The Situation in China
Bureau of Information, War Department
The large-scale clean-up campaign launched by the Japanese expeditionary forces since last April has dealt a heavy blow to the Chinese armies, upsetting reorganization plans launched by the Chinese armies early in July in an attempt to regain their fighting power.
Fearing that the Japanese forces might start a big offensive along the entire front in September or October, the Chinese armies attempted to obstruct Japanese troop movements and preparations for such an offensive by mobilizing guerilla activity in the rear of the Japanese positions. Sporadic engagements took place in various parts of China, including a Communist sortie in North China in the middle of August and activities by Chungking troops in southern Shansi Proyince [sic]. Otherwise, the China front has been relatively quiet.
The Chinese armies now are estimated at some 250 divisions, or about 2,000,000 men. Numerically each Chinese division is believed to have been replenished to its normal basic strength, but the equipment is barely sufficient to supply 20 or 30 per cent of the complement. In addition, a decided deterioration in the quality of recruits is manifested in frequent desertions and irregularities among the soldiers, as well as by low morale and slack discipline. The Chinese fighting spirit has declined seriously, although offers of heavy prizes and threats of severe punishment seem to serve somewhat to maintain it and some Chinese staff officers are still inflamed with vigorous anti-Japanese sentiments. But even the latter are limited to those who have never engaged Japanese troops, for Chinese officers and men usually lose the will to fight once they have borne the brunt of a Japanese attack.
The supply of munitions is an important factor in the enemy's capacity for resistance, and the major foreign supply routes to the Chungking régime have been almost completely blocked by the Japanese armed forces. It is true that a small quantity of munitions still trickles into the Chungking area over such routes as remain intact, but in general they are wholly inadequate for the needs of the Chinese armies. The Burma road, which Great Britain reopened after October 18, is said to be capable of accommodating only 1,500 tons of goods a month.
Chinese arsenals in the unoccupied areas apparently are capable
of manufacturing ammunition in such quantity as to permit uninterrupted guerilla warfare on a small scale, but ordnance production is so poor that only small-calibre guns can be repaired.
In short, the fighting power of the Chinese armies has deteriorated remarkably, so that they are incapable of undertaking any offensive of the proportions of the battle of Hankow. It may be, however, that they will be capable of waging guerilla warfare for some time to come.
Activities of Chinese Communist Troops in North China
About 12,000 Chinese troops, comprising the 120th and 129th Divisions of the Eighth Route (Communist) Army and anti-Japanese university students, who established a base in the hinterlands of Shansi Province, attempted a sortie against the Tatung-Pukow Railway in northern Shansi Province, the railway between Shihkiachwang and Taiyuan, in Hopeh and Shansi Provinces, and the coal mines in Shansi Province on August 21. But the Japanese launched a counter-attack and they were completely repulsed with heavy losses by August 25. The Japanese forces also undertook a mopping-up campaign on October 11 against Chinese Communist troops which had been active in eastern Shansi Province and along the border of Hopeh Province.
The Central Front
In Central China, a punitive expedition was carried out against the newly organized Chinese 13th and 39th Divisions near Wuning, in Kiangsi Province, in August, while successful mopping-up campaigns were undertaken against the Chinese 76th Division near Hsiangan, in Anhwei Province, and also against Chinese troops which had been molesting the Hwainan Railway north of Luchow (Hofei), in central Anhwei Province. The biggest engagement during September took place in the lake region north of the Yangtze River, around Lake Kaoyu and Lake Hungtze, where the Japanese forces dealt the new Communist Fourth Army a severe blow after encircling them on September 5. In the lake region southeast of Tsienkiang, central Hupeh Province, mopping-up operations were started on October 13. Meanwhile a crushing attack was made against 20 Chinese divisions in an area extending from Wuhu to Hangchow and also south of Hangchow.
The South China Front
A portion of Chinese troops began activity in southwestern
Kwangsi Province, bordering on French Indo-China, as a demonstration during August for both domestic and foreign effect. The Japanese forces in South China started operations on August 17 and dispersed Chinese troops near Shangsze, southwestern Kwansgi [sic], after inflicting heavy losses. Also on August 17, combined army and naval air forces swooped down upon Paoki, a strategic point on the northwestern or Red route on the western border of Shensi Province and effectively bombed military targets there. On August 19, military and naval air forces began joint attacks on Chungking for two consecutive days, scoring direct hits on military targets.
In September, Japanese army and navy forces, in conjunction with the Chinese constabulary, undertook a successful clean-up campaign against about 1,000 Chinese, remnants of hostile forces, on Hainan Island. This campaign is being continued in the interior of the island.
Japanese operations have been facilitated greatly by an accord concluded on September 22 between Japan and France, permitting Japanese armed forces to enter French Indo-China and to establish military and aviation bases there. This has made it possible for Japanese troops to withdraw from Nanning, former capital of Kwangsi Province, which had been occupied primarily to cut off supplies to the Chungking régime by way of French Indo-China through Yunnan and Kwangsi Provinces. Crack units of the Japanese army and navy air forces entered the air field at Hanoi on October 5, thus establishing a position from which to bomb effectively the Burma-Yunnan road, which was reopened to traffic on October 18.