Topzle Topzle

Operation Beleaguer

Updated: Wikipedia source

Operation Beleaguer

Operation Beleaguer was the codename for the United States Marine Corps' occupation of northeastern China's Hebei and Shandong provinces from 1945 until 1949. The Marines were tasked with overseeing the repatriation of more than 600,000 Japanese and Koreans that remained in China at the end of World War II. During the four-year occupation, American forces engaged in several skirmishes with the People's Liberation Army while successfully evacuating thousands of foreign nationals. The United States government attempted to mediate a peace treaty between the opposing Nationalist and Communist factions but was unsuccessful. The Marines departed Northern China in June 1949 a few months before the communists won the Chinese Civil War and took control of mainland China.

Infobox

Date
10 August 1945 – 7 December 1949
Location
Hebei and Shandong provinces, China
Result
US repatriates Japanese and Korean citizens from northern China but is unsuccessful in helping the Nationalist government retake territory in China previously held by Japan: 200-201 : 291-292

Tables

· Operations › American casualties
Near Tianjin
Near Tianjin
Action
Near Tianjin
Date
October 6, 1945
Killed
0
Wounded
3
Unit
1st Marines
Near Tangshan
Near Tangshan
Action
Near Tangshan
Date
October 19, 1945
Killed
0
Wounded
2
Unit
7th Marines
Near Beijing
Near Beijing
Action
Near Beijing
Date
October 23, 1945
Killed
0
Wounded
1
Unit
5th Marines
Near Anshan
Near Anshan
Action
Near Anshan
Date
December 4, 1945
Killed
1
Wounded
1
Unit
7th Marines
Tianjin
Tianjin
Action
Tianjin
Date
December 9, 1945
Killed
0
Wounded
1
Near Tangshan
Near Tangshan
Action
Near Tangshan
Date
January 15, 1946
Killed
0
Wounded
2
Unit
5th Marines
Near Lutai
Near Lutai
Action
Near Lutai
Date
April 7, 1946
Killed
1
Wounded
0
Near Tanggu
Near Tanggu
Action
Near Tanggu
Date
May 5, 1946
Killed
0
Wounded
1
Unit
5th Marines
Lutai
Lutai
Action
Lutai
Date
May 7, 1946
Killed
0
Wounded
1
Unit
7th Marines
Near Tianjin
Near Tianjin
Action
Near Tianjin
Date
May 21, 1946
Killed
1
Wounded
1
Unit
1st Marines
Tanggu
Tanggu
Action
Tanggu
Date
July 2, 1946
Killed
0
Wounded
1
Anping
Anping
Action
Anping
Date
July 29, 1946
Killed
4
Wounded
11
Unit
11th Marines
Xinhe
Xinhe
Action
Xinhe
Date
October 3, 1946
Killed
0
Wounded
1
Unit
1st Marines
Xinhe
Xinhe
Action
Xinhe
Date
April 4–5, 1947
Killed
5
Wounded
17
Unit
1st Marines
Near Tianjin
Near Tianjin
Action
Near Tianjin
Date
December 25, 1947
Killed
1
Wounded
0
Action
Date
Killed
Wounded
Unit
Near Tianjin
October 6, 1945
0
3
1st Marines
Near Tangshan
October 19, 1945
0
2
7th Marines
Near Beijing
October 23, 1945
0
1
5th Marines
Near Anshan
December 4, 1945
1
1
7th Marines
Tianjin
December 9, 1945
0
1
Near Tangshan
January 15, 1946
0
2
5th Marines
Near Lutai
April 7, 1946
1
0
Near Tanggu
May 5, 1946
0
1
5th Marines
Lutai
May 7, 1946
0
1
7th Marines
Near Tianjin
May 21, 1946
1
1
1st Marines
Tanggu
July 2, 1946
0
1
Anping
July 29, 1946
4
11
11th Marines
Xinhe
October 3, 1946
0
1
1st Marines
Xinhe
April 4–5, 1947
5
17
1st Marines
Near Tianjin
December 25, 1947
1
0

References

  1. Technically, the Communist forces would not use the name of the "People's Liberation Army" until February 1947.
  2. The IJN included many Koreans among its ranks, as Korea was a Japanese colony
  3. China’s Foreign Policy and Practice: A Survey
  4. Small Wars, Big Data: The Information Revolution in Modern Conflict
  5. "The United States Marines in North China, 1945-1949"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20130322034516/http://www.scuttlebuttsmallchow.com/northchina.html
  6. "When World War II really ended: The Antrim Review: Local News"
    https://archive.today/20130703044437/http://www.antrimreview.net/local_news/article_613f9abc-0566-11e1-bad4-001a4bcf6878.html
  7. "Casualties: U.S. Navy and Marine Corps"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20070605234857/http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq56-1.htm
  8. Semper fidelis: the history of the United States Marine Corps
  9. "Operation BELEAGUER: The Marine III Amphibious Corps in North China, 1945-1949: Marine Corps Gazette"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20130312161729/http://www.mca-marines.org/gazette/operation-beleaguer-marine-iii-amphibious-corps-north-china-1945-49
  10. "af.mil"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20130213052335/http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/usmchist/nochina.txt
  11. New Fourth Army: Communist Resistance Along the Yangtze and the Huai, 1938-1941
    https://books.google.com/books?id=ayLTpS8iujQC
  12. Zarrow, Peter Gue. (2005). China in War and Revolution, 1895–1949. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-36447-7. p. 338.
  13. Treading Softly: U. S. Marines in China, 1819-1949
Image
Source: —
Tip: Wheel or +/− to zoom, drag to pan, Esc to close.