Marco Polo Bridge - Beijing -Tianjin - Chahar - Shanghai (1937 ) - ( Sihang - Warehouse) - Beiping - Hankou Railway - Tianjin - Pukou Railway - Taiyuan - Pingxingguan - Xinkou - Nanjing - Xuzhou - Tai_erzhuang - Henan - Lanfeng - Amoy - Chongqing - Wuhan - ( Wanjialing ) - Canton - (Hainan ) - Nanchang - ( Xiushui (river) ) - Suixian - Zaoyang - (Shantou ) -Changsha ( 1939) - South Guangxi - ( Kunlun pass) - Winter offensive - ( Wuyuan ) - Zaoyang - Yichang - hundred regiments - central Hubei - South Henan - West Hebei - Shanggao - Shanxi - Changsha ( 1941) - Changsha ( 1942) - Yunnan -Burma road - Zhejiang - Jiangxi - Sichuan - West Hubei - Northern Burma and Western Yunnan - Changde - Ichi- gō - Henan - Changsha (1944) -Guilin -Liuzhou - West Henan and northern Hubei - Western Hunan - Guangxi (1945 ) - Manchukuo ( 1945)

Operation Ichi- gō (Japanese一号 作 戦, Ichi- gō sakusen, dt, Operation No. 1 '; Chinese豫 湘桂 会战/豫 湘桂 会战, Pinyin Yuxiang GUI Huizhan, Battle of Henan - Hunan - Guangxi ') was a large-scale operation of the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Japanese units in southern China, who had not taken any major operation against the Chinese troops since 1942, went from mid- April 1944 on the offensive, taking einkesselten within a few months, large parts of the Chinese army in the three southern provinces of Guangxi, Hunan and Henan and destroyed. The Japanese troops had occupied until December 1944, when the advance of the armies involved came to a halt in front of the heavily defended city ofNanning several important cities. The tactical objectives of the operation were therefore regarded by the Imperial Headquarters and largely achieved. The long term, the operation is proved to be almost worthless, because in spite of the conquest of the important southern Chinese airfields from which flew the American B- 29 bomber air raids against Japan, the bombing of the Japanese mainland could be continued by the recently conquered Mariana Islands. The additionally obtained direct land connection between the Japanese-occupied areas in the northeast of China and those in Indochina and Burma proved based on extensive guerrilla activity also as significantly less effective than planned.

• 3.1 Campaign in Hunan
• 3.2 Conquest ofHengyang3.2.1 First Japanese attack
• 3.2.2 Second Japanese attack

• 3.3.1 First attack
• 3.3.2 Second Attack

• 4.1 losses

Objectives of the operation

In early 1944, the plan of General Umezu Yoshijiro, commander of the Kwantung Army, a large-scale offensive in southern China was to start to open access to Burma, approved for implementation by the Imperial Headquarters in Tokyo. General Umezu, currently designated as the general of the Kwantung Army also commander of all forces in North China was, and belonged to the General Staff of the Imperial army, set in February 1944 together with the staff of the Kwantung Army and the Regional Army North China, the objectives of the proposed offensive fixed. In March was composed in the Kwantung Army headquarters in Xinjing the operation rod; among its members there were general Okido Sanji, MarshalHajime Sugiyama, General Hata Shunroku and General Okamura Yasuji. The target of the operation Ichi- gō was set at a staff meeting that the destruction of the three major Chinese associations in the three provinces of southern China should be classified as a priority target. Furthermore, the smaller Chinese organizations should be rounded up and destroyed, the main cities of the three southern provinces are backed up, and a Naschschub and reinforcement route are created to northern Burma. This allowed the fighting in northern Burma Japanese troops of the regional army Burma, supplies and, if necessary, also be evacuated to Southern China. The troops, who should participate in this campaign were the 3rd Panzer Division, which belonged to the Kwantung Army and was equipped with 800 Ha -Go Chi -Ha and tanks, as well as the 6th and the 12th Army. These troops were composed of 17 divisions with a total of over 400,000 men. The force also included 12,000 vehicles and 6,000 artillery pieces, and 70,000 horses and mules. Operation Ichi- gō had two sub-operations: the first was code -named Operation Co- gō (コ 号 作戦, Co- gō Sakusen, also:京 汉 作 戦, Keikan Sakusen, German, Chinese - capital operation '): should this from April 1944, the railway Beijing- Wuhan is backed up to the area of ​​Henan Province, to open a supply route for the second phase of Operation Ichi- gō. In the co- gō - offensive, the Chinese troops should be surrounded and wiped out under General Tang Enbo in the area around Luoyang during the advance. The destruction of this Chinese association had been classified in Xinjing as a priority objective for the operational command of the Kwantung Army. The code name of the second sub-operation was to- gō (ト 号 作戦, to- gō Sakusen, also:湘桂 作 戦, shōkei Sakusen, dt, Hunan - Guangxi - operation '): where the Japanese troops were the provinces of Hunan and Guangxi to the border of French Indo-China and Hong Kong, both of which were under Japanese control, advance, and by the XX. Switch Bomber Command airfields USAAF used in southern China, which could be used for air attacks on Japan. The operation is called To- gō in Japanese as Tairiku Datsu Sakusen (大陆 打通 作 戦) or continent - crossing operation.

Co- operation gō

Beginning of the offensive

On April 19, 1944, the Operation Ichi- gō began with the attack of the 11th and the 12th Army, supported by the 3rd Panzer Division. First, the attack of the 11th Army, which pushed forward against the Chinese front in perfect weather conditions east of Luoyang was. Around 13:00 clock the following day had the units of the XIII. motorized tank regiment broke up the right wing of the Chinese defense and moved to the small towns Linru and Baisha and in the circle Jia before, during the XVII. Panzer Regiment abschwenkte further south. Generalissimo Chiang Kai- shek and the general of the Chinese soldiers stationed there, Tang Enbo, ordered shortly after the beginning of the enemy's operations to truncate the already collapsed Japanese armored units by flanking attacks and destroy them. The isolated counterattacks individual Chinese divisions, but had no anti-tank guns, met the Japanese employed on the edge III. motorized infantry regiment, whose rise was the south which results in reducing considerably. The use of the XVII. However tank regiment could fight back again the Chinese. On April 22 were Japanese advance associations of XIII. Panzer Regiment occupy some strategically important villages in Henan resistance, and advance work until April 25 to 20 kilometers of Luoyang.

Meanwhile, the Japanese 12th Army under Lieutenant-General Uchiyama Heitaro occurred on April 20 against the left wing of the Chinese front and met fierce resistance. Only after the breakthrough of the VI. Armoured Brigade by the further south positions of the Chinese succeeded in the 12th Army, to weaken the enemy's defensive lines. By resulting in the Chinese Nationalist troops, the front gap could be avoided and pressed significantly in some places the front. By 25 April, the 12th Army finally took some villages east one Luoyang, where the concentrated to defend Chinese troops heavy losses inflicted by the Japanese armored forces. Almost simultaneously, was from the west, the attack of some units of the 11th Army, which was to reach Luoyang. The armored columns of the XIII. Panzer Regiment encountered south of Luoyang prior to unite with the tips of the 12th Army and encircle Luoyang. The meeting of the two preceding in a pincer movement major Japanese organizations took place on 30 April. With the conquest of the important city ofXuchang, whose railway line was the only supply route for the Chinese troops in the district of Luoyang, the supply and communication lines of the Nationalist troops were cut off in Luoyang and encircled about 390,000 soldiers.

On the Chinese side there was in those days the greatest confusion, as yet, had the connection between the various front-line units interrupted the first Japanese air raids that began on April 19 in parallel with the rise, so that coordination of counter- attacks by the Kuomintang troops was impossible. The operational reserve nationalist group in Luoyang, which consisted of 30,000 men into three divisions, could not be used because the front was pressed within hours of the Japanese associations. General Tang soon realized the danger which threatened his troops trapped in the boiler room Luoyang, and therefore asked for Chiang Kai- shek 's permission, with his troops to try to escape from the boiler. This was denied by the Generalissimo, as the Chinese staff was of the opinion the city of Luoyang is to hold absolutely. General Tang was ordered to defend every inch of ground. On May 1, reported the commander of the Chinese troops in the district of Jia, that he had to swerve to the east immediately, as he by the Japanese associations of XIII. and XVII. Tank regiment was being attacked and his troops had no heavy weapons or armor, and asked for appropriate instructions. As he had received no reply until the morning of May 2, he interpreted this as a denial of its request and, therefore, prepared the defense of Jia. At noon, the first lines of defense in Chinese Jia of the Japanese XIII were. Panzer Regiment broken, the Chinese suffered heavy losses. By the evening of the 2nd of May, a further advance of the XIII. Tank regiment to a union with the motorized reconnaissance battalion of the 3rd Panzer Division, which had attacked from the south the circle, whereby the ring closed around stationed in Jia 12,000 men of Guangxi and 13th Army. On the same day ordered Lieutenant-General Yamaji Hideo, commander of the 3rd Armored Division, that the removal of this boiler will transfer the motorized reconnaissance battalion. The XIII. and the XVII. Regiment, accompanied by infantry troops of the 12th Army should take care of the destruction of standing in Linru and Baisha enemy troops. To this end, they came before and were able to continue on May 3 at Linru connect another boiler to the remaining parts of the 13th Army.

Both on 2 and 3 May, the Chinese troops tried to break out of the boiler by Jia. These attempts were unsuccessful and led to high losses due to the Japanese tank units and motorized reconnaissance battalion. The remaining Chinese units could break through the Japanese lines of the 12th Army, however, they also suffered from the armored reconnaissance battalion of heavy losses. The Chinese trade associations to which the outbreak had succeeded, withdrew in the course of May 3rd slowly towards Linru back, where they were pursued by the Japanese armored forces. At the line Linru - Baisha collected General Tang between the 3rd and 4th May these troops, but the Japanese infantrymen of the 12th Corps of the 12th Army were able to push this last Chinese line of defense. The organized withdrawal of the 13th Army turned it into an unplanned escape. The troops suffered with tremendous losses and lost up to 90 % of their equipment. Thus, the 13th Army lost when enemy breakthrough their entire anyway numerous artillery and suffered the destruction of their rear services. In addition, the combat strength of its 20 divisions were in the room Luoyang at only 9,000-10,000 men per division, a total of not more than 200,000 combat-ready soldiers. The thirteen divisions of the Guangxi army, which were not included in the boiler of Luoyang, possessed an average combat strength of only 7,000 men, but could after the defeat at Xuchang save more of their equipment and supplies. The Japanese reports of Luoyang Offensive speak of a total of 40,000 prisoners of war, Chinese, and 583 captured or destroyed enemy guns, while the Japanese troops lost during the operation, 4,000 men and 2 tanks.

Advance on Luoyang

On the evening of May 2, the city Linru was achieved by the tanks of the armored regiments XIII and XVII, and these vehicles, supported by about 400 Japanese artillery pieces, among which were also captured Chinese guns, shot the following night the Chinese defenses before Linru. A few hours after the start of this bombardment, attacked the foot soldiers of the 12th Corps of the city, which was held by about 4,000 Chinese soldiers of the 13th Army. The attack of the XVII. Panzer Regiment broke through the morning of May 3, at 5:30 clock the defense lines of the 13th Army and the 12th AK ventured into the outer boroughs. These troops were on May 4, together with the XVII. Tank regiment that city, taking. The following day, Baisha also fell to the troops of the motorized reconnaissance battalion. General Tang Luoyang initially remained without news from the front, but as the air forces of 23 Fighter Group ( the Flying Tigers ) reported the approach of enemy motorized columns to Luoyang, the serious situation of Chinese troops was first recognized in the boiler Luoyang. However, since General Tang insufficient troops were available to fill the gap in the defense of Luoyang to close, General Yamaji was to operate relatively freely in the situation and turned first on May 6, XIII. Panzer Regiment from the north-west in the direction of Longmen to meet here with the troops of the 12th Army Corps and the motorized reconnaissance column. On the left wing of which, however, went the XVII. Regiment against stronger Chinese resistance in space Yuxian ago. It took a few localities on May 9 and was then turned to the north- west, in order to advance to Luoyang.

The thrust of the motorized reconnaissance battalion, which now operated in the south of Luoyang after taking Baisha on May 4, was more difficult. Although they broke through the Chinese positions near Longmen on May 5 to the XIII. Regiment in Luoyang push forward, but they fell in the mountains outside the city Longmen under fire by anti-tank guns of the Chinese. On this day, the tanks of the department were not used because the Chinese had concentrated an anti-tank brigade in the key positions of the valleys, to seal off the Japanese breakthrough. On 6 and 7 May, the infantry troops of the motorized division attacked these positions, where they were met by supporting artillery fire. On 7 May, the Chinese positions were dug by flamethrower, the Nationalist forces lost about 4,000 men. The Chinese units in Longmen suffered heavy losses from artillery bombardment, while at the same time the attacks of the XIII. Panzer Regiment had to fend off. Finally, General Tang ordered the troops to withdraw ordered by Luoyang, on May 10, these troops, however, were wiped out by the Japanese armored columns. As a result, the troops of the 12th Corps attacked, supported by a total of 360 tanks of the XIII. and XVII. Regiment, the motorized reconnaissance battalion and III. motorized artillery regiment (Type 97 Chi -Ha tanks and Type 89 I- Go) frontal from the west, north and east, the Chinese positions in front of the city to narrow the siege to Luoyang.

Conquest of Luoyang and end of the operation co- gō

On May 12, at 4:00 clock the major Japanese attack on Luoyang began with the bombing of the city by 40 Mitsubishi Ki -67 and Kawasaki Ki -48 bombers. Luoyang was destroyed it as of 5:00 clock by massive shelling out box, tank, siege artillery and mortar batteries, for the most part, the Chinese defense troops of the 13th Army suffered heavy losses. At 12:00 clock finally the broad ground offensive was opened by the troops of the 6th and 12th Army. These soldiers were supported by seven tanks, motorized artillery and infantry regiments. The 14th and 23th Infantry Division were able to overcome the first Chinese defenses, where they were supported by flamethrower use, and could in this day of battle the Central Station of Luoyang, and secure some districts in the city, with about 3,000 Chinese soldiers were killed. The main train station, however, was attacked several times during the day by the Chinese and changed hands several times, but could it keep the Japanese troops of the 23th Infantry Division, while the 25th Infantry Division along with the tanks of the XIII. Regiment successfully repelled the attacks of the 13th Army on the station. Japanese machine-gunners established during the night several defensive positions in the city center, with some tanks went on the street corners in position to serve as a mobile defense positions. General Tang ordered on May 14, zurückzueroberern the Central Station of Luoyang, in any case, what some battalions of the 13th Army were provided. These units are able to infiltrate into the main station and ward off several Japanese counterattacks, but the Chinese troops were wiped out by artillery shelling and machine gun fire: 20 tanks of the XIII. Regiment drove on the morning of May 15, the Chinese from the station premises, which was recaptured in a counterattack by the Japanese. On the evening of the same day the main station was again controlled by the Japanese troops of the 23th Infantry Division. In the battles around the station, the Chinese lost a total of 2,000 men.

While the troops of the 23rd Division was taking the train station, the 14th, along with the 8th Division and the XVII. Armored regiment advanced into the city, where they had driven Chinese units scattered before him. The Japanese organizations were involved on 16 May in a house fighting in the center of Luoyang, where they suffered heavy losses. Artillery bombardment destroyed on May 17, the majority of the Chinese defenses, which the Chinese troops in a turbulent and confusing road-to- road and building-to - building fighting against the 14th and 8th Division over a 5- kilometer-wide zone of Houses - and plant debris were involved. General Tang posted on the morning of May 18 reinforcements in this area of ​​the city, but the advancing Chinese troops were the tanks of the XVII. Regiment almost completely wiped out. Heavy rains on May 19, leaving the streets to Luoyang silt and slowed the Japanese operations in the city, while the Chinese were the enemy of inactivity in order to create new defensive positions near the city hall. The battles also developed on both banks of the Luo He, the Chinese associations suffered losses of up to 80 % of their initial strength. The Japanese troops in the center were finally able to push forward on May 22, where they broke through the last Chinese defense lines at City Hall. After fierce close combat against some scattered troops of the 13th Army, the City Hall building was taken on May 24. Thus, the conquest of Luoyang had officially ended, although some Chinese units continued to fight. The Japanese casualties were 2,300 dead, while the Chinese had lost more than 20,000 men in the battle; additional 46,000 Chinese soldiers were killed in the boiler room Luoyang, about 20,000 were wounded and more than 45,000 became prisoners of war.

With the assurance of Luoyang, the co- operation gō, the first part of Ichi- gō was completed and the operation to- gō has now begun.

Operation To- gō

Campaign in Hunan

Even during the fighting around the Luoyang - boiler Japanese troops went with the surgery to- gō about to exploit the gaps that they had beaten in the Chinese lines in southern China. On May 30, during the fighting in the boiler of Luoyang were continuing, the 11th Army entered (General Isamu Yokoyama ) on the offensive. These troops were supported by two motorized infantry and one artillery division, started their advance in Wuhan, the mot Division VI on the morning of 1 June, the Chinese lines 40 kilometers north of Changsha, Hunan Province broke through. On the morning of June 4, at 5:00 clock the Kuomintang defenses stationed in Hunan units of the 4th Army Corps of guanxi Army (GeneralXue Yue ) were broken by the 3rd and 13th Japanese Division inLiuyang. The 13th Division ( mot ) ventured into the back room and was able to take with the 3rd Division some villages that were barely 38 kilometers in Changsha already on June 7. Although they were not supported by armored units, these troops could cause the Chinese units very high losses, and on June 10, fell several hard -fought villages about 35 kilometers from Changsha.

On June 12 came the motorized reconnaissance battalion and the VI. Armored brigade of the 3rd Panzer Division, which decreed after the fighting near Luoyang over nearly 150 tanks and motorized artillery, the attack on, and they broke through the last defenses Chinese on the banks of the Yangtze River. The Chinese units that were not equipped with anti-tank artillery, the Japanese advance could not stop and were beaten by the tanks in flight. Gene. Yamaji was given the weak enemy resistance in the Greater Changsha operate freely and turned on 14 June, the education department to the southeast towards the town from to meet here with the troops of the 11th Army and encircle Changsha. Now, however, occurred in these two armored units supply bottlenecks in the fuel, whereby the advance came to a halt. Only after allocations from Wuhan and Luoyang, the commitment of the two units was restored in the afternoon of June 15. The advance of the 11th Army hindessen proved to be easier, because the Chinese troops in Changsha area had suffered heavy losses and passed the retreated for the most part only of verprengten units to Changsha. The 11th Army was able to relatively quickly push forward and reached on June 15, theDongting Lake. On June 16, the last troops of the 4th army corps were wiped out in the area of the lake, with some Chinese units were about to cross the sea with ships. However, these ships came under attack by Japanese aircraft and were sunk: in the fighting in and around Changsha approximately 30,000 Chinese soldiers had been killed, while another 20,000 were wounded or captured. Given the enormous losses ordered General Xue Yue on June 17, all still -combat troops to withdraw towards Hengyang. The march began on the same day and about 50,000 Chinese Kuomintang units could until June 21, when the Japanese tank and infantry units included the boiler to the room Changsha, pull back to Hengyang. On June 18, hindessen the Japanese troops of the 11th Army had the Changsha City, which was defended by only about 13,000 Chinese troops achieved. The artillery bombardment of the city began in the morning of June 18, with several Japanese aircraft attacked the main building in the center of Changsha. On June 18, at 12.00 clock, the city was attacked by the troops of the 58th Infantry Division, the Chinese defenders suffered heavy losses during the house to house fighting in the center of Changsha. The Japanese captured the city within a few hours, while several Chinese associations continued to fight fiercely in the neighborhood of Changsha. According to Japanese data to have been killed or wounded in the battle 10,200 Chinese soldiers.

Conquest of Hengyang

First Japanese attack

Even during the fighting in and around Changsha had Field Marshal Sugiyama Hajime the 68th and 116th Infantry Division immediately after the capture of the city of Changsha on 18 / 19th June gave the order to conquer the city of Hengyang and proceed as far as possible in the direction of Guanxi province. The Chinese leadership under General Xue Yue had meanwhile, however, taken measures to prevent a Japanese breakthrough over Hengyang towards guanxi. With trains, it moved in mid-June, more than 10,000 soldiers to Hengyang, the town has now been heavily fortified by about 17,000 soldiers. Other reserves arrived there. As near Hengyang, finally, the 3rd, 10th, 190th and 45th were gathered, summarized If these associations as the 10th Army Corps under the command of Generalleutnant Fang Xianjue together. These troops consisted of 20,000 men, who were armed with light guns, among others, and mortar. When the Japanese 68th Division broke through the only line of defense of the 10th AK north of Hengyang on June 20, she was attacked by troops of the 190th and 10th Division, who were supported by American fighters of the 23rd Fighter Group ( Flying Tigers ). The 68th Division suffered particularly by the ongoing American bombing heavy losses and had to retreat in the direction of Changsha, where it was reinforced by troops of the 116th Division. After this first failure of the Japanese organizations on June 24, began again to attack the city. In the south, held by the Chinese 3rd Division front portion of the advance of the 68th and 116th Division on 25 June began, these two organizations were trying to impress the Chinese front, in order to advance in the direction of Hengyang. Again, the Japanese attack was supported by heavy artillery fire and air strikes. According to Sugiyama plan, the Japanese forces attacked south of Hengnan and west of Hengdong, and in the evening of the day succeeded the attackers of the Japanese 68th Infantry Division to break through the front of the Chinese 10th Army Corps at Hengdong. General Fang Xianjue made ​​the mistake of the units of the Chinese 190th Division, which was the only Kuomintang unit with chances of success in the defense of the Japanese attack tips to keep in reserve: as the Chinese defense was broken, these troops could not more time to fill the gap in the front portion. Several Chinese regiments were surrounded and annihilated by the Japanese troops of the 68th Division, with about 4,000 nationalist soldiers died. The fast Japanese motorized units of the 68th Infantry Division in the South pushed forward after the breakthrough towards Hengyang, where they were met by the troops of the 116th Division on the afternoon of June 26. The Chinese Associations of the 10th Division, who were stationed in the city could stop the Japanese advance a few kilometers before Hengyang, pointing out, nailed the Japanese units in Chengguan under heavy losses to their own.

The fighting in Chengguan Chinese troops could stop the Japanese attacks, which were partially supported by tanks of the 6th Tank Brigade, to 2 July, with the loss of more than 7,000 men. The Japanese, however, had to cancel the attack that day, because the Japanese soldiers at Chengguan ammunition, fuel and medicines eventually were no longer available. The troops of the 68th and 116th Division withdrew on July 3 after Hengdong back, which the Kuomintang troops of the 10th Division, which had defended Chengguan, eventually a retreat to the northwest was allowed in the direction of Hengyang. They first fought their way south along the straight occupied by the Japanese army east bank of the Xiangjiang River and later to the west of the 3rd Division oncoming direction from Hengyang to, and reached the city on July 5.

Second Japanese attack

On July 11, Marshal Sugiyama ordered again, the Japanese troops of the 68th and 116th Division, which had meanwhile been reinforced by units of the 58th and 64th Division to attack again from Hengdong from the Hengyang City, to secure them permanently. As of July 12, motorized and armored Japanese spearheads the divisions involved had advanced in a westerly direction towards the Chinese city, where to meet them suggested no resistance. The northern wing of the Japanese attack was made by the 58th and 116th Division, while the southern advance of the 64th and 68th Division was carried out. To stop the northern Japanese advance, the Chinese 3rd Division, which had strengthened the already ailing 10th Division after the fighting at Chengguan, should ensure, together with the 45th Division of the crossing of the Xiangjiang River northeast of Hengyang. The last was a novice and freshly convened recruits who had no artillery. Nevertheless, it was mainly these troops, prevented under high losses, a quick capture of the bridges by the Japanese troops. Marshal Sugiyama let his troops in ruthlessly run against the educated by the Chinese defense line on the western shore, so mainly on 16 and 17 July dogfighting took place shortly before and in Hengyang, which led to high Chinese losses. Also, 5,000 Japanese were killed or wounded during the fighting around the bridges. The Chinese troops withdrew on the evening of June 20 in the walled city back to set up the last line of defense against the Japanese units. The defenders of Hengyang consisted this time of only 4,000 men, reinforced by sections of the police and fire brigade units of the city. The position at Hengyang was untenable for the Chinese soldiers, as the remaining mass of the four Japanese divisions had the Xiangjiang River on 28 July exceeded the north of the city. At this time, the Japanese troops had occupied several districts, the Chinese defenders were wiped out, and also controlled two hospitals. On August 4, invaded armed Japanese soldiers of the 116th Division in the hospitals and then murdered several thousand Chinese wounded, where they shot some doctors and nurses. On the same day General Fang Xianjue to commit suicide at his headquarters tried, but some officers stopped him before he could kill himself. On 8 August, after some Japanese officers of the 68th Division had discussed with him the conditions he signed the surrender document and went on the same day, along with his troops who remained, a total of 2,000 men, a prisoner of war.

Advance direction Guilin

First attack

On August 7, shortly before the surrender of the Chinese units in Hengyang, Chiang Kai- shek ordered the troops of the 10th Army Corps, which had not been encircled near Hengyang, around 3,000 men to withdraw to Guilin. By 16 August, the withdrawal of these troops was slow, but on the whole schedule. The marching soldiers were attacked several times by Japanese aircraft, and the intensity of these air attacks increased with continuous time, with about 400 men were killed. In this retreat, however, the Chinese troops lost all trucks, as well as a large part of the ammunition. After the conquest of Hengyang intensified the pressure by the regular troops of the 20th Army, which was tasked with the destruction of the Chinese troops, but the Kuomintang units were still on 18 August reach the city of Guilin. The command of the Chinese troops in the metropolitan area of ​​the provinces of Hunan and Guanxi has been transferred by Chiang Kai- shek on 14 August GeneralBai Chongxi. Bai Chongxi should try his subordinate troops, consisting of the scattered soldiers of the 10th Army Corps, to reorganize in order to prepare an effective defense of the cities Guilin and Liuzhou. The units of the 10th Corps were reinforced on 20 August by three divisions of the 4th Army Group: General Xue Yue total were now some 30,000 men at his disposal, with the Mauser 98 ( Zhongzheng ) were mostly armed. Some mortar and artillery units were stationed in Guilin, but ammunition was only in very small quantities. As these troops would be included in the near future by the Japanese associations, General Bai Chongxi tried to create sowiel ammunition and food as possible in the city, where American aircraft " hump " could also bring several tons of drugs to the airfield Guilin. The Japanese 20th Army was reinforced on 26 August by units of the 11th and 23rd Army: September 3, these troops blocked the road of retreat Guilin - Liuzhou and cut the south of Guilin stationed troops of the 10th Army Corps from the rest of China Association from which was included in the following weeks in Guilin. The fuel and ammunition of all under General Bai Chongxis commandos were now running out, and on September 30, after fierce close-quarters fighting, the airfield Guilin was occupied by the troops of the 58th Japanese Infantry Division, whereby the air supply through the planes of the " Hump " cut off wurdeDie Chinese troops in the greater Guilin, which amounted to a total of 100,000 men, the Japanese associations of the 6th Regional army, which was formed on August 25 from the 6th, 11th, 13th, 20th and 23rd Army could was staying in early October, by attacking and aufrieben the Japanese attack tips. The aircraft of the 14th Air Force and especially the machines of the 23rd Fighter Group were able to pause the Japanese communications and supply routes by heavy air attacks. Especially The 13th Army suffered through this ongoing American bombing heavy losses and had to retreat in the direction of Hengyang, where it was reinforced by troops of the 6th Army.

Second attack

After this first failure of the Japanese organizations on 20 October began again to attack Guilin, which was defended only by nearly 24,000 men. The position of the Chinese troops in Guilin dramatized in the following weeks, almost every hour, on 1 November, the last aid packages were dropped, but that fell for the most part in the hands of the Japanese. The Chinese wounded in the city could not receive medical care because the drugs were missing, but despite the desperate fighting the Chinese soldiers for fear of the Japanese Captivity on. After fierce fighting the Japanese army took on the 4th of November, a the first quarter of the center, the Japanese 68th Division and several units of the 11th Army advanced into the last defenses of the Chinese troops, the last Chinese defense line was pressed in the center. In the city were at that time only about 6,000 Kuomintang soldiers who, however, could not be grouped into units. Most troops barricaded themselves in their houses and were the Japanese inflict heavy losses, but when the Japanese soldiers hundreds of Chinese positions dug on 8 November by flamethrower used in the center, and the last defenders were killed or wounded, with the following day the command post of General Bai Chongxi was achieved by the Japanese soldiers. Guilin was finally viewed on November 10, as backed up. The Chinese troops had lost in the two- month-long battle a total of 120,000 men, while the Japanese lost 8,000 soldiers associations.

Air attacks of the 14th Air Force

The aircraft of the 14th Air Force began on 30 October, mainly in the north of the province of Guanxi, its air strikes against the troops of the 6th Regional Japanese army. The aim of these attacks was to stop the Japanese attack on Guilin. Above all, the machines of the 23 Fighter Group ( Flying Tigers ) destroyed between late October and early November, about 200 Japanese trucks on the roads as well as some tanks and artillery pieces. The Japanese squadron took off from airfields Changsha and Hengyang, and were equipped with Ki -44 and Ki -84 were able to repel some of these attacks, as the enemy pilots inferior P- 40s flew. The 23rd Fighter Group lost because of these attacks 33 aircraft. The Japanese air forces lost a total of 40 machines, but according to these air attacks, the attack power of the Japanese troops was significantly lower than at the beginning of the operation against Guilin: two motorized battalions and one motorized brigade had lost all trucks; several artillery batteries were destroyed. However, the Japanese could continue to move until November 12 to the south, although the roads were still under American bombardment: November 13 were the troops of the 104th and 129th Infantry Division ( 23 Army ) occupy the less important city of Liuzhou. By a violent artillery preparation was the defensive positions of the 4,000 Chinese troops who were defending this city will be destroyed. A few hours later started the Japanese attack: First, the advance of the 104th Division, which pushed forward against the Chinese front in perfect weather conditions west of Liuzhou and was able to push within minutes was performed. Shortly afterwards, the units of the 129th Division had the right wing of the Chinese defense broken completely and advanced on the city, where they were met with weak and uncoordinated resistance scattered by Chinese troops. On the evening of 12 November, the city could be secured, and also the airfield Liuzhou, which had been used until November 10 of the aircraft of the 14th Air Force, could be taken. The Japanese troops lost in Liuzhou no more than 120 men. The Chinese units, however, were completely wiped out; several thousand men of scattered units who fled from Guilin came in captivity. Only the aircraft of the 14th Air Force could keep the Japanese troops which, immediately towards the city of Nanning push forward, taking several Japanese car. and tanks destroyed on the streets: some B-24 bombers were the end of November to damage the two Japanese airfields Guilin and Liuzhou, whereby the Japanese air operations were much handicapped: the 14th Air Force lost in these attacks a total of 13 bombers and 12 fighters, while on the Japanese side about 30 aircraft were shot down. 23 The Japanese army invaded despite the American attacks until the evening of November 20 to 50 kilometers from Nanning ago. These armies had previously been reinforced by the reduction of its front section.

End and consequences of surgery Ichi- gō

After the conquest of the two cities Guilin and Liuzhou Operation Ichi- gō was finished. It was the Japanese troops managed to reach the primary target of the operation, the conquest of the provinces of Henan, Hunan and Guangxi. According to the report of General Okamura Yasuji, commander of the 6th Regional army, it is clear that the Japanese headquarters of the regional army northern China as well as the conduct of operations in Xinjing Although in early September, the southern parts of China considered backed up as complete, the duration for the conquest of the province of Guangxi However, much longer einschätzten. As the Chinese troops were not considered in this province as a real threat, as they consisted only of scattered units, the 6th and 11th Army of Northern Guangxi were reassigned to Wuhan in October. During the fighting near Guilin - Liuzhou Chinese Associations of the 4th Army Group had been able to move to new positions along a line of defense in Nanning. These positions also included the city, which was defended by two divisions of the 4th Army Group. The airfield at Nanning was defended by a division ( the Chinese armed force in Burma) was reinforced by 2,000 troops of the Y -Force. The Japanese of 23 army conducted from November 16, 1944 offensive was aimed to conquer these positions and to open other entrances towards Burma to create a replenishment and reinforcement route toMyitkyina and northern Burma and thus there fighting troops of the 33rd Army supply. But against the well-fortified Chinese positions of the attack was slow. Only after a fierce air attack the Japanese troops succeeded in the end of November the advance. Some divisions of the 33rd Army could encircle in December Nanning, where they held together with the 23rd Army the city. Thus, the operation was finally completed. The failure to the southern Chinese regions and the important airfields be adequately protected, but led to the replacement of the top American military adviser to Chiang Kai- shek, GeneralJoseph Stilwell, by General Albert Wedemeyer in October 1944. The priority of the American military planning shifted to the end of Japanese offensive in the following weeks away from the China - Burma -India theater of war and to the successful strategy of island hopping in the Pacific Ocean.

Although the tactical objectives were largely achieved until December 1944, the long-term operation is proved to be almost worthless. This allowed thanks to the conquest of the airfields of Changsha, Guilin and Liuzhou American air forces of the 14th Air Force, which weakened Japan's war industry before surgery Ichi- gō by bombing, do not perform air attacks against the Japanese home islands. However, the aircraft of the XXI. Bomber Command, part of the 20th Air Force could use in the meantime conquered bases in the Marianas Islands for further strategic air attacks on Japan. Moreover, the 14th Air Force was largely possible to significantly interfere with continued air strikes the Japanese lines of communication in China: 20 enemy locomotives, 500 cars and 40 aircraft were alone in February 1945 destroyed in southern China. In Japan itself, this strategic failure, and the loss of the Marianas led in July 1944 before the end of Operation Ichi- gō to a military crisis: Prime Minister Hideki Tōjō resigned and was replaced byKuniaki Koiso.

Losses

The Chinese army had suffered huge losses during this operation. Since accurate Chinese data is missing, one is dependent on the specifications of the American report of General Joseph Stilwell, who, after the fighting in November 1944, the destruction of 4 complete Chinese armies, 6,723 guns, about 190 aircraft of the 14th Air Force and thousands of vehicles reported. According to report, about 300,000 Chinese soldiers had lost their lives during the fighting, while 100,000 were wounded and 80,000 fell into Japanese captivity, but exact data are missing. On the Japanese side, fell during the six months of operation, a total of about 50,000 troops, but even here the exact number is unknown loss. Also, around 400,000 Chinese civilians died, mainly due to Japanese artillery fire, but also from hunger, especially in the besieged cities of Luoyang, Hengyang and Guilin, and because Japanese massacre.