Reinforcement Will Arrive Tomorrow Background Intro

 

1944

06/23~08/08

Hengyang Defense Battle

In 1944, after losing one after another battles during the 2nd World War, the Japanese government decided to exhaust the entire nation’s resources to launch the largest attack in Japanese army history, “Combat Plan No. 1”, which initiated the “Yu Xiang Gui Battle”. In early April, Japanese army attacked Henan (ie. the province of Yu), and the entire Henan province fell to Japanese army occupation by 5/26. In June, the city of Changsha, which the Chinese military held fast for 6 months, fell into Japanese army’s hand, and the Japanese gathered about 110,000 soldiers in preparation to launch a major attack at Hengyang. During the war times, tax revenue from Hengyang was the 2nd highest among the regions that had not fell to enemy occupation, so it had a nickname of “Little Shanghai”, and its strategic location was also very important during war time. The arrogant Japanese army wanted to capture Hengyang in one day. Hearing this, the No. 10 Military group guarding Hengyang and all the civilians in the city came together and fight against the enemy bravely, and won one of the most famous defensive battle in the world military history — “Hengyang Defense Battle”.

A city erased by the fire of war

A piece of history that cannot be forgotten

1944

06/23~08/08

Hengyang Defense Battle

In the Hengyang Defense Battle, we had near 18,000 soldiers and 3000+ civilians from various fields fighting against approximately 110,000 Japanese soldiers. In the desperate condition of no support coming at all, we held fast in Hengyang for 47 days. With the casualties of 16,000 people on our side, and 48,000 people on the Japanese side in the end, the casualty ratio reached 1:3. Hengyang Defense Battle was the only battle in the war against Japan in which Japanese sent 6 times the amount of soldiers we had but had casualties 3 times of ours. It was also the only battle in Japanese war history that they had more casualties than Chinese troops. Hengyang Defense Battle delayed the Japanese troops' progress in “opening up the main land transportation line”, and, indirectly, led to the step-down of the Japanese prime minister, Tojo Hideki. Hengyang Defense Battle also greatly strengthened the Chinese people’s confidence in fighting against the Japanese invasion. After this battle, not one shingle remained in Hengyang city, and not a single segment of walls was ever complete again. Hengyang also became the one and only anti-Japanese war memorial city in China.

A city erased by the fire of war

A piece of history that cannot be forgotten

----- The End -----

I just have one comment here. No more wars please.