天津解放

1949年1月，辽沈、淮海战役之后，平津战役展开。
从1949年1月3日起，解放军经过10天的战斗，迅速扫清了天津外围敌人的18处据点，歼灭守军近5000人，形成了对天津的紧密包围。
1949年1月14日上午10时，在守城国民党军队毫无和平解放之意的形势下，天津前线指挥部司令员刘亚楼，下达了向天津守军发起总攻的命令。解放军以34万兵力，从东、南、西3个方面，同时向市区猛攻。三十八军、三十九军2个军配备炮兵、战车，共9个师的兵力，作为第一主攻方向。上午11时25分，二十八军一三三师三三七、三三九团，冲入城防，二十九军一一五师三四三团和一一七师三四九团，在和平门北部城垣打开缺口，与敌六二军林伟涛部，展开西营门争夺战。下午1时半，三四三团越过缺口，攻破和平门、西营门，由西往东进击。

·1949年1月15日金汤桥会师

四十四军、四十五军2个军配备炮兵、战车，共8个师兵力，为第二主攻方向。上午10时半，四十四军一三○师三八八团和一三二师三九四团，突破东局子方面城防。11时，强渡护城河，突破守军防线。下午1时，在民族门与敌八十六军刘云输部，进行激战。下午4时，巩固并扩大战果。四十五军一三五师四○三团，经过激烈搏斗，在上午10时55分，突破民权门缺口。后又遭守军炮击20余次； 到下午3时，突破口失而复得。下午5时，东面攻城部队在打开民权门、民族门之后，分4路由东向西进击，相继歼灭市区东部之敌。
四十六军一三七师、四十九军一四五师，突破津南的尖山突破口，粉碎守军，在15日凌晨1时，巩固扩大了突破口，向市区北部进击。另有一部兵力，阻击大沽方向可能西援之敌。为了配合保障主攻方向的行动，牵制敌人，我军一五八师从宜兴埠向民生门佯攻，一五二师向候家屯佯攻，一五七师由崔家码头向市区佯攻。四十三军一二八师在完成吸引守军主力任务后，从西面向市区进攻。
攻城部队在城防线上打开11个缺口后，在逐街逐屋争夺的巷战中，穿插进击。经过激烈的战斗，敌人不得不向第一线防御阵地金汤桥靠拢。金汤桥附近是敌军守卫的重点地段，碉堡林立，工事坚固，是敌我双方争夺最为激烈的地方。

·中国人民解放军解放天津

解放军东、西方向的两个主攻部队，经过18个小时的激战，于15日凌晨5时半，按计划在金汤桥胜利会师。至此，完成了分割守军，打通市区东西走廊，拦腰斩断守军整个防御体系的最主要任务，从而使敌军陷于一片混乱之中。值得说明的是，解放军在金汤桥会师之时，遗憾的是没有摄下会师的壮观照片。现在标志会师的照片，是在解放桥拍摄的。
15日上午8时，解放军攻占海光寺； 10时，进攻守军总指挥机关天津警备司令部。指战员们冲进地下空，活捉了天津守军司令、中将陈长捷和副司令、少将秋宗鼎等7名将、校官员，并迫使陈长捷下达“立即投降” 的命令。在攻占敌司令部的战斗中，共歼敌千余人； 中国人民解放军的400名英雄儿女，也为此献出了宝贵的生命。15日中午，解放军又攻占了国民党天津市政府。下午3时许，东、南、西3路攻城部队，在耀华中学大会师。
天津战役开始之时，国民党军队占领了耀华中学，有一个炮兵营3000余敌军盘踞在这里。解放军主攻部队为了打掉这个据点，从四面八方包围了敌军，后又进攻到耀华中学校内，同守军短兵相接，逐楼逐屋地激战达3个小时，活捉敌九十四军军长饶启尧，四十三师师长王治熙、副师长余和、师参谋长徐奇春以下2600人。此时，踞守在市区北部的敌军，已完全陷于绝境，只有放下武器向解放军投降。
整个天津战役历经29个小时。解放军伤亡2.3万人，全歼守军2个军、10个师、4个特种兵团和非正规军警备旅、保安团等13.1万人。
1949年1月15日下午，天津全部解放，胜利的红旗飘扬在海河上空。同日，中国人民解放军天津市(区)军事管制委员会成立，黄克诚任主任，谭政、黄敬任副主任； 天津市人民政府成立，黄敬任市长、张友渔任副市长。
From January 3,1949,the PLA quickly annihilated 18strongholds of the enemies outside Tianjin and almost5000 soldiers of KMT in 10 days and formed a closesurrounding of Tianjin.
At 10 O`clock on January 14,1949,seeing thatthere was no possibility of peaceful liberation,thecommander of Tianjin campaign,Liu Yalou,issued theorder of general offensive. The PLA of 0.34 millionstarted fierce attack on the city simultaneously in threedirections,the east,the south and the west. The 38thand 39th armies equipped with artillery and tanksassembled forces of nine divisions and started attack asthe first main attack direction. At 11:25,the 337th and339th Regiments of the 133rd Division of the 28th armybroke the city defense. The 349th regiment of the 117thDivision and the 343 Regiment of 115 Division in the29th army breached the north city wall of Heping gateand fought for Xiying gate with the 62nd army of KMTcommanded by Lin Weitao.At 13:30,343 Regiment gotHeping and Xiying gates and moved from west to east.
The 44th and the 45th armies were equipped withartillery and tanks and of eight divisions. They were thesecond main force. At 10:30,388th Regiment of 130thDivision and 394th Regiment of 132nd Division of the44th army broke through the defense of Dongjuzi. At11:00,they passed the river of city defense and brokedown the enemy`s defense line. At 13:00,they foughtfiercely with Liu Yushu`s 86th army. At 16:00,therewere more achievements. At 10:55,the 403rd Regimentof 135th Division of the 45th army broke throughMinquan gate,which was shelled by the enemies. At15:00,the position was gained again. At 17:00,the eastarmy was divided into four forces after the breakdownof Minquan gate and Minzu gate to annihilate the enemyin the east city.
The 137th Division of the 46th army and the 145thDivision of the 49th army broke down Jianshan in thesouth city. At 1:00 of 15,they gained more achievementsand marched to the north city. Another force prepared tointercept the aid army from the west. To co-operate withthe main force,the 158th Division pretended to attackMinsheng gate from Yixingfu; the 152nd Division,Houjiatun; and the 157th Division,from Cuijia port todowntown.the 128th Division of the 43rd army attackedthe city from the west after it attracted the enemy`s mainforce.
The PLA entered the cities by 11 breakthroughs.The lane fight was fierce. The enemies had to retreatto the first defense line of Jintang Bridge,which wastheir focus of defense with numerous blockhouses andblindages.
The east and west main forces of PLA joinedtogether at Jitang Bridge at 5:30 of 15 according to theplan after 18-hour fight. The main task of dividing thedefense army and get through the city by interceptingthe enemy`s defense system was finished. The enemywas in chaos. It needs to point out that there was nopicture of joining forces at Jintang Bridge. The pictureof joining forces was taken at Jiefang Bridge.
At 8:00,15,the PLA occupied Haiguang Temple.At 10:00,the PLA attacked Tianjin Guard Headquarter,the commanding building of the defense army. ChenChangjie (the commander and lieutenant general),QiuZongding (Deputy Commander and major general)and5 other high-level officials were caught. Chen Changjiewas forced to order his army to "surrender at once".About 1000 enemy soldiers were killed. The PLA lostabout 400 soldiers. At noon of 15,the PLA occupiedTianjin municipal building of Kuomintang. At 15:00,the east,south and west forces joined together atYaohua Middle School.
When Tianjin campaign began,the Kuomingtangarmy occupied Yaohua Middle School. Its artillerybarrack of 3000 soldiers were stationed here. The PLAmain force besieged the fortified point and entered theschool. After the 3-hour fight,Rao Qirao (commanderof the 94th army),Wang Zhixi (commander of the 43rddivision),Yu He (deputy commander),Xu Qichun (chiefof staff) and 2600 soldiers were caught. The enemies inthe north city was in trouble,which had no choice butsurrender.
The Tianjin Campaign lasted for 29 hours. Thecasualties of the PLA were 23,000. They annihilated131,000 soldiers of two armies,10 divisions,4 specialcorps,informal guard brigade,and public securitycorps.
In the afternoon of January 15,1949,Tianjinwas liberated. The red flag was flying above the HaiheRiver. On the same day,Tianjin Military Committeeof the PLA was founded. Huang Kecheng was theDirector-general; and Tan Zheng and Huang Jing,Deputy Director-generals. Tianjin People`s governmentwas also founded. Huang Jing was the Mayor; andZhang Youyu,Deputy Mayor.

·突破民权门的部分东面主攻部队的勇士