The Battle of Kuningtou, also known as the Battle of Kinmen, took place in 1949 during the Chinese Civil War. It was a pivotal battle fought over the island of Kinmen in the Taiwan Strait. The Communist People's Liberation Army (PLA) planned to seize Kinmen and Matsu islands as stepping stones for a larger invasion of Taiwan, which was controlled by the Republic of China (ROC) under Chiang Kai-shek. The PLA underestimated the ROC forces on Kinmen, thinking they would easily overcome them with their 19,000 troops. The ROC garrison, however, was well-prepared and heavily fortified, thwarting the PLA's amphibious assault and causing heavy casualties.

The battle began on October 25 when PLA forces were spotted and met with fierce resistance. Poor planning, underestimation of ROC's capabilities, and logistical difficulties led to a disorganized landing and a failure to secure beachheads for the PLA. ROC forces counterattacked effectively, leveraging their well-constructed defenses, land mines, and armor. The PLA suffered heavy losses, and their landing crafts were stranded due to tidal changes, rendering them vulnerable to attack from ROC Navy vessels and ground forces.

The failure of the PLA to capture Kinmen had far-reaching consequences. For the ROC, it was a morale-boosting victory that effectively halted Communist plans to invade Taiwan. The outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 and the subsequent signing of the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty in 1954 further deterred Communist invasion plans. The battle has been largely underpublicized in mainland China but is considered significant in Taiwan, as it set the stage for the ongoing political status quo between Taiwan and mainland China.