The Situation in China
I. Activities of the Japanese Military Forces
Bureau of Information, War Department
The Nanning Campaign
Movements of the Chinese troops and Topography of the Nanning area
The Chinese troops after being compelled to abandon Nanning on November 14 last, mostly retreated to the northeast of that city. With reinforcements from Kweilin and Hengyang, in Hunan Province, they resumed their offensive in December, and by the middle of the month were some twenty divisions strong with tanks and air units. They repeatedly attacked our lines of communication between Yamchow and Nanning, while exerting the greatest pressure on Nanning itself. The mountainous character of this part of Kwangsi Province however renders any counter-offensive extremely difficult.
Development of the Campaign
The Japanese forces entrenched themselves at Taikaoai and Chiutang, south of Pinyang, to lure the enemy and then surround them by a detour via the Yukiang River. They succeeded in outflanking the enemy from Wingshun (Yungshun), and from February 1, the encircling movement steadily tightened.
Meanwhile, certain Japanese units at Chiutang and Kunlunkwan were surrounded by Chinese troops and it was in coming to their aid that Major-General Nakamura met a heroic death on December 25.
February 2. The Miyamori, Wase, Nagakawa, Shiroki, Sumida, Miki and Hayashi detachments, operating in the sector near Chiutang to the south, pressed the enemy back to a mountainous district northwest of the town, and contacting the outflanking troops mentioned higher up, entrapped twenty divisions of the enemy who, in the ensuing confusion, stampeded to Tsienkiang, Lungshan and Wuming.
Results of the Campaign
The results of the campaign were as follows :
(a) The Chinese troops, some 35 divisions strong including 5 heavy and 10 field and mountain artillery battalions with one anti-tank unit, Lost 46,800 killed and 2,500 prisoners. The wounded were estimated at no less than 80,000.
(b) Japanese booty included 25 field and mountain guns, 16 rapid-firers, 68 trench-mortars, 125 grenade catapults, 110 heavy and 544 light machine-guns, 9,600 rifles, 19 tanks, 6 armoured cars, 63 motor-cars and
8 side-cars. We suffered 205 killed and 785 wounded.
Statement of the Chief of the Press Section of the Army Department of the Imperial Headquarters
With regard to the Nanning campaign, the chief of the Press Section of the Army Department of the Imperial Headquarters on February 3 gave out the following statement :
"A coup-de-grâce has been dealt the so-called 'winter offensive' of Chiang Kai-shek by a decisive battle fought near Nanning, a key point of the arms-supply route for the Chungking Government. This has further stimulated the peace desire among the Chinese masses, and furthered the proposed establishment of a new central Government of China under Wang Ching-wei."
He went on to describe the operations, details of which appear in the opening chapter.
The Clean-up Campaign West of Paotow
General Situation
The Chinese armies under General Ma Chan-shan, Han Hsi-how, and Fu Tso-i, together with the guerillas under General Ho Chu-kuo, were active in the area around Paotow, western terminus of the Peking-Suiyuan Railway. A clean-up campaign was launched against them on January 20 by the Japanese forces patrolling the district.
Progress of the Campaign
From January 21 to January 25, mopping-up operations were carried out in the Ordos desert, south of the Yellow River, against the enemy some 2,000 strong. Anpeh and Changyatien, both west of Paotow, were the starting-points of attacks directed upon Wuyuan and Wuchen, on January 31. Capturing Wanhochang, the Japanese advanced to Wuyuan on February 3.
Moving south, they took Tunghingtang, and heavily defeating troops under Generals Men Ping-yueh and Shin Yu-shan, they reached Linho and Shanpa on February 5.
In Shantung Peninsula
General Situation
The Tsingtao Campaign of 1904 and later, the Japanese expedition to Tsinan, had taught the people of Shantung Province the value of the Japanese military. This accounts for the latter's success in maintaining peace and order in the Shantung peninsula since the outbreak of the China Affair. However, the eastern extremity of the peninsula, which had not known Japanese occupation, had for long been used by Chinese Communist and Kuomintang troops as well as irregulars as bases for operations against the
law-abiding populace. Early in February military and naval forces were sent against them. Serious difficulties attended these operations because of the mountainous nature of the country, the muddy roads and cold and inclement weather.
Movements of the Chinese Troops
About 20,000 Chinese troops and irregulars overran Eastern Shantung. The Shantung column of the Communist 8th Route Army, some 2,000 strong, was moreover active, with Chaoyuan, south of Lungkow, as its base. There were regular troops or guerilla forces in Penglai prefecture and the Laiyang, Tsihsia and Tsimo districts ; also in the Fushan, Tengchow and Hwanghsien, Wenteng and Yungcheng districts.
Progress of the Campaign
The Japanese campaign was aimed at cornering these elements within the tip of the Shantung peninsula.
Our military forces drove from Lunghow and Piehshan on February 7, the Yamazaki, Akimoto, Ide and Oku detachments reaching the Chefoo-Haiyan line on February 13. Wenteng, the major base of enemy operations, was occupied on February 18, and Yungcheng three days later. Meanwhile the Japanese North China fleet tightened the blockade along the Shantung coast. On February 18, Shihtao, a strategically important port at the south-eastern extremity of the peninsula, was occupied by a naval detachment which captured Hwangshantsi, some 20 kilometres to the northwest, on February 19. This movement cut off the southern retreat of the enemy.
The mopping-up campaign in the peninsula was successfully concluded within a fortnight of its start.
Results of the Campaign
Between February 1 and February 21, 59 engagements with the enemy, whose numbers were estimated at 15,000, had taken place. They lost some 1,200 killed and 80 prisoners. Booty included about 400 rifles.
The Situation in China
II. Forces of the Imperial Navy in Action
Publicity Bureau, Navy Department
Activities of the Japanese naval air force in South China were seriously hampered by unfavourable weather since late in January. This allowed the Chungking Government time to repair the Yunnan Railway, its most important arms-supply route from abroad, which had been paralysed by successive aerial attacks.
On February 1, however, we carried out bombing operations against Mengtze, in Yunnan Province. Naval air-units led by Lieut.-Commander Mihara reached Mengtze, after a difficult passage. The Yunnan Railway was bombed at the bridge near Mengtze, and again its service paralysed. Much resistance however was encountered from the ground defences of the enemy.
Meanwhile other units visited Kwangsi Province and operated in concert with the ground forces.
The press section of the Japanese fleet in South China waters issued the following statement regarding the attack carried out by the naval air-units on the Yunnan Railway, on February 2 :
"On February 1, a big naval air detachment, in formation, commanded by Lieut.-Commander Mihara, carried out bombing operations against the Yunnan Railway, the only arms-supply route left to the Chungking Government, in the face of inclement weather and strong enemy opposition from the ground and air. The Chinese planes were easily repulsed. Heavy damage was inflicted on the railway. We suffered no losses."
Active Part Played by the Naval Force in the Clean-up Campaign in Eastern Shantung Province
The Japanese military and naval forces in North China started a mopping-up campaign against the remnants of Chinese troops in Eastern Shantung Province early in February.
On February 7, our military forces, from Langkow, Chaoyuan, Jihchwang, Lingshanchieh and Puchutientze closed in upon the remnants of the enemy, some 20,000 strong, which overran Eastern Shantung.
Taking advantage of the unique topography, these troops were steadily cornered into the extremity of the peninsula. In the meantime, the Japanese Navy enforced a ban on shipping including the junk traffic between Weihaiwei and Tsingtao. The blockade was in every way effective.
The mopping-up campaign, jointly carried out with the military forces, was participated in by the air-units. Much hardship was experienced, because of the extreme cold and the bad weather.
The press section of the Japanese fleet in North China waters on February 19 gave out the following communique :
"(1) Several naval planes early on the morning of February 18 participated in the attack on Shitao, covering the landing operations of our blue-jackets.
"(2) At the same time, our warships bombarded the enemy positions in the rear, cutting off their retreat.
"(3) The defeated enemy troops attempted to flee into the mountainous district north of Shihtao. The Chinese population in the port welcomed our men upon their entry.
Peace and order is fast returning in this region."
February 20, the Japanese resident naval officer Tanimoto at Tsingtao issued a statement :
"Since the morning of February 20, a clean-up campaign against the remnants of Chinese troops, is being undertaken and the coast districts carefully kept under surveillance.
"Midway between Weihaiwei and Chefoo was bombarded and heavy damage inflicted on the enemy.
"The main body of the Japanese fleet is anchored off Shihmen Port where mopping-up operations are being directed against all stragglers.
"We captured 41 rifles, 2 revolvers, and about 4,000 rounds of ammunition."