In the north, the communists massed three columns and three independent divisions to cross the Songhua River and on January 5, 1947, to besiege the nationalist strategic location of Pagoda Wood (Tamu, 塔木), forced the nationalist offensive into a complete halt and then redeploying two attacking divisions to reinforce Pagoda Wood (Tamu, 塔木). However, when the nationalist reinforcements reached the region between Zhangmazi Ditch (Zhangmazi Gou, 张麻子沟) and the Jiao Family's Ridge (Jiajia Ling, 焦家岭), they learned that Pagoda Wood (Tamu, 塔木) had already fallen into enemy hands, with the entire garrison consisting of a security force regiment and two regiments of the Newly Organized 1st Army being completely annihilated by the enemy. The enemy consequently returned to north of the Songhua River on January 19, 1947.