiers were stationed there, and they successfully repelled the attack.
You can see the Dadan Island in my first video about Xiao Kinmen, in case you want to see the place on film. Though this was the smallest battle discussed in this article, it is still another entry in the list of battles fought around Kinmen Island. After 1950 China and Taiwan realizid there is no quick victory. While the KMT failed to invade or even attack China ever again, they succeeded in turning independent country. Yes, I said it ( -10 points on my social credit score in China).
The Taiwanese Straight Crisis of 1954 – The First Artillery Battle of Kinmen
In 1950 the Korean War broke out. The United States recognized Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist (Kuomintang) government as the sole legitimate government for all of China. Truman also orderder the US Navy to cease all air and sea operations against the Chinese mainland. So for a couple of years the red guards and the KMT did not dare to attempt any more attacks.
However, the succedng US president Eisenhower lifted the Navy blockade in order to fulfill demands by anticommunists to “unleash Chiang Kai-shek” on mainland in 1953. The nationalist leader was still committed to overtaking China. I am not sure if anyone in the US believed he could succeed, but it was the year of Joseph Stalin’s death and the Korean Armistice Agreement. Why not allow the KMT to fight communism once again.
In 1954, the Nationalists placed 58,000 troops on Kinmen and 15,000 troops on Matsu. The ROC began building defensive structures such as the Jiugong Tunnel and the Zhaishan Tunnel. Things got more heated and the the PRC began shelling ROC installations on Kinmen with artillery. China did not attempt to land on Kinmen this time, but the artillery fire did kill two American military advisers on the island.
Mao Zedong sought to avoid United States involvement. Finally Eisenhower threatened to use nuclear weapons against PRC military targets. Things calmed down and after two years of negotiations with the United States some issues could be solverd. But there was no agreement on the statues of Taiwan. BTW: Today, there are in fact US troops in Kinmen once again.
The August 23rd Artillery Battle During the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis
If there was a first artillery battle of Kinmen, you might have guessed there was also a second. In August 1958, Chinese Communist forces and Taiwanese troops clashed near Dongding Island. If you look at the map, this is the southernmost point of Kinmen County. Taiwan saw the incident as an attempt by the communists to land on the island. The Nationalists opened fire on the approaching Chinese boats.
Thus, on August 23, 1958, the People’s Republic of China launched a massive artillery bombardment, firing over 40,000 shells into Kinmen in just the first few hours. The shelling continued for 44 days, with an average of more than 10,000 rounds per day. For more details on the “823 Artillery Battle,” check out my video about the Mountain Lion Howitzer Front.
Thanks to the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Republic of China, Taiwan maintained the upper hand. The U.S. provided modern military equipment such as missiles, ships, and jets. Facing a stalemate, the Communist Chinese government announced a unilateral ceasefire on October 6, 1958.
Summary: Too Many Battles of Kinmen
The 823 Artillery Battle, or August 23rd Artillery Battle of 1958, is often referred to as the Battle of Kinmen. In Taiwan, it is seen as a symbol of national resilience and a testament to the ROC’s defense of its islands. In I took part in the remembernance walk in my Kinmen Travel Guide video, for example.
As mentioned before, I personally tend to see the Battle of Guningtou as the Battle of Kinmen. Maybe because I am a foreigner. The fact is, Kinmen has seen plenty of conflict. It is good that the island is peaceful today. However, as you will see in my video about the Mashan Outpost, the military still maintains a presence. Also, there are US Troops on Kinmen Island.
P.S.: Most of the shells used to make the famous Kinmen Knives were fired during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis. Thanks so much for reading. Have a looking at my page about traveling in Taiwan. Also, follow me on Facebook or Instagram.
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3 responses to “What Is the Battle of Kinmen?”
[…] During the First Taiwan Strait Crisis, two US military consultants were killed when China shelled Kinmen with artillery in 1954. Fortunately, it is no longer under attack. I wrote about this in my article on the Battle of Kinmen. […]
[…] mainland China and Taiwan. For more about China between 1912 and 1949, check out my article on the Battle of Kinmen. Although Japan did occupy Kinmen from 1937 to 1945 during World War II, the island never […]
[…] led to the Battle of Guningtou, also known as the Battle of Kinmen, in 1949. The PLA quickly mobilized around 19,000 soldiers to take the island in two waves. They […]