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Below are some of the major battles fought between ROC and PRC forces on Quemoy.
Following the fall of mainland China to the Chinese communists and the subseqent establishment of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949, the government of the Republic of China under Chiang Kai-shek began withdrawing its forces from the mainland to Taiwan. However, ROC garrisons remained stationed on the islands of Quemoy and Matsu, located off the coast of Fujian Province.
At around 2AM on October 25, 1949, roughly 9,000 to 10,000 People's Liberation Army troops landed on Quemoy near Kuningtou (古寧頭) and Lungtou (龍頭). Upon landing the PLA forces continued to advance inland leaving one group to guard the beachhead. However, due to a failure to account for the low tide, the PLA landing vessels became beached and were unable to return to the mainland to transport the second wave of reenforcements.
The advancing PLA forces were met by the ROC 18th Army, and ROC US-made M5A1 tanks. Meanwhile ROC naval and air support destroyed the beached PLA landing craft, trapping the PLA troops on Quemoy. After fierce fighting, the remaining PLA troops were surrounded at the beachhead at Kuningtou and surrendered to ROC forces in the afternoon of October 28. Of the 9,000 PLA troops that landed on Quemoy, roughly half were killed during the fighting while the remainder were taken prisoner.
The defeat of the PLA at Kuningtou halted the PRC advance towards Taiwan. With the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 and the signing of the US-ROC Mutual Defense Treaty, the PRC's plans for the "liberation" of Taiwan were effectively put on hold.
Due to its defeat, the Battle of Kuningtou was not widely publicized in the PRC until recently with the publication of articles within the PLA examining reasons for its failure. The battle is seen as being highly significant in Taiwan as it laid the foundation for the current status quo between China and Taiwan. Taiwan Vice-President Annette Lu is quoted as having said that "At the Battle of Kuningtou, the two sides of the strait became two countries" (古寧頭大戰，兩岸變兩國).
At 5:30PM on Auguest 23, 1958, PLA forces began an intense artillery bombardment of the Quemoy. ROC forces in Quemoy dug in and returned fire, with non-combat support from the US. In the subsequent bombardment roughly 400 ROC troops were killed and an unknown number on the PRC side.
This situation continued for 44 days and eventually settled into a stalemate. The PRC called a unilateral ceasefire on October 6 at the urging of the Soviet Union.
Eventually, both sides would settle upon a routine of bombarding each other every other day with shells containing propaganda leaflets. ROC troops on Quemoy continued constructing tunnels, bunkers, and other underground facilities. Commandos (often known as 水鬼, or "water ghosts" by ROC troops) were sent by both sides to conduct sabatoge or attack lone sentries. The bombardment finally ended in 1979 with the establishment of formal diplomatic ties between the United States and the PRC.
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