Nine Favorite Nationalist Army Captures of the People's Liberation Army During the War of Liberation.

During the War of Liberation, the Nationalist Army was mockingly referred to by the People's Liberation Army as the "logistics corps." At that time, the Nationalist Army was well-equipped but plagued by internal negativity and war-weariness, which significantly weakened its combat effectiveness. As a result, the PLA often captured the Nationalist Army's high-quality food, supplies, and advanced weaponry. Among the many captured items, nine were particularly favored by the PLA.

1.M3A1 Submachine Gun
After the War of Resistance Against Japan, some elite units of the Nationalist Army began to adopt American equipment, including the American-made M3A1 submachine gun. The original M3 model was introduced in 1942 and produced by an American automobile company to address the shortage of Thompson submachine guns during World War II. By 1944, the improved and more refined M3A1 model was developed.

To reduce costs and facilitate mass production, the M3A1, much like the British Sten, was an extremely simple submachine gun. Its entire receiver was welded from a single steel pipe, while the remaining components were made through metal stamping. Due to its striking resemblance to a grease gun used for lubricating cars, American soldiers nicknamed it the "Grease Gun" or "Butter Gun."

The M3A1 submachine gun fires the 11.43×23mm pistol cartridge, utilizes a 30-round detachable magazine, and has an effective range of 200 meters. Although its theoretical rate of fire was only 450 rounds per minute, it was still an automatic weapon, making it highly sought after in China at the time.

After the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Nationalist government began importing the M3A1 submachine gun and also initiated its local production. During the War of Liberation, the Nationalist Army widely adopted the M3A1, primarily equipping officer guard units, personal bodyguards, communication personnel, and other technical units.

At the time, a significant number of these submachine guns were captured by the People's Liberation Army on the battlefield. Their simple design made them highly favored among PLA soldiers. Even during the Korean War in the 1950s, many M3A1 submachine guns continued to be used by the Chinese People's Volunteers.

2. M1 Carbine
Towards the later stages of the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Nationalist government began importing the M1 Carbine, primarily equipping the American-equipped divisions of the Central Army. It was issued to frontline commanders, vehicle operators, officer guard units, and other technical personnel.

The firearm was also introduced during World War II and began equipping the U.S. military in 1941. It can be considered one of the earliest personal defense weapons. Unlike standard American rifles of the time, the M1 Carbine fires the 7.62×33mm short cartridge, which places its power and range between that of a pistol and a rifle. It is equipped with a 15-round detachable magazine.

Additionally, the M1 Carbine is more compact and lighter than traditional rifles, with an overall length of approximately 904 millimeters and an unloaded weight of 2.36 kilograms. The reduced recoil from firing the short cartridge also contributes to improved accuracy.

During the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Chinese Expeditionary Force operating in Burma was the first to be equipped with the M1 Carbine. By the late stages of the war, Nationalist Army units transitioning to American equipment also began to adopt the M1 Carbine in limited numbers. During the War of Liberation, the carbine became even more common among American-equipped divisions of the Nationalist Army.

Similarly, during engagements with the Nationalist Army, a significant number of M1 Carbines were captured by PLA soldiers, who valued the weapon for its compact size, low recoil, and high accuracy.

Among the captured American-made M1 Carbines, those in better condition were often allocated to senior commanders or assigned to their guard units, while the rest were directly issued to frontline soldiers for continued use in combat.

3. American-made 105mm Howitzer
During the War of Liberation, the American-made 105mm howitzer used by the Nationalist Army was regarded as a "treasure" in the eyes of the PLA.

At that time, the People's Liberation Army was still relying on various types of artillery captured from the Japanese forces, with the common caliber being only 75mm. Therefore, they naturally favored such large-caliber artillery pieces exceeding 100mm.

At that time, the specific model of the 105mm howitzer used by the Nationalist Army was the American M2A1 howitzer. This artillery piece was finalized in the early 1940s and saw action with the U.S. military during World War II. Towards the end of the War of Resistance Against Japan, a number of M2A1 105mm howitzers were also provided as aid to Nationalist Army units. After the war, the Nationalist government imported additional units for use in subsequent conflicts.

The M2A1 105mm howitzer has an overall length of approximately 2.5 meters and weighs 1.93 tons, making it considerably lighter than standard 100mm artillery pieces.

With a maximum range of up to 11.43 kilometers, this howitzer also supports various types of ammunition, such as shrapnel shells, high-explosive rounds, incendiary shells, smoke shells, and more.

By the late stages of the War of Liberation, the beleaguered Nationalist Army retreated in disarray, abandoning heavy artillery and equipment they could not carry. Some Nationalist troops also defected to the People's Liberation Army, leading to the capture of numerous 105mm howitzers. These artillery pieces later played a significant role in campaigns such as the Huaihai Campaign.

4. American-made Light Tanks
In addition to artillery, the American-made light tanks used by the Nationalist Army at the time were regarded by the PLA as even more prized trophies than the artillery.

During the War of Liberation, the light tanks used by the Nationalist Army were the American M3A3 models. This variant was finalized in the early 1940s as an improvement upon the M2 light tank. Its primary armament consisted of a 37mm tank gun, supplemented by two 7.62mm machine guns.

The power system was equipped with a 162-kilowatt engine, enabling a maximum road speed of 58 kilometers per hour. The hull armor thickness ranged from 12 to 55 millimeters, with a combat weight of approximately 14.3 tons.

This type of tank was also introduced to the Nationalist Army toward the end of the War of Resistance Against Japan and continued to be used during the War of Liberation. Although it was a light tank with relatively limited firepower and protection, it was still adequate for anti-infantry operations.

During the War of Liberation, M3A3 tanks were captured by the People's Liberation Army. However, the PLA had very few personnel capable of operating tanks, so these vehicles were typically handed over to former Nationalist Army armored troops who had defected to continue using them.

5. American-made Jeeps
Toward the later stages of the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Nationalist government began importing American-made jeeps, specifically the Willys MB or Ford GPW models. However, the numbers were limited, and they were primarily allocated to officers at the regimental level or above for use.

After the War of Resistance Against Japan, as the conflict transitioned into the War of Liberation, the Nationalist Army continued to import these two types of jeeps. With an increase in their numbers, they were no longer exclusively reserved as transport for officers at the regimental level or above. Instead, they were also allocated to messengers and communication personnel in some elite units.

As for these two types of jeeps, no extensive introduction is likely necessary-they were the most commonly used military vehicles by the U.S. military and its allies during World War II and are, of course, considered the predecessors of modern off-road vehicles.

At that time, after capturing such jeeps on the battlefield, the People's Liberation Army typically allocated them to commanders at the divisional level or above for use.

6. Rubber-Soled Shoes
Apart from the weapons, artillery, and vehicles mentioned above, the rubber-soled shoes worn by the Nationalist Army were also highly favored by PLA soldiers. Whenever the PLA seized Nationalist supply depots or uniform factories, they would prioritize searching for rubber-soled shoes, gather them centrally, and then distribute them to frontline soldiers.

Why were the Nationalist Army's rubber-soled shoes so popular among the PLA?

During the War of Liberation, soldiers of the People's Liberation Army typically wore straw sandals, and at best, cloth-soled shoes with multiple layers. These provided little protection for the feet, were not durable, and prone to wearing out quickly.

In contrast, the rubber-soled shoes of the Nationalist Army featured soles made of plastic and uppers of sturdy canvas fabric. They were not only lightweight but, most importantly, wear-resistant, slip-resistant, and quick-drying when wet. This made them well-suited for combat and marching, which explains why they were highly favored by PLA soldiers.

After the Liberation, China developed its own version of the rubber-soled shoe based on the design used by the Nationalist Army-these became known as "Liberation Shoes," often referred to as "yellow rubber shoes." They were first used during the Korean War and underwent decades of evolution and development, remaining in service with the Chinese military until the early 21st century when they were eventually replaced by modern combat boots. This demonstrates just how successful the design of these shoes was.

7. Various Foreign Canned Goods
At the time, the food provisions of the People's Liberation Army were far inferior to those of the Nationalist Army. On rare occasions when conditions were favorable, they might enjoy a meal like pork stewed with vermicelli, but under normal circumstances, soldiers subsisted on steamed cornbread and cornmeal.

In contrast, the Nationalist Army enjoyed far superior provisions. Leaving aside the fact that officers had access to lavish meals with meat and fish daily, even the ordinary frontline soldiers of the Nationalist Army were provided with steamed wheat buns, noodles, eggs, and even braised pork on a monthly basis. Beyond these, soldiers in elite units were also allocated various imported canned goods.

These imported products, commonly referred to as "foreign canned goods," came in a wide variety and were mostly sourced from the United States. They included canned luncheon meat, canned braised pork, canned beef, and canned rations, among others.

Due to their portability and long shelf life, canned goods were often carried as field rations by soldiers for emergency use.

When the People's Liberation Army cleared battlefields or searched surrendered Nationalist soldiers, they frequently discovered various types of canned goods. Compared to coarse grain buns and simple staples, these were far superior, which naturally made them highly favored among PLA soldiers.

8. Various Communication Equipment
Electronic communication devices were considered cutting-edge technology in China at that time. A single radio or telephone could replace the work of several messengers, making communication equipment one of the most critical assets on the battlefield.

At that time, the various communication equipment used by the Nationalist Army included field telephones, telegraph machines, radios, and other wireless devices, all of which were imported from abroad, with a significant portion coming from the United States.

In contrast, the People's Liberation Army during the same period lacked the capability to import such communication equipment. Therefore, the only way to acquire these items was by capturing them from the Nationalist Army.

However, such equipment was not found in every battle, as communication devices were typically located in the Nationalist Army's command centers or frontline command posts. This made capturing radios particularly challenging, and as a result, communication equipment became one of the rarest and most prized trophies for the PLA.

9. Various Medical Supplies
As for medical supplies, their importance during wartime hardly needs elaboration-they were among the most critical resources.

At that time, the Nationalist Army's medical supplies were also imported from abroad, consisting of highly effective Western medicines. These included painkillers, hemostatic agents, and various specialized drugs.

Both the Nationalist Army and the People's Liberation Army regarded these supplies as even more precious than bullets or artillery shells. For the PLA in particular, while ammunition could be captured if depleted, medical supplies were far harder to replace once they ran out.

Therefore, any medical supplies captured from the Nationalist Army were carefully safeguarded. Soldiers were even specifically assigned to transport them to rear-line field hospitals. In situations of medication shortages, certain specialized drugs were prioritized for use by senior commanders.

The above outlines the nine categories of captured Nationalist Army supplies most favored by PLA soldiers during the War of Liberation.