by asiaticus on 23 Nov 2006 20:26 Known by the Japanese as チャハル作戦, Operation Quhar and variously by the Chinese as the 长城抗战 (Battle of the Great Wall), or Peiking – Suiyuan Railway Operation. This campaign occurred in August 1937 following the Battle of Beiping-Tianjin at the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War. This was the second attack by Kwangtung Army and the Mongol forces of Prince Teh Wang on Inner Mongolia after the failure of the Suiyuan Campaign (1936). The Chahar Expeditionary Force was under the direct command of General Hideki Tojo, the chief of staff of Kuangtung Army. A second force from the Peiping Railway Garrison Force, later the 1st Army under General Kiyoshi Katsuki was also involved in the attack from the south at Nankou.
The Chinese forces opposing this invasion of Suiyuan were the Suiyuan Pacification Headquarters under the command of General Yen Hsi–shan. Fu Zuoyi governor of Suiyuan was made commander of the 7th Army Group and Liu Ju-ming, governor of Chahar was made its deputy commander, defending Chahar with 143rd Division and two Brigades. General Tang Enbo was sent by Chiang Kai-shek with 13th and 17th Corps from the Central Army and made Frontline Commander in Chief. 1st Cavalry Corps was in Chahar under the command of Chiao Cheng-shou facing the Mongolian forces of Teh Wang.
Battle of Nankou
On August 8th the Japanese 11th Independent Mixed Brigade, commanded by Gen. Shigiyasu Suzuki began their attack on the left flank of the 13th Corps position at Nankou but were thwarted after three days by the difficult terrain and stubborn resistance of the Chinese. A new attack on August 11th supported by tanks and aircraft took Nankou Station after which Gen. Suzuki's brigade advanced on Juyong Pass.
That same day, Chiang Kai-shek ordered the activation of the 14th Army Group (10th, 83rd and 85th Divisions) under Gen. Wei Li-huang. Coming by rail from Yingchia-chuang to Yi Hsien, elements of it were sent on a ten day march through the plains west of Peiking in a turning movement in support of Tang Enbo's forces. 1st Army made attacks on the Japanese forces in Lianghsiang and Chaili to distract them and sent a detachment to Heilung Pass to cover 14th Army Groups advance.
On Aug 12th, Tang Enbo's army counterattacked surrounding the Japanese cutting them off from their supplies and communications. On Aug 14th, Itagaki Seishiro's 5th Division was sent to the relief of the 11th IMB at Juyongguan.
On August 16th, Itagaki arrived at Nankou and began an enveloping attack on the right flank of 13th Corps making a five pronged attack at Huanglaoyuan. 7th Brigade of 4th Division under Shih Chueh was moved to block this move and reinforcements of Li Hsien-chou's 21st Division and Chu Huai-ping's 94th Division were brought up, engaging in days of heavy fighting. On August 17th General Yen His-shan, Director of the Taiyuan Pacification Headquarters, directed 7th Army under Fu Zuoyi to move its 72nd Division and three brigades by rail from Tatung to Huailai to reinforce Gen. Tang Enbo's forces.
Battle the Great Wall
Meanwhile in northern Chahar the Chinese 1st Cavalry Corps captured Shangtu, Nanhaochan, Shangyi and Huateh from the puppet Mongolian Army of Prince Teh Wang. Elements of 143rd Division took Chungli, while its main force reached Changpei. During this Chinese advance the Japanese Chahar Expeditionary Force under Lt. General Hideki Tojo composed of the mechanized 1st Independent Mixed Brigade and the 2nd and 15th Mixed Brigade gathered for a counteroffensive from Changpei to Kalgan.
From August 18th to 19th the Chahar Expeditionary Force counterattacked from Changpei, and took Shenweitaiko on the Great Wall and Hanno Dam. The scattered and poorly equipped Chinese forces were unable to stop them and they now threatened the Peiking – Suiyuan Railway at Kalgan. On the 20th Gen. Fu Zuoyi's 7th Army diverted its 200th and 211th Brigades moving south by rail to join Gen. Tang Enbo's forces back to defend Kalgan, while its remaining 72nd Division arrived to reinforce Chenpien and and 7th Separate Brigade to defend the rail head at Huailai.
On August 21st, the Japanese forces broke through at the cities of Hengling and Chenpien. Gen. Tang En-po's forces awaiting reinforcement, but having suffered over 50% casualties, still defended Huailai, Chuyung Pass and Yenching. Liu Ju-ming's 143rd Divison fell back to defend Kalgan from the advancing Japanese.
On August 23rd, as Itagaki Seishiro's 5th Division pushed toward Huailai from Chenpien against Ma Yen-shou's 7th Separate Brigade, advance elements of the 14th Army Group arrived on the Japanese flank at Chingpaikou, driving off the Japanese outpost there and contacted the Japanese forces advancing to Chenpien and the front beyond. However they were delayed in crossing the Yungting River and their attack was delayed until it was too late to stop the Japanese advance, and due to poor communications they failed to link up with Gen. Tang En-po's forces. After 8 days and 8 nights fighting, Itagaki on Aug 24th, linked up with Kwantung army's 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade at Xiahuayuan.
On August 26th, Gen. Tang En-po's forces were ordered to break out toward the Sangchien River while Liu Ju-ming's forces were ordered to withdraw to the far side of the Hsiang-yang River.
On August 29th the Japanese Oui Column moved south from Tushihkou, and on the 30th attacked Yenching via Chihcheng, After repulsing the attack 17th Corps withdrew to join the rest of Tang En-po on the far side of the the Sangchien River.
Kalgan/Zhangjiakou, fell Sept. 3, and after Gen. Fu Zuoyi's 200th and 211th Brigades failed in a counterattack to recapture it and fell back to the west to defend the railway to Suiyuan at Chaikoupao. This brought and end to Operation Chahar.
September 4th, the South Charhar Government was set up at Kalgan. After the fall of Kalgan, Chahar's "complete independence" from China was declared by "100 influential persons," headed by the 36-year-old Prince Teh, a pro-Japanese Mongolian, of the "Inner Mongolia for Inner Mongolians" movement whose Mongolian troops helped the Japanese to take Kalgan.
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. 180- 184
Map 3
[2] Jowett, Phillip S. , Rays of The Rising Sun, Armed Forces of Japan’s Asian Allies 1931-45, Volume I: China & Manchuria, 2004. Helion & Co. Ltd., 26 Willow Rd., Solihul, West Midlands, England.
[3] RESISTANCE WARS
http://www.uglychinese.org/war.htm#Ichigo
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