Battle of Changde

[Lawrence]

Does anyone have a detailed account on the Battle of Changde (Changteh) fought from November 2nd -December 20th 1943?

Apparently, it earned the nickname 'Stalingrad of the East' because of the large number of Japanese prisoners taken.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Changteh

[asiaticus]

Changteh Campaign (Early November - Late December, 1943)


Japan [end of Oct. 1943]

11th Army - Isamu Yokoyama
- 3rd Divison - ?
--5th Infantry Brigade
--- 6th Infantry Regiment
--- 68th Infantry Regiment
--29th Infantry Brigade
--- 18th Infantry Regiment
--- 34th Infantry Regiment
-- 3rd Field Artillery Regiment
-- 3rd Cavalry Regiment
-- 3rd Engineer Regiment
-- 3rd Transport Regiment
- 13th Division - ?
--- 13th Infantry Brigade Group
----65th Infantry Regiment
----104th Infantry Regiment
----116th Infantry Regiment
---19th Mountain Artilley Regiment
---17th Cavalry Regiment
---13th Engineer Regiment
---13th Transport Regiment
- 32nd Division (part) - ?
-- 32nd infantry Brigade Group:
--- 210th Infantry Regiment
--- 211th Infantry Regiment
--- 212th Infantry Regiment
-- 32nd Recon Regiment
-- 32nd Feild Artillery Regiment
-- 32nd Transport Regiment
-- 32nd Transport Regiment
- 34th Division (part) - ?
-- 34th infantry Brigade Group:
--- 216th Infantry Regiment
--- 217th Infantry Regiment
--- 218th Infantry Regiment
-- 34th Recon Regiment
-- 34th Feild Artillery Regiment
-- 24th Transport Regiment
-- 34th Transport Regiment
- 39th Division - ?
-- 39th Infantry Brigade Group:
--- 231st Infantry Regiment
--- 232nd Infantry Regiment
--- 233rd Infantry Regiment
-- 39th Recon Regiment
-- 39th Feild Artillery Regiment
-- 39th Military Engineer Regiment
-- 39th Transport Regiment
- 40th Division (part) - ?
-- 40th Infantry Brigade group:
--- 234th Infantry Regiment
--- 235th Infantry Regiment
--- 236th Infantry Regiment
-- 40th Cavalry Regiment
-- 40th Mountain Arrtillery Regiment
-- 40th Military Engineer Regiment
-- 40th Transport Regiment
- 68th Division - ?
- 57th Infantry Brigade
-- 61st Independent Infantry Battalion
-- 62nd Independent Infantry Battalion
-- 63rd Independent Infantry Battalion
-- 64th Independent Infantry Battalion
- 58th Infantry Brigade
-- 65th Independent Infantry Battalion
-- 115th Independent Infantry Battalion
-- 116th Independent Infantry Battalion
-- 117th Independent Infantry Battalion
- Labor troops
- Signal communication unit
- Transport team
- 116th Division - ?
-- 116th Infantry Brigade Group
--- 109th Infantry Regiment
--- 120th Infantry Regiment
--- 133rd Infantry Regiment
-- 122nd Field Artillery regiment
-- 116th Military Engineer Regiment
-- 116th Transport Regiment
- 17th Independent Mixed Brigade (part) - ?
-- 87th, Infantry Battalion
-- 88th Infantry Battalion
-- 89 th Infantry Battalion
-- 90th Infantry Battalion
-- 91st Infantry Battalion
-- Independent Artillery Troops
-- Independent Labor Troops
-- Independent signal communication unit
- 5th Puppet Division - ?
- 11th Puppet Division - ?
- 12th Puppet Division - ?
- 13th Puppet Division - ?
- 100 motorboats and junks.

Airforce: ?


China [end of Oct. 1943]


National Military Council [1]
- 6th War Area - Sun Lien-chung
-- 29th Army Group - Wang Tsan-hu
--- 44th Corps - Wang Tse-chun
---- 105th Division - ?
---- 161st Division - ?
--- 162nd Division - ?
--- 73rd Corps - Wang Chih-pin
---- 15th Division - ?
---- 77th Division - ?
---- 5th Provincial Division - ?
-- 10th Army Group - Wang Ching- Chiu
--- 79th Corps - Wang Chia-pen
---- 98th Division - ?
---- 194th Division - ?
---- 6th Provincial Division - ?
--- 66th Corps - Fang Ching
---- 185th Division - ?
---- 199th Division - ?
-- River Defence Force - Wu Chi-wei
--- 18th Corps - Lo Kuang-wen
---- 118th Division - ?
----18th Division - ?
---- 55th Division - ?
--- 86th Corps - Chu Ting-Chin
---- 13th Division - ?
-- 26th Army Group - Chou Ai
--- 75th Corps - Liu Chi-ming
---- 6th Division - ?
---- 16th Division - ?
---- 4th Reserve Division - ?
--- 32nd Corps - Sung Ken-tang
---- 139th Division - ?
---- 141st Division - ?
-- 33rd Army Group - Feng Chih-an
--- 59th Corps - Liu Chen-san
---- 38th Division - ?
---- 180th Division - ?
---- 34th Provincial Division - ?
--- 79th Corps- Ho Chi-feng
---- 30th Division - ?
---- 132nd Division - ?
---- 179th Division - ?
-- Wang Yao-wu's Army
--- 74th Corps - Wang Yao-wu
---- 51st Division - ?
---- 57th Division - ? Defended Changteh
---- 58th Division - ?
--- 100th Corps - Shih Chung-cheng
---- 19th Division - ?
---- 63rd Division - ?

- 9th War Area - Hsueh Yueh
-- Li Yu-tang's Army
--- 99th Corps - Liang Han-ming
---- 92nd Division - ?
---- 197th Division - ?
---- 54th Provincial Division - ?
--- 10th Corps - Fang Hsien-chueh
---- 3rd Division - ?
---- 190th Division - ?
--- 10th Reserve Division - ?
-- Ou Chen's Army - Ou Chen
--- 58th Corps - Lu Tao-yuan
---- New 10th Division - ?
---- New 11th Division - ?
--- 72nd Corps - Fu Yi
---- New 13th Division - ?
---- New 15th Division - ?
--- 7th Provincial Division - Wang Tso-hua

Airforce: 100 bombers and fighters

Sources:
[1] Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai, History of The Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) 2nd Ed. ,1971. Translated by Wen Ha-hsiung , Chung Wu Publishing; 33, 140th Lane, Tung-hwa Street, Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China.

Pg. 412-416 Map 38

[2] IJA in China orbat, 1937 to 1945

http://www.china-defense.com/forum/inde ... topic=2726
http://www.china-defense.com/forum/show ... php?t=1168

[asiaticus]

from Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai, History of The Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) 2nd Ed. ,1971. Translated by Wen Ha-hsiung , Chung Wu Publishing; 33, 140th Lane, Tung-hwa Street, Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China.

Pg. 412-416 Map 38

[VJK]

Hi!

To supplement asiaticus' excellent and detailed post:

- 3rd Divison - Mitsuo Yamamoto

- 13th Division - Ri Akashika

- 32nd Division (part) - Yoshio Ishii

- 34th Division (part) - Takeo Ban

- 39th Division - Raishiro Sumida

- 40th Division (part) - Seiichi Aoki

- 68th Division - Tamenin Sakuma

-- 116th Division - Hiroshi Iwanaga

- 17th Independent Mixed Brigade (part) - Kenichi Kishikawa

Regards,

VJK

[asiaticus]

All those Divisional generals were Lt. Generals:

found some discepancies in the names (in italics) on Generals from Japan
http://www.generals.dk/nation/Japan.html


- 13th Division - Lt. Gen. Tsutomu Akashika
- 68th Division - Lt. Gen. Tamejin Sakuma
-17th Independent Mixed Brigade (part) - Lt. Gen. Kenichi Kishigawa

[Kim Sung]

I visited Changde (常德) War Memorial a few days ago. It was one of rare Chinese strategic victory during the Sino-Japanese War. Irritated Japanese used poison gas against Chinese civilians and soldiers. As a result of this biological weapons attack, about 7,000 Chinese died.

[Kim Sung]

Captured Japanese swords




Newspaper article on the Battle of Changde

[Kim Sung]

Chinese officers holding a war conference during the Battle .




Map of the Battle

[Kim Sung]

Diorama map

[Kim Sung]

Chinese order of the battle




The list of the fallen Chinese soldiers in the victorious Battle of Changde

[asiaticus]

[quote="Kim Sung"]I visited Changde (常德) War Memorial a few days ago. It was one of rare Chinese strategic victory during the Sino-Japanese War. Irritated Japanese used poison gas against Chinese civilians and soldiers. As a result of this biological weapons attack, about 7,000 Chinese died.

Kim Sung thanks for posting the photos especially the map and diorama. Very interesting.

Was there any listing of what units/leaders were involved on both sides in the struggle for the city?

[Kim Sung]

Was there any listing of what units/leaders were involved on both sides in the struggle for the city?

Here's the Chinese order of the battle




There wasn't any Japanese order of the battle in the museum.

[Kim Sung]

The painting of the battle




Japanese soldiers taking a nap




Weapons

[Kim Sung]

Chinese heroes of the battle




A corner on Japanese biochemical attack on Changde






The museum seen from outside

[Jerry Asher]

Kim many thanks for the photo's;
like my fellow Californian Asiaticus I enjoyed the diorama and maps.
Next week am going to UCLA Library my focus will be on the battles for Changsha and Nanchang, If time I'll look up Changde.