Battle of Wanjialing

Battle of Wanjialing, well known in Chinese text as the Victory of Wanjialing refers to the Chinese Army's successful engagement during the of the Second Sino-Japanese War against the Japanese around the Wanjialing region in 1938.

Combatants

Chinese

In the Battle of Wanjialing, the Chinese side consisted of the 4th Army, 74th Army, 66th Army, 187th Division, 91st Division, New 13th Division, 142th Division, 60th Division, Reserved 6th Division, 19th Division, a brigade from the 139th Division and the New 15th Division, which totals up to 100,000 men. The chief commander in the frontline was the commander of the 9th Group Army Wu Chiwei. They were under the overall command of the supreme commander of the 9th Military Region Xue Yue.

Japanese

The Japanese side consisted of the , led by lieutenant-general Matsuura Junrokuro. Under the 106th Division, there were the 111th Infantry Brigade and 136th Brigade , as well as Regiments of cavalry, artillery, engineers and transport.

The battle

Under the orders of Yasuji Okamura, the Japanese 106th Division intended to cross the Wanjialing Region in hopes of cuting off the connection between the Chinese Army in and Wuning Railway. The plan was discovered by Xue Yue, and the Chinese managed to surround the 106th Division. Okamura ordered the 27th Division to reinforce the 106th Division, but was halted by the Chinese Army. The majority of the 106th Division was destroyed by the Chinese Army eventually, with only around 1,700 men escaped. On October 13, 1938, the Chinese Army retreated from the battlefield. The Battle of Wanjialing was the first successful attempt to destroy a full Japanese Division.