THE SITUATION IN CHINA
I — The Imperial Army in the Nanchang Campaign —
Bureau of Information, War Department
At the close of the pincer movement on Hankow, Japanese forces confronted Chinese troops across the Siu River, after bitterly fought mountain warfare in the Tean and Joki sectors in Kiangsi Province. This river connects Lake Tungting to the west with Lake Poyang to the east. As it is from 150 to 200 meters wide, it provides considerable obstruction to the offensive force.
The Chinese troops on this front were about 18 divisions strong under the command of General Lo Cho-ying, commander-in-chief of the 19th Army Corps. They had set up strong positions east of Wuning where they planned to check the southern advance of the Japanese forces.
Progress of the Campaign
The Japanese expeditionary forces in Central China started preparations for an attack on Nanchang, following the campaign on the Han River in Hupeh Province. Unfortunately, a long spell of rain which lasted some eight weeks turned the roads into a veritable quagmire, adding to the difficulty and hardship of the forces that had been watching for an opportunity to launch an offensive.
On March 18th, part of the Japanese forces successfully crossed the Siu River at a point below Yungshiu in face of the enemy, followed by all other forces which crossed the river near Yungshiu and east of Kewtsin at 7 p.m., March 20th.
This was at high tide, but the crossing operations were carried out successfully in two hours, thanks to carefully laid plans executed with daring. The Japanese immediately charged the enemy positions on the southern bank of the river and dislodged the Chinese from their strongly-constructed trenches. On March 22nd, the Japanese gave chase to the Chinese forces, which were retreating south in confusion.
Tank units played an important rôle in the running fight which ensued. They dashed into the enemy positions; they broke through
[Map: Map Showing Progress of Military Operations in the Nanchang Sector, March 18th to 27th]
Wangkiafow and Anyi and entered Fengsin, thus cutting off the retreat of the enemy. The severity of the running fight may be seen from the enemy casualties and the Japanese booty. The enemy left some 500 dead when the Japanese mechanized units reached Fengsin, while the spoils of war included 39 artillery pieces, including 4 ten-centimetre guns, 4 twelve-centimetre trench-mortars and 31 field and mountain guns, 10 motor-lorries, 500 horses and a large quantity of gasoline.
The vanguard of the Japanese infantry in pursuit of the enemy reached the line between Fengsin and Wangkiafow in the evening of March 23rd. It advanced to the Kan River on March 26th. Part of the forces crossed this river near Tsengkia and severed the Chekiang-Kiangsi Railway.
The main body of the forces which crossed the river near Sheng-michieh, south of Nanchang, pressed hard on Nanchang, capital of Kiangsi Province, which they occupied at 6:40 p.m., March 27th.
The Chinese troops in Kiangsi were thrown into confusion by the fierce Japanese onslaughts and the easy fall of the capital of the province.
In the Wuning sector, the Japanese on March 20th surrounded the Chinese force of 25,000 men, which had set up strong positions in a mountainous district near Kwantsaishan, some 16 kilometres northeast of Wuning. Covered by air units, the Japanese forces succeeded in entering Wuning at 3 a.m., March 29th and completely occupying the town at 7 o'clock the same morning, after overcoming the difficulties of topographical and positional warfare.
Those Japanese forces which on March 21st crossed to the southern bank of the Siu River broke through the line extending east to west on the height at Chungheng on March 22nd and took Yangchow on March 24th. By keeping up their southern drive, they reached Miaotsien on March 27th.
In this sector, the enemy left 1,700 dead in addition to 750 men taken prisoner as a result of the two-day fighting on March 20th and 21st. The Japanese booty included 700 rifles, 10 light machine-guns and 1 rapid-firer. The Japanese suffered 58 killed and 230 injured.
On March 23rd, military units in cooperation with the naval force occupied Wucheng at the mouth of the Kan and Siu Rivers and also a height south of it.
The Chinese troops in front of the main body of the Japanese forces left 8,700 dead in addition 2,870 taken prisoner up to the morning of March 28th, while the Japanese casualties totalled some 500. The spoils of war included 9 heavy artillery pieces, 38 field
and mountain guns, 37 trench-mortars, 1 heavy machine-gun, 81 light machine-guns, 2,150 rifles, 13 motor-cars and motor-lorries and 800 horses.
The Hangchow Sector
In concert with the campaign in Kiangsi Province, the Japanese forces near Hangchow, capital of Chekiang Province, started operations against the Chinese troops on the southern shore of Hangchow Bay as well as on the southern bank of the Tsientang River, at the mouth of which Hangchow stands. On March 20th, the Japanese force attacked and sank one Chinese military vessel off Chapu on the northern shore of Hangchow Bay, while the Chinese positions on the southern shore of Hangchow Bay opposite Kanpu were furiously bombarded by artillery.
Early in the morning of March 21st, Japanese troops landed on Changsha Island, a delta of the Tsientang River, which covers an area of 12 square kilometres. The following day, these troops dealt the Chinese company on the island a crushing blow. The enemy left 84 dead in the island, while those Chinese troops which retreated in boats from the island also suffered heavy casualties.
Significance of the Nanchang Campaign
It is no exaggeration to say that all the railways in China have fallen into Japanese hands with the exception of the Chekan Railway or the railway between Chekiang and Kiangsi Provinces which connects Hangchow, capital of Chekiang Province, with Changsha, capital of Hunan Province, via Nanchang, capital of Kiangsi Province. This vein of communication in Central China has failed to be as efficient as in peace time, but none the less its strategic and economic value has remained as high as ever. It has provided the Chinese regulars in Kiangsi and Hunan Province as well as the Chinese guerillas in Chekiang and Kiangsu Province an important route of supply and communication. Therefore, the Japanese occupation of Nanchang is significant in interrupting this line of communication in Central China.
Nanchang is a city with a population of 500,000. It is the centre of military, political, economic and traffic activities in Central China. In losing Nanchang, Chiang Kai-shek has lost his most important base of operations, to say nothing of traditional importance which is attached to Nanchang in connection with his famous northern expedition or anti-Red expedition as well as with the "New Life Movement" which was started and fostered at Nanchang
before it swept over China.
The Nanchang campaign was successfully concluded in a week by crushing the Chinese armies, some 20 divisions strong. This signal success is attributed to the surprise attacks on the Chinese positions, wedge daringly driven into the Chinese positions by the Japanese mechanized units and efficient covering operations of the Japanese military and naval air forces, all of which deprived the main body of Chinese armies of any chance to take up positions in the heights northwest of Nanchang.
To follow up their victory, the Japanese forces crossed the Kan River before the main body of Chinese armies were able to retreat and disrupted the Chekan Railway. This accounts for the capture of almost all the Chinese artillery pieces along the southern section of the Kiukiang-Nanchang Railway as well as for the comparatively larger number of Chinese regulars taken prisoner by the Japanese forces.
THE SITUATION IN CHINA
II — Activities of the Imperial Naval Forces —
Publicity Bureau, Navy Department
The Campaign in Northern Kiangsu Province
Kiangsu Province has long been noted for its anti-Japanese sentiments. A large force of Chinese troops which lost the battle for Hsuchow retreated to Haichow, the eastern terminus of the Lung-Hai Railway, where they set up their headquarters for their anti-Japanese operations in the northern part of the province. The Japanese military and naval forces jointly carried out a large encircling movement on Haichow from late in February to early in March.
At dawn, February 26th, crack military units, covered by naval units successfully landed at Antungwei, the southern border-town of Shantung Province. These units immediately started a southern drive on Haichow.
On March 1st, more Japanese forces landed at the mouth of the Kwan River in northern Kiangsu. These forces sailed up the river with a view to cutting off the Chinese southern retreat from Haichow. The pincer movement on Haichow was completed with military units driving south from Lini in southern Shantung, as other military units pushed east along the Lung-Hai Railway from Sinanchen and as the landing party started a drive on Haichow from Lienyunchiang, the eastern terminus port of that railway. Haichow fell early in the morning of March 4th.
Other Japanese forces which took action in concert with the pincer movement on Haichow started a southern push from Sutsien on the grand canal and succeeded in reducing Hwaiyin, the junction of the grand canal and the Yen River early in the morning of March 2nd, in conjunction with those Japanese forces which had gone up the river.
Following the fall of Hwaiyin and Haichow, the Chinese troops around Lienyunchiang immediately started a retreat and the Japanese landing party which had been engaged in a mopping-up campaign with its base established at Lienyunchiang occupied Hsukow on March 3rd.
Sheyang River in Kiangsu Province has hitherto provided an important route of supplies and communications for the remnants of Chinese troops and guerillas in that part of China, thus seriously hindering the Japanese clean-up campaign. In connection, therefore, with the fresh campaign in northern Kiangsu Province, the Japanese military and naval authorities decided to take action on this river too. Prior to the start of the action, the Japanese naval authorities on March 2nd communicated with the foreign authorities concerned, asking them to advise all non-Chinese vessels to move to points 40 miles from the mouth of the river not later than March 4th, otherwise disclaiming any responsibility for damages. The Japanese naval force on March 7th successfully removed booms and swept mines at the mouth of Sheyang River and sailed up to a point 50 miles from the mouth the same evening, silencing the enemy positions on both banks. The following dawn, this naval force entered Fowning, where it effected a junction with the military forces.
The Hainan Campaign
The Hainan campaign is proceeding smoothly. Since February 10th when the Japanese forces succeeded in landing on the shore of Tengmai Bay in the northwestern part of the island, they have taken important towns in quick succession, including Hoihow (Haikow), Kiungshan, Kiungtung, Tsinglan, Wenchang, Sankiang and Tashih.
In concert with the military forces which were driving south from the north, a landing party effected a surprise landing near Samah in the southern part of Hainan Island at dawn, February 14th and occupied Yulin, the best port in the island, the same day. On February 15th, bluejackets occupied Aihsien and cleaned up the remnants of Chinese troops there. The landing party has since been kept busy eliminating remnants of Chinese troops and guerillas. It routed a large body of Chinese regulars at a point northeast of Samah on February 20th and cleared the district west of Aihsien from the remnants of Chinese troops on February 21st. Part of the landing party cleaned up Tsinglan Port on February 24th but met with no stiff resistance. Japanese bluejackets captured a custom-cutter and a large quantity of arms and ammunition. On February 25th, the landing party defeated Chinese regulars in the suburbs of Aihsien.
On March 1st and 2nd, the landing party carried out an extensive clean-up campaign around the area under its occupation. Yulin
port and neighbouring districts were quiet, but some Chinese regulars were observed north of Maling in the Samah district, while other regulars were spotted near Sintsun west of Aihsien and immediately routed.
Peace and order is being gradually restored in Hainan Island. Restoration of popular confidence is reflected in the re-opening of shops in Haihow and other towns in the area under Japanese occupation.
Activities of the Naval Air Force
From the middle of February to the middle of March, the activities of the naval air force have been extensive. In South China, it participated in the Hainan campaign, covering the movements of the Japanese military forces and landing parties; in Central China it cooperated with the Japanese naval units on the Yangtze River in suppressing the remnants of Chinese troops and guerillas on both banks; and in North China, it took part in the new campaign in Northern Kiangsu Province, by covering the operations of the military and naval forces.
In South China, naval air units which took off at dawn, February 10th, participated in the newly-started campaign in Hainan Island, by covering the forces which successfully effected a landing on the island in face of the enemy that same morning. They effectively bombed Siuying Fort and military establishments at Hoihow and Kiungchow. They then paid attention to the key points in the western part of the island, which they bombed from time to time. They also dropped handbills to towns and villages, containing information on the situation and urging the people to pursue business as usual.
On February 12th, naval air-units attacked the remnants of Chinese troops in various parts of the island. They also raided Leichow Peninsula on the mainland. The following day they attacked the enemy positions at Tanhsien. On February 14th, naval air squadrons attacked various key points in the eastern part of Hainan Island, including Wenchang, Kiungtung, Mankiao (Wenchiao), Wanning, Lushui and Sintsun.
The Chinese military positions at Anting and the military barracks at Lushui were attacked on February 16th, while the Chinese military works in the northwestern part of Hainan Island and also near Haian in Leichow Peninsula in the mainland were bombed on February 17th.
Aerial reconnaissance over the northern and southern parts of the
island revealed that all was quiet on February 21st. Following aerial reconnaissance over the southern part of the island, naval air squadrons on February 25th raided the mainland and attacked Foochow, Amoy and Swatow. Several Chinese military craft were bombed and sunk off Swabue in Kwangtung Province, while munition depots in Leichow Peninsula were bombed and burned.
On February 27th, several naval air units cooperated with warships in blocking the North River in Kwangtung Province. The southern part of Hainan Island was reconnoitred. Other naval air units visited the mainland and attacked Pakhoi and Lienchow, bombing and sinking several military junks off Pakhoi and Kaote.
In concert with the naval force on the Pearl River, several naval air units bombed the Chinese military positions on the North River, while other naval air units visited Swatow and Chaochow and effectively bombed the military establishments there.
Hinghwa and Lungki in Fukien Province were raided on March 3rd and the Chinese troop concentrations and military works were bombed or machine-gunned. Limchow (Lienchow) on the Tongking Gulf was raided on March 7th and the Chinese military positions there were heavily bombed despite furious anti-aircraft gunfire, while Yeungkong on the southwestern coast of Kwangtung Province was visited, where godowns and dockyards were bombed and destroyed.
On March 10th, Foochow, the capital of Fukien Province, was visited and the fort at Kinpaien was bombed. The following day, Chuanchow and Tsungwu on the southeastern coast of Fukien Province were raided and a large number of military craft in the ports were bombed and destroyed.
In Central China, Japanese planes flew over Nanyang in southwestern Honan Province on February 15th. The headquarters of Chinese troops were bombed, while the Chinese military positions along the western shore of Poyang Lake from Hukow to Singtze in Kiangsi Province were reconnoitred and bombed.
Ichang, Siangyang and Kingmen in Hopeh Province were raided on February 21st and the military establishments there were bombed, while the Chekiang-Kiangsi Railway was visited and Chuki in Chekiang Province was attacked. The military barracks and other military establishments at Chuki were effectively bombed. On February 22nd, Chenhai and Taichow were raided and the forts and other military works there were bombed.
The Chekiang-Kiangsi Railway was visited again on March 1st; munition depots at Kweiki in Chekiang Province were bombed and destroyed.
Lukio on the eastern shore of Lake Tungting in Hunan Province was raided on March 8th and the military establishments there were effectively bombed, while Ichang in Hupeh Province was also visited and various military works were bombed. All the Japanese planes returned to their base in safety.
In North China, several naval air units visited Tengchow at the northern extremity of Shantung Peninsula on February 15th and bombed the military barracks there. The following day the Chinese military positions on both banks of the Sheyang River in Kiangsu Province were attacked. On February 21st, naval air units in concert with the local Japanese garrison attacked the Chinese guerillas south of Chucheng in Shantung Province, while on February 28th Fowning and Hwaian in northern Kiangsu province were visited. The Chinese artillery force moving south was machine-gunned.
On March 1st, naval air squadrons cooperated with the military and naval forces in their campaign in northern Kiangsu Province by covering their operations and attacking the enemy positions. Chinese troops, some two companies strong, were machine-gunned near Shwangkiang, while Chinese military craft on the Kwan River was bombed effectively.
On March 2nd, the naval air force kept up its covering operations for the Japanese ground forces, by reconnoitring and attacking the Chinese positions round Lienyunchiang.
Tungkan in northeastern Kiangsu Province was attacked and the Chinese troop concentrations and military motor-lorries there were bombed on March 7th, while the Chinese military positions at Yangchaichen and the Chinese troop concentrations near Koutunchen were attacked. Another naval air unit attacked the Chinese base at Wusin. On March 8th Yencheng was visited and armed military motor-boats were attacked, while the Chinese troop concentrations at Tsaichiakiao on the Sheyang River were bombed and machine-gunned. Another naval air unit attacked the Chinese military positions at Tungshuichen and Yangchinchen. On March 9th, the Chinese troop concentrations and military establishments along the Hwai river, the Sheyang River and the Yen River and also the district south of Fowning were attacked. A military vessel was attacked and sunk near Kiangtun the same day.