Enter the Dragon: Chinese Invasion
of Tibet continues..

On the morning of 7th October 1950, troops of the Chinese PLA’s 18th Corps of the 2nd Field Army under General Liu Bocheng crossed the Upper Yangtse River in a three direction attack against the larger western part of Tibet’s eastern province of Kham.

Approximately 40,000 well-trained and disciplined Chinese troops went into the attack .The fighting formations available to Deng and Liu were the three divisions of the 18th Corps, and the 133rd Division of the 46th Corps.It was more than adequate for the task in hand: the capture and takeover of western Kham.

The attack was divided into three main thrust
lines; one in the centre towards Chamdo via the main Tibetan border post at Gamdo Druga, a northern thrust towards Jyekundo, and a southern thrust from Lithang. Each of the thrust-lines had been divided into two prongs for the initial crossing of the de facto border, the Yangtse River. The northern force crossed the Yangtse near Dengko and advanced towards Jyekundo. Along the central thrust, the Gamdo Druga position put a fierce resistance, but was overwhelmed by sheer numbers, as in the PLA’s attacks in Korea.

Other retreating Tibetan troops were overtaken by the hard-marching Chinese pursuit and decimated at Kyuhung. The southern thrust crossed the Yangtse at Batang and soon surrounded the Markham garrison of 400, forcing it to surrender. Within five days the frontier garrisons of the Tibetans had all fallen, and the few Tibetan depth locations, with their local sector headquarters, were either overrun or had surrendered to the vastly superior Chinese strength. The way to Chamdo lay open.

To be continued...