First Encirclement Campaign against Jiangxi Soviet The First Encirclement Campaign ( ) against Jiangxi Soviet was a series of battles launched by the Chinese Nationalist Government intended to annihilate the Chinese Red Army , and destroy the Chinese Soviet Republic . The communists later responded with the First Counter - Encirclement Campaign at Central Soviet ( ) , also called by the communists as the First Counter - Encirclement Campaign at Central Revolutionary Base ( ) , in which the Red Army successfully defended the Soviet Republic in the southern Jiangxi province against Nationalist attacks from November 1930 to January 3 , 1931 . Prelude . The planning of the campaign was already in process in mid August 1930 , as Chiang Kai - shek had directed He Yingqing , the commander of Wuhan headquarters , to hold a conference at Hankou on how to suppress the communists in Hunan , Hubei and Jiangxi provinces . A decision was made to concentrate on military rather than political strategies , and to launch multiple attacks on the main communist base in Jiangxi Soviet . The plan was temporarily interrupted by the Central Plains War , but when Chiang ’ s victory in this theatre was certain by October 1930 , he immediately redeployed his troops in preparation for engaging the communists . Nationalist strategy planned for the 1st phase . Chiang Kai - shek appointed the nationalist Jiangxi provincial governor and commander of the 9th Route Army , Lu Diping to organize the nationalist troops for redeployment . On November 2 , 1930 , Lu Diping mobilized the nationalist troops , totalling 7 division s and 1 brigade into 3 column s , with reinforcements in the form of Chiang Kai - shek ' s troops from Hunan . The 19th Route Army departed from Wuhan by October 20 , 1930 . Lu Diping set a deadline of November 5 , 1930 , by which time the nationalist troops were to reach their designated deployment areas . Formations . The nationalists totalled over 100 , 000 men and planned to crush the communists in the Linjiang region . Communist strategy planned for the 1st phase . The communists originally disagreed on how to defend Jiangxi Soviet . In numerous debates , many supported the strategy of using the majority of the 40 , 000 strong Chinese Red Army to strike Nanchang and Jiujiang , in order to force the nationalists onto the defensive , thus abandoning the encirclement campaign . However , the general commissar of the Chinese Red Army , Mao Zedong opposed the idea , arguing that the numerically and technically inferior communist army was in no position to conduct an ambitious invasion into nationalist territory . Instead , it was decided that the communists should fight the enemy within Jiangxi Soviet itself , with the hope that the native population would support them . Mao Zedong finally prevailed and on October 30 , 1930 at the Luofang Conference , it was agreed that the Chinese Red Army should cross the Gan River and defeat the enemy on the eastern shore . First phase . Zhu De , the commander - in - chief of the Chinese Red Army , led the 3rd Legion , together with Mao . The 4th Army and the 12th Army of the 1st Legion crossed the Gan River , moving eastward to Xingan , Eternal Abundance , Chongren , and Yihuang , allowing the nationalists to occupy Qingjiang , Xingquan , Yellow Earth Street , Luofang , Xinyu , and Fenyi by early November 1930 . Only the 3rd Army of the Chinese Red Army remained in the former communist region to harass the enemy , using guerrilla warfare , while Mao and Zhu De moved their troops toward Zhangshu and Linchuan . Fearing Zhangshu and Linchuan would be lost to the communists , Lu Diping ordered the 3rd Column to continue the attack on the western shore of Gan River , while the 1st and the 2nd Columns crossed the Gan River in pursuit of the major communist force . After crossing the Gan , the nationalists succeeded in taking Xingquan , Chongren , Southern Town , Southern Abundance , Jishui , Lukou , Oil Field , Donggu and Dragon Hill by mid November 1930 . From November 18 – 20 , the nationalists took Ji ' an , Jishui , Eternal Abundance , Yuean , Yihuang and Southern Town . By early December , the nationalist force was overstretched and halted their offensives to regroup and re - supply . Meanwhile , the communists planned their next move and also regrouped and re - supplied , first at Yellow Slope , Little Cloth and Luokou , and then moved to Pingtian , Firewood Gathering Hill , and Anfuyu by mid December . At the same time , the 20th Army of the Chinese Red Army acted as decoy in the Rich Field , Donggu and Dragon Hill regions to distract the enemy . A Communist counter - attack defeated the Nationalist force and drove them back . A stalemate ensued , with both sides using this period to plan and prepare for the next phase . Kuomintang strategy planned for the second phase . Chiang Kai - shek reached Nanchang in early December 1930 . He took the command and ordered the nationalist forces to attack Donggu in mid December . More nationalist troops were mobilized , with the 19th Route Army from Wuhan joining the battle , and the 49th Division , 56th Division and 2nd Independent Brigade attacking from Fujian . The nationalist forces by then had been boosted to a total of 11 divisions and two brigades , totalling more than 100 , 000 men . Lu Diping was named as Chiang ' s deputy , while Zhang Huizan , the commander of the 18th Division , was promoted to front line commander - in - chief . The Kuomintang troops slowly began their push towards their objectives . Communist strategy planned for the 2nd phase . The communists held a conference at Yellow Slope of Ningdu county in mid December 1930 to discuss their next move . Because of the inferiority in equipment suffered by the communists , Mao decided to concentrate his troops together , hoping to outnumber opposing forces during engagements . Smaller local communist forces would take advantage of the landscape to engage in guerilla warfare , in order to slow down enemy units and prevent them from linking up and reinforcing . Mao ’ s idea was accepted , and the 35th Division of the 12th Army of the Chinese Red Army was sent to the Yue Creek region nort - heast of Xingguo county to distract the enemy , while the main force was concentrated at Yellow Slope and Matian in preparation for the coming battle . Second phase . The stalemate ended on December 16 , 1930 when the nationalists began the 2nd phase of their offensive . The 5th Division ( later renamed the 28th Division ) and the 18th Division reached Donggu on December 19 and December 20 respectively . However , heavy fog and poor communication prevented adequate coordination between the nationalist forces and the divisions mistook one another for the enemy , with both using artillery against the other . It was not until December 21 when the fog dissipated that the nationalists realized their mistakes , and by this time both sides had suffered hundreds of casualties . From December 24 – 28 , the communist forces managed to halt most of the nationalist advance : After the initial setback , the nationalist 50th Division continued their push , reaching River Origin , and prepared to take Little Cloth . Realising this , the communists attempted an ambush of the nationalist 50th Division twice , once on December 25 , and again two days later . Both attempts failed – the nationalist troops refused to be drawn from their fortified positions on River Origin . The communists were forced to withdraw . Third phase . On December 28 , 1930 , Lu Diping ordered the five nationalist divisions within the heart of Jiangxi Soviet to launch a general offensive toward the Yellow Slope , Little Cloth and Matian regions north of Ningdu . The nationalist 18th Division , under the command of Zhang Huizan , pushed toward Dragon Hill from Donggu . The communists attempted to incite local militia to stop the nationalist 50th Division at River Origin , the nationalist 24th Division at Luokou and the nationalist 8th Division at Head Slope , with the main force engaging the 18th Division . On December 29 , as the Chinese Red Army was on its way , the news of the fall of Dragon Hill to the nationalist 18th Division reached the communists . They devised a plan to trap the advancing nationalists with a pincer manoeuvre . Fourth phase . On the morning of December 30 , 1930 , the 18th Division of the nationalist 9th Route Army began their push toward Five Gates Ridge from Dragon Hill , headed by the 52nd brigade . Around 09 : 00 , the most important battle of the First Counter Encirclement Campaign began at Short Separation , east of Dragon Hill , with elements of the Chinese Red Army firing the first shot . The first major battle . By noon of December 30 , the entire 3rd Legion of the Chinese Red Army was engaged in the battle . Zhang Huizan , the commander of nationalist 18th Division , only devoted two more regiments in support of his 52nd brigade , under the mistaken belief that the enemy forces he had encountered were merely guerillas . By 15 : 00 , Zhang Huizan was leading the charge of four regiments to clear the communist resistance , but was driven back . Taking advantage of this , the 4th Army and part of the 3rd Legion of the Chinese Red Army moved to cut off the nationalist 18th Division from Donggu and Yinfu , attacking Dragon Hill from behind . The majority of the 3rd Legion of the Chinese Red Army took Shanggu , cutting off the escape route of the nationalist 18th Division at Dragon Hill , and preventing any nationalist reinforcement from the north - west . Realising they were trapped , morale amongst the nationalist ranks plummeted as they attempted an escape . By 16 : 00 , the encirclement of the nationalist 18th Division was complete and the nationalist attempt to escape toward the north - west had been beaten back . The nationalist army quickly became disorganised , and by this point Zhang Huizan had insufficient control of his forces to arrange an orderly retreat or muster any counter - attack . He was eventually taken prisoner by the communist forces . By 18 : 00 the battle was over , the entire nationalist division having been wiped out . Consequences . The complete destruction of the 18th Division of the nationalist 9th Route Army marked the immediate end of the nationalist assaults . The five nationalist divisions deep inside Jiangxi Soviet immediately started to retreat towards nationalist positions . Fifth phase . The 50th Division of the nationalist 9th Route Army became the communists ' next target as it began its retreat toward Dongshao from Southern Regiment on January 2 , 1931 . The communist leaders decided on the same day to pursue the enemy in three directions : The headquarters of the Chinese Red Army would move forward to Longtan to command the upcoming battle . The second major battle . On January 3 , 1931 , communist forces on the left and in the center reached Dongshao and commenced their attack , succeeding in driving the enemy from Dongshao by 15 : 00 . However , the communist force on the right failed to reach the battlefield , resulting in the successful escape of part of the nationalist force . Consequences . The battle of Dongshao was the second important battle during the First Counter Encirclement Campaign . The communist victory marked the beginning of a general retreat by the nationalists , thus abandoning all of the regions newly gained during the campaign – the communist campaign had succeeded . Outcome . The communist victory decimated four nationalist brigades totalling more than 15 , 000 troops , capturing more than 12 , 000 guns and artillery pieces . The success of the communist campaign marked the Chinese Red Army ’ s transition from guerrilla warfare to mobile and conventional warfare , setting the pattern for the next three successful counter encirclement campaigns .