Zhang Zhen
On June 12, 1946, the nationalist Reorganized 27th Division and two brigades of the nationalist Reorganized 1st Division had pushed to Wenxi (闻喜), Water Head Town (Shui Tou Zhen, 水头镇), Embankment Palm Town (Yan Zhang Zhen, 堰掌镇), and Summer (Xia, 夏) County, and the nationalist advance guard had penetrated over 70 km into the communist dominated areas. On July 13, 1946, the communist 4th Column of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region concentrated two brigades to besiege the 31st Brigade of the nationalist Reorganized 27th Division, while the rest of the troops were deployed to stop the nationalist reinforcement. By July 14, 1946, the 31st Brigade of the nationalist Reorganized 27th Division was completely annihilated at Embankment Palm Town (Yan Zhang Zhen, 堰掌镇) and the Town of Hu and Zhang (Hu Zhang Zhen, 胡张镇) regions. In the meantime, the nationalist reinforcement of the nationalist Reorganized 1st Division from Wenxi (闻喜) and Water Head Town (Shui Tou Zhen, 水头镇) to reinforce their besieged comrades-in-arms was also ambushed on its way and was forced to retreat.