1949年1月，遼沈、淮海戰(zhàn)役之后，平津戰(zhàn)役展開。
從1949年1月3日起，解放軍經(jīng)過10天的戰(zhàn)斗，迅速掃清了天津外圍敵人的18處據(jù)點，殲滅守軍近5000人，形成了對天津的緊密包圍。
1949年1月14日上午10時，在守城國民黨軍隊毫無和平解放之意的形勢下，天津前線指揮部司令員劉亞樓，下達了向天津守軍發(fā)起總攻的命令。解放軍以34萬兵力，從東、南、西3個方面，同時向市區(qū)猛攻。三十八軍、三十九軍2個軍配備炮兵、戰(zhàn)車，共9個師的兵力，作為第一主攻方向。上午11時25分，二十八軍一三三師三三七、三三九團，沖入城防，二十九軍一一五師三四三團和一一七師三四九團，在和平門北部城垣打開缺口，與敵六二軍林偉濤部，展開西營門爭奪戰(zhàn)。下午1時半，三四三團越過缺口，攻破和平門、西營門，由西往東進擊。

·1949年1月15日金湯橋會師

四十四軍、四十五軍2個軍配備炮兵、戰(zhàn)車，共8個師兵力，為第二主攻方向。上午10時半，四十四軍一三○師三八八團和一三二師三九四團，突破東局子方面城防。11時，強渡護城河，突破守軍防線。下午1時，在民族門與敵八十六軍劉云輸部，進行激戰(zhàn)。下午4時，鞏固并擴大戰(zhàn)果。四十五軍一三五師四○三團，經(jīng)過激烈搏斗，在上午10時55分，突破民權(quán)門缺口。后又遭守軍炮擊20余次； 到下午3時，突破口失而復(fù)得。下午5時，東面攻城部隊在打開民權(quán)門、民族門之后，分4路由東向西進擊，相繼殲滅市區(qū)東部之?dāng)场?br>四十六軍一三七師、四十九軍一四五師，突破津南的尖山突破口，粉碎守軍，在15日凌晨1時，鞏固擴大了突破口，向市區(qū)北部進擊。另有一部兵力，阻擊大沽方向可能西援之?dāng)?。為了配合保障主攻方向的行動，牽制敵人，我軍一五八師從宜興埠向民生門佯攻，一五二師向候家屯佯攻，一五七師由崔家碼頭向市區(qū)佯攻。四十三軍一二八師在完成吸引守軍主力任務(wù)后，從西面向市區(qū)進攻。
攻城部隊在城防線上打開11個缺口后，在逐街逐屋爭奪的巷戰(zhàn)中，穿插進擊。經(jīng)過激烈的戰(zhàn)斗，敵人不得不向第一線防御陣地金湯橋靠攏。金湯橋附近是敵軍守衛(wèi)的重點地段，碉堡林立，工事堅固，是敵我雙方爭奪最為激烈的地方。

·中國人民解放軍解放天津

解放軍東、西方向的兩個主攻部隊，經(jīng)過18個小時的激戰(zhàn)，于15日凌晨5時半，按計劃在金湯橋勝利會師。至此，完成了分割守軍，打通市區(qū)東西走廊，攔腰斬斷守軍整個防御體系的最主要任務(wù)，從而使敵軍陷于一片混亂之中。值得說明的是，解放軍在金湯橋會師之時，遺憾的是沒有攝下會師的壯觀照片。現(xiàn)在標志會師的照片，是在解放橋拍攝的。
15日上午8時，解放軍攻占海光寺； 10時，進攻守軍總指揮機關(guān)天津警備司令部。指戰(zhàn)員們沖進地下空，活捉了天津守軍司令、中將陳長捷和副司令、少將秋宗鼎等7名將、校官員，并迫使陳長捷下達“立即投降” 的命令。在攻占敵司令部的戰(zhàn)斗中，共殲敵千余人； 中國人民解放軍的400名英雄兒女，也為此獻出了寶貴的生命。15日中午，解放軍又攻占了國民黨天津市政府。下午3時許，東、南、西3路攻城部隊，在耀華中學(xué)大會師。
天津戰(zhàn)役開始之時，國民黨軍隊占領(lǐng)了耀華中學(xué)，有一個炮兵營3000余敵軍盤踞在這里。解放軍主攻部隊為了打掉這個據(jù)點，從四面八方包圍了敵軍，后又進攻到耀華中學(xué)校內(nèi)，同守軍短兵相接，逐樓逐屋地激戰(zhàn)達3個小時，活捉敵九十四軍軍長饒啟堯，四十三師師長王治熙、副師長余和、師參謀長徐奇春以下2600人。此時，踞守在市區(qū)北部的敵軍，已完全陷于絕境，只有放下武器向解放軍投降。
整個天津戰(zhàn)役歷經(jīng)29個小時。解放軍傷亡2.3萬人，全殲守軍2個軍、10個師、4個特種兵團和非正規(guī)軍警備旅、保安團等13.1萬人。
1949年1月15日下午，天津全部解放，勝利的紅旗飄揚在海河上空。同日，中國人民解放軍天津市(區(qū))軍事管制委員會成立，黃克誠任主任，譚政、黃敬任副主任； 天津市人民政府成立，黃敬任市長、張友漁任副市長。
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.

·突破民權(quán)門的部分東面主攻部隊的勇士