 The reservoir was completely destroyed and, without any fresh water supply readily available, it was nearly impossible to defend the archipelago.On 2 February 1955, the Communist air force bombed the Southern Deer Mountain Archipelago.After much debate, the Nationalist government in the Republic of China controlling the Dachen and adjacent archipelagos finally agreed with the Americans to hold out until an evacuation could be carried out by the American Navy in February 1955 to Taiwan more than 200 miles to the south.