Huaihai Campaign
During World War II, the Battle of Taierzhuang took place in Tengzhou. In the Chinese Civil War, it was the scene of the Huaihai Campaign. The area is relatively impoverished when compared to the rest of Jiangsu Province. In October 2007, when its party secretary Li Lianyu returned as a delegate from the 17th Party Congress, the entire city was mobilized to greet him in an unprecedented display, drawing immense criticism.