Miracle campaign: The liberation of Hainan Island

Sun Zhongji, former head of the CPC history research office of the CPC committee of Chengmai county, tells the war story of Fengmenling Hill. [Photo by Ma Zhiping/ chinadaily.com.cn]

Surrounded by a pine forest about 1 kilometer north of Tancheng village of Laocheng in Chengmai county at the northern part of Hainan, a monument and tomb commemorate the Fengmenling revolutionary martyrs.

On April 21, in the blocking battle at Fengmenling Hill which was 105 meters high, the Kuomintang troops discharged thousands of shells at the 105 highland held by more than 200 soldiers from the 43rd Army. KMT planes dropped more than 600 bombs, which peeled off more than 1 meter of the hill. The company of PLA soldiers repulsed the KMT army's successive attacked 13 times, killing more than 500 and injuring more than 1,300. The PLA also attacked one plane, said Sun Zhongji, former head of the CPC history research office of the Chengmai CPC county committee.

"Relying on undaunted heroism and fighting spirit, 13 PLA soldiers survived the battle and persisted to the final victory, which played an important role in helping annihilate the enemy at Huangzhu and Meiting, two strategic positions for the KMT's troops," Sun said.

The PLA troops marched on from north to south with determined steps. On May 1, 1950, Hainan was liberated, and five-star red national flags were raised at Tianyahaijiao, the southernmost tip of the tropical island, now popularly known as China's Hawaii.