Table Of ContentHistory of
The Sino-Japanese War
1937 1945
( - )
Compiled by
Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai
Translated by
Wen Ha-hsiung
Revised by
Kao Ching-chen, Hu Pu-yu, Liu Han-mou,
Liu Ih-po, and Lu Pao-ching
Chung Wu Publishing Co.
Taipei, Taiwan
Republic of China
©Copyright 1971 by Chung Wu Publishing Co.
33, 140th Lane, Tung-hwa Street
Taipei, Taiwan
Republic of China
All Rights Reserved
First Edition June 1971
Second Edition June 1972
Third Edition July 1985.
Printed by
CHINA PRINTING, LTD.
Republic of China
NT 500.00
US $15.00
Excerpts from
“Soviet Russia in China
”
written by
President Chiang Kai-shek
“Our decision for this campaign was in conformity with
Clausewitz’ principle that national policy should determine mili
tary strategy. In economic resources, industry, science, and
technology as well as in the striking power of her armed forces
and weapons, China was weak as compared with Japan. After
the Mukden Incident of 1931, therefore, we had to be patient and
to negotiate with Japan; and for six years thereafter we did not
lightly talk of armed resistance.
“Once hostilities were forced on us in 1937, however, we did
not hesitate to adopt the scorched-earth policy,' to ‘fall back into
the interior,’ or to pit the new spirit of the age, motivated by the
Three People’s Principles and the new methods of warfare
developed in the course of our National Revolution, against the
Japanese militarists in an ‘absolute war.’ We held fast to this
strategic principle throughout the eight years of war and, despite
the intrigues of Soviet Russia and the insurrection of the Chinese
Communists, we achieved victory in concert with the Allies in
August 1945.”
Preface
China’s War of Resistance against Japan which began with the Manchurian
Incident of Sept. 18, 1931 and ended with Japan’s surrender on Sept. 3, 1945
took fourteen years. During this time the period which began on July 7, 1937
when Japan launched full-scale war against China with the Marco Polo Bridge
Incident was the bloodiest and most difficult. Under Generalissimo Chiang’s call
of “fighting to the end,” Chinese people courageously plunged themselves into the
rage of the War of Resistance. Altogether they took part in 23 campaigns, 1,117
major battles, 38,931 engagements, spent Fapi $1,464.3 billion, lost 3,237,916
officers and men in casualties and 5,787,352 civilians in casualties before achieving
final victory.
China’s bloody War of Resistance not only crushed the Japanese Militarists*
aggression scheme since the Meiji reform, defended our territory of 11,000,000 sq.
km., protected China’s history and culture of more than 5,000 years and removed
her humiliation at being a sub-colony for one hundred years, but also tied down
2.3 million Japanese troops in the China Theater and covered the mighty counter
offensive of the Allied forces to win a total victory. This was a sad but heroic
epic of the Chinese people as well as an unparallelled glory of our National
Revolutionary Forces.
The Military History Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense, Republic
of China, compiled and published the 100 volume “History of the Sino-Japanese
War (1937-1945)” in order to provide a detailed account of what is also known
as the War of Resistance. In the interest of convenience, the decision was made
to condense it into “A Concise History of the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945)”
which proved most popular abroad since its publication. It has been used as an
important reference by many people in the study of China’s modern history. In
order that our foreign friends may have an accurate understanding of the truth of
China’s War of Resistance and thereby promote the interflow of Chinese and
Western military thinkings, this book has translated into English for publication.
Suggestions and comments of our readers are solicited so that we may make the
necessary corrections in the next printing.
Hsu Long-hsuen
Chang Ming-kai
Preface of the Third Edition
Since the first edition in 1971 and the second edition in 1972, this book has
been distributed to various libraries and schools both home and abroad, and widely
recieved with appreciatioa Because of the limited quantity of the volumes of
each edition, few books remain after years of distribution. On the occasion of
the Commemoration of the Fortieth Anniversary of the Victory of the Sino-
Jappanese War (1937-1945) this year (1985), this book is thirdly put forth, and
will be distributed internationally for reference on request so as to correctly in
form the world of the actual historical facts.
Fan Ying
7 July 1985
Contents
PRESIDENT CHIANG’S INSTRUCTIONS .................................................. v
PREFACE .............................................................................................................. vii
CHAPTER ONE. INTRODUCTION .......................................................... 1
fe- CHAPTER TWO. CAUSES OF THE WAR .............................................. 3
CHAPTER THREE. POLITICAL WARFARE ......................................... 5
Section 1. Wartime Political Organizations ..................................................
Revision of Organic Law of the National Government............. 5
Readjustment of Central Political Organizations . .
Section 2. Wartime Political Measures ...................................
<^_JLnternal Affairs..........................................................
& Foreign Affairs ..........................................................
Diplomatic Warfare and Psychological Warfare
against the Enemy ................................................
^CHAPTER FOUR. ECONOMIC WARFARE ........................................... 61
Section l .%Wartime Economic System .......................................................... 61
Formulation of National Economic Reconstruction
Program ....................................................................................... 61
Formulation of Wartime Economic Program ............................ 6Jj>
Section 2. Wartime Production and Resources ............................................ 80
0 Agricultural Production Increase .................................................. 80
® Development of Resources............................................................ 81
Section 3. Wartime Economic Reconstruction .............................................. 83
Westward Removal of Mines and Factories................................ 83
Wartime Industries .......................................................................... 84
Communications Situation ............................................................. 87
Section 4. Wartime Finance and Currency ................................................... 96
Wartime Financial Measures ........................................................ 96
Wartime Currency Measures ........................................................ 101
Adjustment of Material Supply .................................................... 105
Economic Struggle against the Enemy......................................... 107
^CHAPTER FIVE. CULTURAL WARFARE ............................................. Ill
Section 1. Wartime Education ......................................................................... Ill
Formulation of Educational Policy................................................ Ill
School Education ............................................................................ 115
Social Education.............................................................................. 122
Border Area Education ................................................................. 127
Boy Scout Training and Military Training................................... 131
X HISTORY OF THE SINO-JAPANESE WAR (1937-1945)
Youth Movement ............................................................................ 135
Youth Vocational Guidance.......................................................... 142
Section 2. Wartime Culture ............................................................................. 145
Cultural Movement.......................................................................... 145
—Academic Research ....................................................................... 147
Journalism and Publication .......................................................... 152
CHAPTER SIX. MILITARY OPERATIONS .............................................. 155
Section 1. Preliminary Operations .................................................................. 155
Manchurian Incident....................................................................... 155
Shanghai Incident............................................................................ 157
Fall of Yukuan and Jehol, and the Battle of the
Great Wall .................................................................................. 159
Fall of Eastern Hopei and Specialization of Hopei
and Chahar.................................................................................. 161
Fighting in Chahar and Suiyuan .................................................. 162
Section 2. Our War Directions and Preparations ...................................... 163
War Directions ................................................................................ 163
'^War Preparations ............................................................................ 167
v,Section 3.1/Our Strength vs. Enemy Strength ................................................ 171
Section 4. First Phase Operations .................................................................. 175
An Account of Army Operations.................................................. 177
1. Peiping-Tientsin Operations ............................................. 177
2. Operations along the Peiping-Suiyuan Railway............... 182
3. Operations along Northern Sector of
Peiping-Hankow Railway .................................................. 184
4. Operations along Northern Sector of
Tientsin-Pukow Railway .................................................. 191
5. Battle of Taiyuan ............................................................... 195
6. Battle of Shanghai ............................................................. 200
7. Realignment of Our Command Agencies........................ 214
8. Battle of Hsuchow ............................................................. 221
9. Operations in Northern and Eastern Honan................. 230
10. Battle of Wuhan................................................................. 238
11. Operations in Fukien-Kwangtung .................................... 245
^ 12.. An Account of Guerrilla Operations................................ 248
An Account of Naval Operations.................................................. 253
1. Battle in Defense of the Nation’s Capital......................... 254
2. Battle in Defense of Wuhan.............................................. 257
3. Defensive Operations in Fukien-Amoy Area................... 262
4. Operations in Kwangtung-Kwangsi Area........................ 263
5. Operations in Yucheng, Shantung Province.................... 265
An Account of Air Force Operations........................................... 266
1. Air Force Operations.......................................................... 266
2. Air Defense Operations .................................................... 271
An Account of Rear Area Service Operations............................ 274
CONTENTS xj
Section 5. Second Phase Operations............................................................... 279
An Account of Army Operations ................................................ 287
1. First Stage Operations ....................................................... 287
a. Operational Guidance .............................................. 288
b. Battle of Nanchang.................................................... 293
c. Battle of Suitsao ...................................................... 300
d. First Battle of Changsha............................................. 303
e. Battle of Southern Kwangsi ...................................... 311
f. Winter Offensive of 1939 ....................................... 319
2. Second Stage Operations .................................................. 334
a. Battle of Tsaoyang-Ichang including
Operations in Central Hupei, Opera
tions in Western Hupei ........................................... 334
b. Battle of Southern Honan ......................... 344
c. Battle of Shangkao .................................................. 349
d. Battle of Southern Shansi......................................... 353
e. Second Battle of Changsha....................................... 357
3. Third Stage Operations...................................................... 362
a. Third Battle of Changsha......................................... 362
b. Battle of the Yunnan-Burma Road.......................... 375
c. Battle of Chekiang-Kiangsi ..................................... 379
d. Battle of Western Hupei............................................. 390
e. Battle of Northern Burma and Western
Yunnan ....................................................................... 395
f. Battle of Chang-teh .................................................. 412
g. Battle of Central Honan........................................... 416
h. Battle of Changsha-Hengyang ................................ 422
i. Battle of Kweilin-Liuchow....................................... 426
j. Operations in Hunan-Kwangtung-
Kiangsi Border Areas................................................ 433
k. Order of Battle of Our Forces in the
Winter of 1944 ........................................................ 438
l. Battle of Western Honan and Northern
Hupei ......................................................................... 452
m. Battle of Western Hunan ......................................... 457
n. Counteroffensive Operations in
Kweilin-Liuchow ...................................................... 463
o. Operation Plans in Counteroffensive
against Canton .......................................................... 466
4. An Account of Guerrilla Operations.............................. 469
An Account of Naval Operations ................................................ 495
1. Operation in Defense of Ching River............................. 496
2. Mine-laying Defensive Operations at Tung-
ting Lake.............................................................................. 497
3. River Defense in Szechuan................................................ 499
4. Naval Operations in the Fukien Area............................ 501
Xii HISTORY OF THE SINO-JAPANESE WAR (19.37-1945)
5. Eastern Chekiang Operations ......................................... 502
6. Mine-laying Operations in the Kan River...................... 503
7. Mine-laying Operations in Kwangtung-
Kwangsi Area..................................................................... 504
8. Mine-laying Guerrilla Operations in the
Yangtze River..................................................................... 507
9. Employment of Marines .................................................. 508
An Account of Air Operations .................................................... 509
1. Air Force Operations......................................................... 509
2. Operations of Ground Air Defense Forces................... 518
An Account of Rear Area Service Installations........................ 522
CHAPTER SEVEN. AN ACCOUNT OF CHINESE COM
MUNIST SABOTAGE OF THE WAR OF
RESISTANCE ............................................................................ 535
CHAPTER EIGHT. SINO-U.S. COOPERATION ................................... 551
Section 1. Sino-U.S. Diplomatic Relations ................................................... 551
Section 2. Military Cooperation ....................................................................... 552
CHAPTER NINE. SURRENDER AND DEMOBILIZATION .............. 557
Section 1. Surrender ........................................................................................ 557
1 . Surrender Arrangement .................................................... 557
2. Signing of Surrender........................................................... 564
3. Massing of the Japanese Forces for
Surrender in the China Theater ....................................... 565
4. Surrender Disposition......................................................... 566
5. Conduct of the Surrender ............................................ 568
6. Utilization of Surrendered Japanese Equipment............. 569
7. Repatriation of Japanese Prisoners of War
and Civilians ..................................................................... 571
Section 2. Demobilization .................................................................................. 571
1. Military Reorganization .................................................... 571
2. Resettlement of Retired Officers and M en...................... 573
3. Gratuity................................................................................ 573
CHAPTER TEN. CONCLUSION ................................................................... 575
Reference Books .................................................................................................... 579
Index ....................................................................................................................... 585
CHARTS
Chart 1 Statistics Showing the Number of Students in Secondary
Schools from 1936 to 1945 ............................................................. 119
Chart 2 Statistics Showing the Number of Students and
Graduates in Schools of Higher Education from 1936
to 1945 ................................ 121
Chart 3 Statistics Showing the Number of Students in School of
Higher Education Receiving Military Training ......................... 136
CONTENTS xiii
Chart 4 Statistics Showing the Number of Students in Secondary
Schools Receiving Military Training ............................................. 136
Chart 5 Our Strength vs. Enemy Strength Immediately before
Outbreak of War ............................................................................ 172
Chart 6 Chart Showing Comparison of Enemy and Our
Conscription Systems and Manpower Mobilization Status......... 173
Chart 7 Chart Showing Comparison of Organization and
Equipment of Enemy and Our Divisions Immediately
before Outbreak of War ................................................................. 174
Chart 8 Chart Showing Japanese Chain of Command in Peiping-
Tientsin Operations (Early July-Early August, 1937) ............... 178
Chart 9 Chart Showing Chinese Chain of Command during
Peiping-Tientsin Operations (Early July, 1937) ........................ 178
Chart 10 Chart Showing Japanese Chain of Command in
Operations along the Peiping-Suiyuan Railway (Early
August, 1937) ................................................................................ 181
Chart 11 Chart Showing Chinese Chain of Command during
Operations along the Peiping-Suiyuan Railway (August,
1937 .................................................................................................... 182
Chart 12 Chart Showing Japanese Chain of Command in
Operations along the Northern Sector of Peiping-Hankow
Railway (Mid-August, 1937) ........................................................ 184
Chart 13-1 Chart Showing Chinese Chain of Command in Operations
along the Northern Sector of the Peiping-Hankow
Railway (August-September, 1937) ............................................ 185
Chart 13-2 Chart Showing Chinese Chain of Command in Operations
along the Northern Sector of Peiping-Hankow Railway
(October, 1937-January, 1938) .................................................... 186
Chart 14 Chart Showing Japanese Chain of Command in
Operations along the Northern Sector of the Tientsin-
Pukow Railway (Early September, 1937) .................................... 191
Chart 15 Chart Showing Chinese Chain of Command in
Operations along the Northern Sector of the Tientsin-
Pukow Railway (Early September, 1937) ................................ 192
Chart 16 Chart Showing Japanese Chain of Command during the
Battle of Taiyuan .............................................................................. 195
Chart 17 Chart Showing Chinese Chain of Command during
Battle of Taiyuan (After first part of September, 1937) ........... 196
Chart 18 Chart Showing Japanese Chain of Command during the
Battle of Shanghai (After mid-September, 1937) ................... 200
Chart 19 Chart Showing Chain of Command during the Battle of
Shanghai (After the latter part of September, 1937) ............... 201
Chart 20 Chart Showing Japanese Chain of Command during the
Battle of Hsuchow (Latter part of December, 1937) ............... 221
Chart 21 Chart Showing Chinese Chain of Command during the
Battle of Hsuchow ..................................................... 222
Chart 22 Chart Showing Japanese Chain of Command during
Operations in Northern and Eastern Honan (January,
1938) .................................................................................... 230
