THE SITUATION IN CHINA
I
—SUMMARY OF JAPANESE MILITARY GAINS—
BUREAU OF INFORMATION, WAR DEPARTMENT
On May 29th, the Army section of the Imperial Headquarters made public the results of the Sino-Japanese hostilities from the outbreak of the China Affair in July, 1937, to the end of April, 1939.
Japanese Occupied Area in China
The total area under Japanese occupation in China comprises the seven provinces of Chahar, Suiyuan, Hopeh, Shantung, Shansi, Kiangsu and Anhwei in their entirety, the greater part of Honan Province, wide areas in the four provinces of Chekiang, Kiangsi, Hupeh and Kwangtung and all of Hainan Island.
The Japanese occupied region in China covers an area of 1,562,938 square kilometres, about two-and-half times as large as Japan, the area of which is 675,365 square kilometres.
The proportion of the Japanese occupied area to China Proper, which has an area of 3,157,346 square kilometres, is 50 to 100, while the percentage of the Japanese occupied area to continental China (including the outlying provinces), which has an area of 10,059,877 square kilometres, is 16 to 100.
COMPARATIVE SINO-JAPANESE LOSSES
(Compiled at the end of April, 1939)
| Fronts | Campaigns | Sectors | Period | Chinese Losses: Bodies abandoned on battlefields | Japanese Losses: Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (from July, 1937, until November, 1938) | 823,296 | 47,133 | |||
| North China | Haichow Campaign & Clean-up Campaign | Haichow Sector and Other Ports North China | From December, 1938 to April, 1939 | 73,200 | |
| Central China | Nanchang Campaign | Wuning and Nanchang Sector | March 19 to March 31 | 12,300 | |
| Central China | Lushan Campaign | Lushan Mountains | April 17 to April 24 | 920 | 12,865 |
| Central China | Anlu Campaign & Clean-up (continued on p. 37: up Campaign in Other Parts of Central China) | Yingcheng and Anlu Sector and (continued on p. 37: Other Places) | December, 1938 to April, 1939 | 17,822 |
| Fronts | Campaigns | Sectors | Period | Chinese Losses: Bodies abandoned on battlefields | Japanese Losses: Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Central China, continued) | Campaign in Other Parts of Central China | Other Places | |||
| South China | Hainan Campaign, Others | Hainan Island and Other Places in South China | December, 1938 to April, 1939 | 8,807 | |
| Total | 113,049 |
The total losses from the outbreak of the China Affair up to April, 1939, were 936,345 Chinese soldiers killed and left on the battlefield as against 59,998 Japanese killed.
N. B. The results of the Japanese clean-up campaigns in various parts of China have not yet been fully reported. The above list, therefore, is incomplete. Conservative estimates of total Chinese casualties during the period under review may be placed at 2,300,000, including 936,345 bodies actually counted on the battlefields.
ARMS AND WAR MATERIALS CAPTURED BY THE JAPANESE UP TO THE END OF APRIL, 1939
| (From the Outbreak of the China Affair, July, 1937 to November, 1938) | (From December, 1938 to April, 1939) | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rifles | 208,017 | 7,556 | 215,573 |
| Light Machine-guns | 7,982 | 378 | 8,360 |
| Heavy Machine-guns | 3,222 | 124 | 3,346 |
| Revolvers | 730 | 285 | 1,015 |
| Trench-Mortars | 1,211 | 26 | 1,237 |
| Field, Cavalry and Mountain Guns, including 15 Centimetre Heavy Guns | 686 | 129 | 815 |
| Heavy Guns | 330 | 3 | 333 |
| Infantry Guns | 108 | — | 108 |
| Anti-aircraft Guns | 99 | — | 99 |
| Anti-tank Guns | 198 | 10 | 208 |
| Grenade Throwers | 27 | 4 | 31 |
| Bayonets | 5,652 | 184 | 5,836 |
| Spears | 605 | 107 | 712 |
| Swords | 12,104 | 81 | 12,185 |
| Hand Grenades | 2,304,039 | 17,502 | 2,321,541 |
| Gun shells | 817,921 | 1,873 | 819,794 |
| Rifle ammunition | 13,596,192 rounds | 461,542 | 14,057,734 rounds |
| Dumdum Bullets | 20,000 | 3,200 | 23,200 |
| (From the Outbreak of the China Affair, July, 1937 to November, 1938) | (From December, 1938 to April, 1939) | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trench-Mortar Shells | 1,718,173 | 248 | 1,718,421 |
| Poison-gas Bombs | 4 cases | — | 4 cases |
| Revolver Cartridges | 37,170 rounds | — | 37,170 rounds |
| Grenades | 6,027 | — | 6,027 |
| Lead Bullets | 7,000 | — | 7,000 |
| Bombs | 9 | — | 9 |
| Mines | 152 | — | 152 |
| Mechanical Mines | 60 | — | 60 |
| Gas Masks | 4,430 | 5 | 4,435 |
| Tanks, Armoured Cars, Motorcars and Motor-lorries | 561 | 66 | 627 |
| Aeroplanes | 3 | — | 3 |
| Locomotives | 89 | — | 89 |
| Passenger Carriages and Waggons | 2,219 | — | 2,219 |
| Searchlights | 2 | — | 2 |
| Armoured Trains | 8 | — | 8 |
| Wireless Sets | 17 | 18 | 35 |
| Telephones | — | 8 | 8 |
| Gunboats | — | 1 | 1 |
| Junks | 30 | 86 | 116 |
| Steam launches | — | 2 | 2 |
| Bicycles | — | 26 | 26 |
| Bridge-building Materials | For Use by Two Companies | — | For Use by Two Companies |
| Gasoline | 4,000 tins | — | 4,000 tins |
| Horses | 1,743 | 444 | 2,187 |
N. B. The above list is based on the exact figures which appeared in the reports received from the front ; all intangible designations, such as " large quantities," are excluded from the list. The amount of ammunition captured by Japanese forces, therefore, may be considerably larger than the above list shows. Large quantities of medical supplies, carts, waggons, clothing and provisions, including rice and tobacco also have been captured from the Chinese armies, but this list is concerned only with major items of arms and ammunition. The gun shells mentioned above comprise all sorts shells, including all heavy gun missiles, except those used for trench-mortars.
II
—ACTIVITIES OF THE IMPERIAL NAVAL FORCES—
PUBLICITY BUREAU, NAVY DEPARTMENT
Air Force in Action
The Japanese naval air force made successful raids on Chungking, seat of the Nationalist Government, on May 3rd and 4th. During the subsequent month, it not only repeated its attacks on Chungking but engaged in extensive activity all over China, attacking Chinese military points, cooperating with the Japanese landing parties in cleaning up remnants of the Chinese troops and guerillas, covering Japanese warships in their operations for removing booms and sweeping mines in the Yangtze and other rivers and cooperating with the Japanese military forces in their campaign. Especially remarkable has been the activity of the Japanese naval air force in Central and South China.
South China
On May 4th, Swatow and Chaochow were attacked in a series of raids. The first and second attacks were directed against Chinese military establishments, including depots and godowns. Many of these were set afire. The third attack was directed against Chinese waggons carrying military goods near Chaochow. Chuanchow also was visited and the local government offices and machine-gun emplacements there were bombed and strafed.
On May 5th, Swatow and Chuanchow again were raided and Chinese military works were bombed heavily. Three raids were made on Swatow and Chaochow on May 6th. The first attack was directed against Chinese military positions, chemical plants and local government offices at Swatow ; the second one against troop trains, electric power stations and chemicla works at Chaochow and the third against military establishments at Swatow and Chaochow. Several naval air units attacked Lingshui and other strategic points in the southeastern part of Hainan Island, to cover the operations of the landing parties.
May 7th was devoted to attacks on Tanchow and Nanching, in Fukien Province. On May 8th three raids were made on Foochow, capital of Fukien Province and on Yenping in the central part of the province. Naval air units also covered military operations in Hainan Island by attacking Lingtu, Nanlan and Lingmen. One Japanese plane was lost.
Yungan and Chuanchow in Fukien Province were attacked on May 9th and local government offices there were bombed and destroyed. Luichow (Leichow) Peninsula in the southwestern part of Kwangtung Peninsula also was visited and Suwen, a strategically situated town there, was attacked, while
several naval air units covered military operations in Hainan Island.
The mainland opposite Amoy was visited on May 12th, including Changchow, where Chinese military positions and barracks were bombed and machine-gunned. Several naval air squadrons attacked Nanfeng and Yangkiang in Hainan Island in cooperation with military forces on May 13th, while Luichow (Leichow) Peninsula again was visited and Suikai, an important town was attacked.
On May 14th Changpu and Nanan in Fukien Province and Loan and Wanning in Hainan Island were attacked.
Swatow again received the attention of the naval air force on May 15th, when several units bombed Chinese military establishments, including depots and godowns. Nodoa and Nanfeng in northern Hainan Island and Loan and Wanning in the southern part of the island were attacked. Swatow was raided again on May 17th, and the municipal government offices, police station and the military line of communications were bombed. Mawei, outer port of Foochow, also was raided.
Tungshan, the southernmost district of Fukien Province was visited on May 18th. The following day one Japanese plane was lost when a naval unit attacked Suikai, in Luichow (Leichow) Peninsula.
The mainland opposite Amoy was raided by some 30 naval planes, which made a sustained attack on Chinese military positions there on May 20th. The attack on the mainland resulted in fires at eight places on May 21st and 22nd. Naval air units cooperated with the naval forces on the Pearl River in the latter's clean-up campaign against Chinese remnants and guerillas on May 22nd, while other air units attacked Chinese troops operating northeast of Lingshui, in the southern part of Hainan Island. On May 23rd, military works were bombed and destroyed at Yungchin in the southern part of Fukien Province, Lungyuan, Swatow and Chaoyang in Fukien Province were visited on May 24th, and the airfields, barracks and other military establishments there were bombed effectively. May 27th and 28th were devoted to attacks on Foochow, capital of Fukien Province, and Hinghwa, a strategically important town in the eastern part of the province.
One naval air unit attacked Wanning, on the eastern coast of Hainan Island on May 30th and another raided Pehli, in the southwestern part of the island. The attack on Pehli was continued on May 31st, while another air unit visited the mainland and attacked Hweian, Hingan, Shihma and Kiowei.
On June 1st, Changchow, Shihma, and Chuanchow were visited in Fukien Province. Chinese military headquarters and positions in these towns were bombed effectively. Kanen, in the western part of Hainan Island, also was visited and military works there were bombed.
Central China
On May 4th, braving inclement weather, a naval air-squadron raided Kinhwa, an important junction in central Chekiang Province and also Yushan and Kian, where it bombed the airfields. Lientang south of Nanchang, capital of Kiangsi Province, was visited and Chinese military positions and troop concentrations there were bombed and machine-gunned on May 6th.
Ningpo also was attacked, and munition works, godowns and wharves there were bombed. Siangyang in Hupeh Province, Nanyang in Honan Province and Sian, capital of Shensi Province, were raided on May 7th. The airfield and military barracks were targets of the Japanese naval airmen the same day. On May 9th, Loki in Fukien Province and Tsinsien in Kiangsi Province were attacked, as were Yangchiashan in Hupeh Province and Ningpo in Chekiang Province. Chenhai and Ningpo in Chekiang Province were attacked on May 10th. Hengyang in Hunan Province and Ningpo were visited on May 12th, and the airfields, barracks and other military establishments there were bombed and destroyed.
The same day, a naval squadron led by Lieutenant-Commander Irisa made a third raid on Chungking, in Szechuan Province, seat of the Kuomintang Government, and effectively bombed military establishments there. Six Chinese pursuit planes challenged the Japanese raiders, who succeeded in shooting down one of them. On May 13th, Yushan on the border of Chekiang Province was raided.
Ningpo again was visited on May 14th. Remnants of the Chinese troops, operating at Taipingkwan in Hupeh Province were attacked on May 16th and 17th. Several naval air units cooperated with military forces to disperse Chinese guerillas in the mountainous region near Tikang in Anhwei Province who had been hampering Japanese shipping on the Yangtze River.
A fourth raid was made on Chungking on May 25th. Taking advantage of a moonlit night, a naval squadron led by Lieutenant-Commander Irisa appeared over Chungking at about 9 p. m. and effectively bombed Chinese military establishments in the eastern part of the city, including the headquarters of the Military Council. Fires started at several points. Four Chinese planes challenged the Japanese raiders, who brought down one of them. The Japanese fliers were fired upon heavily by Chinese anti-aircraft batteries scattered around the town, especially at the foreign residential quarter on the bank of the Yangtze River, as a result of which one Japanese plane was lost. The same night, Japanese planes attacked the Chinese airfield at Kwangyang in the suburbs of Chungking.
Tzeki, near Ningpo in Chekiang Province, was visited on June 1st and Chinese troop concentrations there were bombed and machine-gunned. Ningpo again was visited on June 3rd. Fuchow, south of Lake Poyang, was raided on June 4th, when Chinese military establishments, including headquarters, were bombed. The railway between Chekiang and Kiangsi Provinces also was visited, Pingsiang, Kweiki, Kwongsin, Hokowchen being attacked. On June 5th, Kian and Kangshangkai in Kiangsi Province and Taiho in Anhwei Province were raided. Troop concentrations and barracks there were bombed.
North China
On May 19th, naval air units participated in a clean-up campaign against remnants of the Chinese troops near Chefoo, where their bases were attacked. From May 21st to May 24th, naval planes attacked Poerhchen, Laiyeng and Hsiatsun. Laiyang, in the central part of Shantung Province, again was attacked on May 29th and 30th. Tichwang, southwest of Laiyang, was
bombed and machine-gunned on May 31st.
Haiyang on the northeastern coast of Shantung Peninsula was visited on June 1st, and Chinese military depots and godowns there were bombed. Yencheng and Tungtai in central Kiangsu Province were raided and the military barracks and wireless station there were bombed.
Activities of the Japanese Warships
The Japanese Navy continues its blockade of the China coast against Chinese shipping, while some naval units are active in the inland waters of China, removing booms, sweeping mines and suppressing Chinese remnants.
In Central China, naval units cooperated with the military forces in the latter's clean-up campaign during the period under review, sweeping mines day and night. On May 17th, Chenhai in Chekiang Province was attacked. On May 30th and 31st, a naval unit sailed up the Wukiang River, which flows into Wenchow Bay in Chekiang Province, and bombarded Chinese forces which had been engaged in constructing positions at Shatowshan.
In South China, a naval unit attacked Chaochow and bombarded Chinese military craft there. On May 17th, a naval unit in concert with a naval air squadron attacked barracks and other military establishments at Tinpak, in southwestern Kwangtung Province. At Pakhoi on May 19th, an attack was directed against Chinese military positions, depots and other establishments.
On May 22nd, the Japanese naval detachment on the Pearl River started a campaign to clean up remnants of Chinese troops and guerillas along the Pearl River. On June 2nd and 3rd, Japanese warships bombarded the Chinese positions on Wenchow Island, Chekiang Province.
Activities of the Japanese Landing Parties
Culminating 11 months' fighting along the Lung-Hai Railway, following their original landing under enemy fire in May, 1938, the Japanese landing party which has held Lienyunchiang, terminus of the railway, at midnight on May 12 transferred control of the port to the Army. The landing party had fought steadily with a large Chinese force at Haichow and neighbouring points from the time of landing until last March, when the Japanese forces occupied Haichow (Tunghai) esatern terminus of the Lung-Hai Railway.
The Japanese landing party in Hainan Island encountered a large force of Chinese troops at a point northwest of Lingshui in the southern part of the island on May 4th and routed them. The enemy left 30 dead, while 15 of their number were taken prisoners. On May 6th Japanese blue-jackets took Lingshui, covered by naval planes. Hwangliu southwest of Lingshui, also fell into Japanese hands the same day. A Chinese troop concentration near Lingshui was attacked on May 10th, the Chinese fleeing, leaving 188 dead. Fulo was taken on May 13th and Pomatsing on May 14th. Villages near Wongpo were attacked on May 20th and 21st and two rifle factories there were destroyed. In cooperation with a naval air unit, the landing party made a surprise attack on Chinese troops operating northeast of
Lingshui on May 22nd and dispersed them, 39 Chinese being killed. Tantsaitsun and other places were attacked on May 24th, military barracks being destroyed together with a large quantity of ammunition.
Naval Achievements
The Navy section of the Imperial Headquarters on May 31st announced the results of the Japanese naval operations between January 1st and May 31st, including the losses inflicted on the Chinese air force and the number of mines discovered and disposed of by the Japanese fleet.
(1) Chinese Losses in Aeroplanes : During the period under review, the Chinese air force lost 58 planes, including eight which were not confirmed, bringing the total of Chinese losses since the outbreak of the current Affair to 1,561 planes, including 218, which have not yet been confirmed. The Japanese naval air force lost three planes in the period under review, making a total of 116 lost since the beginning of the China Affair.
(2) Chinese Mines Discovered and Disposed of : The Japanese fleet discovered and disposed of 536 mines in the Yangtze River, bringing the total number of mines discovered and disposed of since the outbreak of the Affair to 2,848, while 237 mines were discovered and disposed of in the Pearl River, making a total of 654 since the beginning of the hostilities. The grand total of mines discovered and disposed of since the inception of the China Affair is placed at 3,502.