Ningxia Campaign (1949)

The Ningxia Campaign was a military campaign fought between the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the Nationalist forces of the Republic of China (ROC) in late 1949, during the final stages of the Chinese Civil War. The campaign focused on securing control of the Ningxia province, a strategically important region in Northwest China.

The campaign was primarily conducted by the PLA's First Field Army, under the command of General Peng Dehuai. The Nationalist forces defending Ningxia were remnants of the Ma Clique, a group of Hui Muslim warlords who had historically controlled the region and maintained a degree of autonomy from the central government. Key figures in the Ma Clique forces included Ma Hongkui and Ma Hongbin.

The PLA launched its offensive into Ningxia in September 1949, following victories in neighboring provinces like Gansu. The Nationalist forces, already demoralized and weakened by previous defeats, put up resistance, but were ultimately unable to withstand the PLA's superior numbers and firepower. Key battles were fought around the provincial capital of Yinchuan.

By late December 1949, the PLA had successfully captured Yinchuan and most of the remaining Nationalist strongholds in Ningxia. Ma Hongkui fled to Taiwan, while other Ma Clique leaders surrendered or were captured. The Ningxia Campaign marked the complete Communist takeover of the province and further consolidated their control over Northwest China. The campaign had a significant impact on the region, leading to land reform, the incorporation of Ningxia into the People's Republic of China, and the eventual establishment of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.