 This 685th Regiment of the 344th Brigade would be Yang's main force in the Chi-Lu-Yu Military Region until the end of the Sino-Japanese war in 1945.Throughout 1946-48, Yang faced very strong Nationalist forces in the area between Beiping (not yet renamed Beijing), Tianjin and Manchuria.In August 1946, Yang and Xiao Ke retreated in the face of an onslaught by three reinforced Nationalist corps concentrated on the rail lines between Beiping and Shenyang.