There is the battle of Changde, and some historians call it the "Battle of Stalingrad" in the East.
[Edit this paragraph] Preface
Changde has a long history. In 277 BC (the 30th year of Qin Dynasty), Shu established a city in the east of Wuling District in order to defend "taking Wujun to the south of the Yangtze River", which has a history of more than 2,200 years. Historically known as Wuling, Langzhou and Dingcheng, it was once the land of seven dynasties' county governance, seven dynasties' military governance and seven dynasties' feudalism, and its jurisdiction reached as far as northwest Hunan, southwest Hubei, northeast Guizhou and northeast Guangxi, and it was known as "the lips and teeth of western Chu" and "the throat of Guizhou".
From 65438 to 0943, China Kuomintang troops fought a fierce battle with Japanese invaders in Changde. The scale of this campaign, the number of troops and the length of the front line are second only to the Taierzhuang campaign, which has a very important position in the history of China's Anti-Japanese War. 1943165438+1At the beginning of October, in order to save the doomed fate, the base camp and the general headquarters of the Japanese invaders brazenly pointed their finger at Changde, a military stronghold in northwest Hunan, and dispatched 1 1 four puppet troops from five divisions of the army to fight with the Kuomintang for the sixth time.
1On July 7th, 937, the Lugouqiao Incident broke out in War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. Changde is the gateway to northwest Hunan, the political, economic, cultural and military center of Yuan and Li, and the distribution center of Sichuan and Guizhou materials. At the beginning of 1939, the Japanese invaders attempted to go south and began bombing Changde. 1941165438+1On October 4th, the Japanese invaders blatantly violated international law and used bacterial weapons to airdrop a large number of crops, wheat, beans, sorghum and other things infected with the plague in Changde. Although emergency measures were taken, more than 600 people died before and after.
In the Battle of Changde, the 57th Division of the 74th Army of the Kuomintang, which was in charge of defending Changde City, fought alone with 8000 troops against the well-equipped 40000 bandits 16 days and nights, but it also caused heavy casualties to the Japanese army. The suburbs of Changde were littered with corpses, and the fighting capacity was greatly weakened. Teacher Yu Chengwan led his troops to defend Changde's battle achievements, and wrote a glorious page in the history of our national hero's anti-Japanese battle!
The purpose of Japan's invasion of Changde
First, because Changde's strategic position is very important, Changde is an important town in western Hunan, the gateway of Sichuan and Guizhou, and has always been a battleground for military strategists. After the fall of Wuhan, it became the only material supply line in Chongqing's rear area.
Second, in order to shake the confidence of Chongqing Kuomintang in the Anti-Japanese War and force it to surrender by war, so as to achieve the goal of "ending the China Incident".
Third, in order to annihilate the defenders of the Kuomintang, destroy the base area of the Sixth Theater, seize the granary of Dongting Lake, support the war by fighting, and consolidate the occupied areas of China.
Fourth, in order to contain the Kuomintang forces, the Chinese expeditionary force assembled in Yunnan was forced to return to the division for rescue, so as to prevent or postpone the joint counterattack of the allied forces in Southeast Asia.
On the eve of the Battle of Changde, Chiang Kai-shek telegraphed Xue Yue, commander of the Ninth Theater, and Wang, commander of the 74th Army: "Changde must be held, and the defenders must live and die with the city." Subsequently, Chiang Kai-shek issued the order of "success or death" and once again ordered the 57th division of the 74th Army to defend Changde, in an attempt to attract the Japanese aggressors to Changde and pose a strategic threat to it, so that the Chinese Expeditionary Force could open up a battlefield in Myanmar.
The strength of both sides in the war
Japanese aggressor troops
1 1 Army has five divisions: 3rd Division, 13 Division, 39th Division, 68th Division, 1 16 Division, including 28 wings, 44th Flying Team and Puppet Army, with a total of 6,544 people.
Japanese troops invading China: 3 divisions, 68 divisions, 1 16 divisions (including poisonous gas units), with more than 40,000 people.
Kuomintang army
The sixth theater: 44th Army, 73rd Army, 79th Army, 66th Army,19th Army, 86th Army, 30th Army and 32nd Army; The 33rd Army is subordinate to the 59th Army, 77th Army, 74th Army and 100 Army.
Ninth Theater: 99th Army, 10 Army, 58th Army and 72nd Army.
Total strength: 2 war zones, including 43 divisions of 16 army, and * * * including more than 2 10000 people.
Changde Guard: The 57th Division of the 74th Army of the Kuomintang Army, with a total strength of 8,529 people (mostly from Shandong), code named Hu Ben.
on the eve of the great war
1939 after the fall of Wuhan, the Japanese invaders marched south in large numbers and occupied Anxiang, Huarong, Shishou and other places, which caused a tense war atmosphere in Hunan, and the decisive battle in Changde became increasingly obvious. 1April, 943, the 74th Kuomintang Army entered Changde area. The 57th Division of the Army is stationed in Changde City, the 58th Division in Shimen, and the 5 1 Division in Taoyuan.
1943 10, General Yu Chengwan, the deputy commander of the 74th Army and the division commander of the 57th Division, held a meeting, worked out a guiding plan for defensive operations, and worked out a defensive operational plan for the purpose of "ensuring strategic points to stick to defense". The plan is divided into three stages. The first stage is the peripheral war of resistance, which is mainly based on annihilation and attrition. In the second stage, make good preparations for the city wall, seal it tightly, and put out the Japanese invaders' attempt to break the city. The third stage is street fighting in the city, desperate resistance or hand-to-hand combat, waiting for reinforcements, attacking from inside and outside, and winning.
1943165438+10, the situation in Changde became increasingly tense. For the safety of people's lives, the 57th Division cooperated with the local government to mobilize and force all residents inside and outside the city to evacuate, leaving no one in the city. In order to get the citizens out of the city quickly, the 57th Division also sent soldiers to help the citizens carry materials out of the city, and issued a disciplinary notice, forbidding the soldiers to receive anything, and warning the officers and men of the whole division to strictly abide by military discipline, and if they violated it, they would be shot on the spot. A private first class who demanded a handling fee from the citizens was executed on the spot. 165438+ 10/5, all citizens leave Changde city.
1943 On September 27th, the Japanese base camp issued the order of "allowing Changde to fight" with "Continental Order No.853", and on 28th, the General Command of the Dispatching Army issued the order of "1 1 Jun Yu165438+1early October". After judging the purpose of the Japanese aggressors' attack, the Chongqing Military Committee of the Kuomintang formulated the strategic policy of "leading the enemy's main force to the banks of Lishui and Yuanshui, resisting head-on, attacking from the outer wing, and then destroying the enemy on Dongting Lake".
165438+1On October 24th, various services of the Japanese aggressors formed a trend of encircling the suburbs of Changde, and with the cooperation of planes, they launched a fierce battle with the 57th Division of the Kuomintang.
Peripheral combat
Peripheral skirmishes lasted for 6 days from June 5438+065438+1October 18 when the Japanese invaded Xujiahu to the fall of the riverside on the 23rd.
1, Xujiahu blocking war
/KOOC-0//KOOC-0/8/KOOC-0/0/8/KOOC-0/8, more than 500 people from the vanguard of the 68th Division of the Japanese invaders attacked Xujiahu by motorboat, and two squadrons of the 3rd Battalion of the 57th Division/KOOC-0/69th Regiment fought fiercely for more than 30 miles, killing more than 200 Japanese invaders.
2. He V insisted on fighting.
The Japanese invaders 1 16 division vanguard 120 wing, together with the 2nd wing of Independent Mountain Artillery, attacked the river in the suburb of Changde. He Fu Shoujun is the 57th Division of Kuomintang 17 1 2nd Battalion, with more than 500 people. 165438+1On October 20th, under the cover of three planes, the Japanese aggressors fought fiercely with the defenders for one day and one night, and they launched seven attacks, which not only lost their troops, but also made no progress. On the 22nd, the Japanese aggressors increased to more than 3,000 people, concentrated more than 10 guns, bombed the garrison fortifications continuously, and then stormed our positions by adopting the tactics of full platoon and full company wave-like intensive charge. The officers and men of the garrison fought hand-to-hand with the Japanese invaders, and suffered repeated battles and defeats, with nearly two-thirds of casualties. On 23rd, the Japanese aggressors continued to launch a large-scale attack, 12 fighter. In the morning 10, Xuhefu fell. Yuan, the battalion commander of the 2nd Battalion, died a martyr. Only a few people escaped, but thousands of Japanese invaders also died here.
3. Tug of War in Deshan
On June165438+1October 2 1 day, more than 4,000 Japanese troops from the 68th Division invaded Deshan in two ways. The defenders of the Kuomintang were originally temporarily attached to the 63rd Division188th Regiment and under the command of the 57th Division. The head of the regiment decided to retreat without authorization when the Japanese invaded, so the defenders only had 8 companies in 3 battalions of the 57th Division169th Regiment. The Japanese invaders assembled ten times as many troops as the garrison and launched many attacks. After repeated struggles, they were outnumbered. 1on the night of October 23rd, 165438+ Deshan missed, and all the defenders died heroically except 100. After the fall of Deshan, the defenders of Changde City lost all their strength and retreated one after another, which brought great difficulties to the battle of guarding the city.
City-based defense
1 October 23rd, 1 1, the Japanese army1three divisions attacked Changde city with all their strength, and the 57th division of the Kuomintang garrison was also redeployed: 17 1 regiment guarded the west gate and the river; 170 regiment guards the northwest corner, and the 57th division is redeployed.
1, fierce fighting in the eastern suburbs
165438+1On October 23rd, more than 5,000 people from the 68th Division of the Japanese invaders, with the cooperation of nine planes, attacked the East Gate of Changde in five routes/kloc-0,000 people. The 57th Garrison Division 1 69th Regiment1Battalion suffered heavy casualties, and Chai Yixin, the head of the garrison, led the reserve team to reinforce and temporarily stabilize his position. 165438+1From October 24th to 25th, the Japanese invaders168th Division133rd Wing fought fiercely with the 2nd Battalion of169th Regiment stationed in the suburb of Dongmen. The Japanese invaders suffered heavy casualties, killing more than 500 Japanese invaders on the spot, taking 7 prisoners and shooting down 3 Japanese planes. The Japanese invaders suffered their first heavy blow since they attacked the city. 165438+1October 26th,No. 109 The Japanese infantry wing arrived outside the East Gate and took part in the attack, which also suffered a fiasco.
In this battle, the defenders beat back the Japanese aggressors 24 times, killing and injuring 1000 people. On the afternoon of 26th, the defenders retreated from the guarding city and defended by the city wall. On 27th 10, the tug-of-war at Dongmen reached its climax. Six or seven hundred Japanese invaders launched a fierce attack on the east gate wall, and the defenders fought to the death. /KOOC-0/69 Regiment/KOOC-0/Deputy Battalion Commander Dong, machine gun company commander Ru Qian rushed out of the trench with a platoon of people and returned fire with grenades, killing the Japanese aggressors/KOOC-0/00 people, Deputy Battalion Commander Dong.
The Japanese invaders participated in the attack on the East Gate, reaching about 1000 people, but made no progress, so they had to turn to attack Dahe Street and go down to the South Gate.
2, stick to the big west gate
1 1 161October 23rd, the Japanese invaders captured the river, 120 infantry regiment, 133 infantry regiment, etc. * * * more than fifteen thousand people, with dozens of guns, began to attack the western suburbs, and gradually extended to the west gate. Garrison 1 70th Regiment1Battalion engaged in a tug-of-war with the Japanese aggressors, and their positions changed hands many times. 1 all the officers above the battalion died, and many officers and men who were seriously injured and lost their combat effectiveness committed suicide with bayonets or rifles.
165438+1On October 26th, the 57th division was greatly reduced due to the war. The whole division, including chefs, orderlies and policemen, was incorporated into the combat team. As a result, the artillery regiment ran out of shells, and most of them were adapted into infantry to participate in the Ximen guarding city war. There are two regiments sticking to the west gate wall. One is 17 1 Ding Du. He led the remaining 3rd Battalion, plus dozens of new orderlies and 20 policemen, with more than *** 100 people. One is Jin Dingzhou, head of the Army Artillery Corps. He led more than 40 infantry soldiers composed of artillery and more than 40 new orderlies, totaling more than 90 people. There are less than 300 defenders in the whole Great West Gate. It is these warriors, no matter how fierce the Japanese artillery fire is and how intimidating the poisonous gas is, that the Great West Gate they hold has always stood tall.
165438+1On the morning of October 30th, the Japanese aggressors launched a fierce attack on the Daximen from the front again, and Yu Chengwan, the commander of the 57th Division, led a spy to supervise the war. By February 2, 65438, the Japanese invaders could not capture the Great West Gate.
3. hit the northern suburbs.
The Japanese invaders who attacked the northern suburbs were mainly 109 infantry regiment and 133 infantry regiment. In addition, they also equipped the 2nd Artillery Corps and 4th Mortar Brigade of Independence Mountain, including 1 10,000 engineers and logistics troops, and invaded the northern suburbs in three ways: east, west and front. On the left of the Kuomintang garrison is the 2nd Battalion of 170 Regiment, and on the right is the 3rd Battalion of 169 Regiment. After three days of fighting, the defenders suffered more than 90% casualties.
4. Battle of Cheng Nan
South of Changde is Yuanjiang River, which is also the only natural barrier to stop the Japanese aggressors. The Japanese aggressors who fought southward were mainly led by the 6th Wing of the 3rd Division and the 3rd Wing of the Field Artillery. 165438+1On October 25th, the captain of the 6th Wing was killed by a Kuomintang plane during reconnaissance.
165438+1During the day of October 25th, more than 500 Japanese aggressors used motorboats and more than 20 civilian boats. Under the cover of artillery fire and four planes, they crossed the Yuanjiang River. The 3rd Battalion of 57th Division 17 1 Regiment fought back fiercely, half of the Japanese ships were sunk and the rest retreated. On the 26th, the Japanese aggressors attacked the river four times. At dawn on the 27th, the outer positions in the south of the city were lost in many places. The defenders outside the city retreated to the south gate tower, and they continued to attack the Japanese aggressors by using the tower and the strong fortifications of the wall.
165438+1On the afternoon of October 27th, the ministries of the 57th Division fought by themselves.
165438+1On October 28th, there were more than 2,400 fighters in the 57th division.
The Japanese invaders surrendered.
165438+1October 28th, the Japanese invaders attacked the city, causing heavy casualties and poor results, so they launched psychological warfare and dropped leaflets on the defenders. As long as the content is as follows:
First, the Japanese army has completely surrounded Changde City, and the follow-up troops have arrived one after another, and the 57th Division will be wiped out.
Second, the Chongqing army that rescued your army is just an empty city and has no intention of moving forward.
Third, stop your useless resistance, hang a white flag quickly, and the Japanese army will stop attacking immediately.
4. The officers and men of the 57th Division should stop fighting for the reputation of Yu Chengwan and others as soon as possible.
Fifth, the Japanese army is not hostile to the residents, and the Japanese army loves you.
Yu Xiansheng wrote on the leaflet:
First, I was educated by the Whampoa Military Academy, and I only knew that I would die if I didn't succeed. I'm sure all the brothers in the division are the same.
Second, slandering friendly forces is irrelevant.
Loyalty comes from leaders, and glory belongs to the country.
5. Who deceives the sky?
Street fighting in the city
During the siege, the Japanese aggressors organized many large-scale attacks in the east, south, west and north, all of which made little progress and there were corpses everywhere. Later, through reconnaissance, the Japanese invaders found that the defenders relied too much on the obstruction of the outer trench, attached importance to the defense near the city gate, and ignored the defense facilities far away from the city. Finally, the Japanese invaders chose the northeast corner of the North Gate as a breakthrough.
165438+1At dawn on October 28th, the Japanese aggressors bombed the north gate wall with 100 cannons and 26 planes, and released poisonous gas for three hours at the same time. All the defenders on the city base were killed, and the defenders were forced to abandon the north gate and enter a more cruel street fighting. The rest of the officers and men of the 57th Division opened houses in various streets, built street fighting blockhouses at every intersection, and went door to door to compete with the Japanese aggressors, making them pay a heavy price and still strive to advance.
165438+1At dawn on October 29th, the Japanese aggressors copied the practice of attacking the north gate, first attacking with artillery and then charging with infantry. By 22: 00 on the 30th, all the houses in the East Gate had been burnt down, and the defenders would rather die than retreat, fighting for every inch of land, and mutually assured destruction with the Japanese aggressors, so that the Japanese aggressors paid the price of blood every step forward.
In view of the fact that the North Gate and the East Gate were occupied by the enemy for several days in a row, the defenders suffered heavy losses.165438+1October 29th, Yu Chengwan, the teacher, sent out two messages for help in a row, immediately ordering all ministries to stick to their combat posts and fight the Japanese aggressors to the end!
At the beginning of the street fighting on the 28th, there were only 2,440 troops guarding the city. By 1 October 30th, not exceeding1,800. By February 2, 65,438+0,400 troops remained in the city. By the evening of the 2nd, there were only two isolated strongholds, the Confucian Temple and the Central Bank, with less than 200 defenders and teachers carrying machine guns. Reinforcements have not arrived, and they are at the last moment of running out of ammunition and food.
Defensive breakthrough
By 20 o'clock on February 2, 65438, there were more than 8,000 people in 57 divisions, leaving only more than 200 people, leaving only two isolated strongholds, the Confucian Temple and the Central Bank, as well as the walls and streets of the southwest city, occupying the only passage from one division to Yuanjiang. From165438+1October 26th, reinforcements from all walks of life of the Kuomintang began to approach the suburbs of Changde, where they fought fiercely with the Japanese aggressors. Unfortunately, it was impossible to break through the Japanese aggressors' defense lines in a short time, so the defenders decided to organize a breakthrough to meet the reinforcements.
On February 3rd, 65438+1, Yu Chengwan, the division commander, called an emergency meeting of officers above 57th division, and decided to break through the south bank of Shui Yuan at night, and a few of them turned to the northwest suburbs. In the city, Major General 169 regiment leader Chai Yixin led 5 1 men to contain the Japanese aggressors, cover the wounded soldiers, continue the street fighting and welcome the arrival of reinforcements.
After 2 o'clock on February 3, 65438, the defenders began to break the river and crossed the Yuanjiang River with five small wooden boats without paddles. Because the boat is too small to hold all the people, many people cross the river with boards. After crossing the river, the artillery regiment retreated in several ways and returned to the Guanzhuang rear office. Army artillery cooperated with the 57th Division, including the 3rd Artillery Battalion and the high-tech company under the regiment. * * * Nearly a thousand officers and men, including those who escaped after being captured, only nine survived, and all the others were killed. After crossing the south bank, Mr. Yu met the enemy sentry. He led more than 20 troops, fought a battle and left. Soon he was dispersed by the enemy. There are only two people left. He has been unable to walk because of the recurrence of his left leg injury. In a hurry, I met some citizens who had already left the city and fled here. Before the war, Yu Xiansheng often toured the city, and many people knew him. People recognized him even though he was unkempt and unattractive. When everyone heard the news, they all killed the chicken and slaughtered the sheep and rewarded the national hero. At night, citizens automatically keep watch and spy on the enemy. Other breakouts have the same experience, and few have succeeded in breaking through.
After Mr. Yu broke through, Chai Yixin, who was desperate, held the last stronghold and fought to the death with the Japanese aggressors. Until about 4 o'clock on February 3, 65438, he led the remnants to charge the Japanese position and was unfortunately shot and sacrificed.
At 8 o'clock on February 3, 65438, Changde City fell. After the Japanese army occupied Changde, due to the indiscriminate bombing of the city by the Chinese and American air forces, all the buildings in the city were destroyed by gunfire and there was nowhere to hide. In the afternoon, the Japanese army retreated to suburban villages, leaving only a few troops to stand guard in the city.
Recover Changde
During the Battle of Changde, although more than 40,000 Japanese invaders surrounded Changde City and fought fiercely, more than 200,000 Kuomintang troops fought fiercely with more than 65,438+10,000 Japanese puppet troops outside Changde.
The 5th1,58th Division (division commander Zhang) and 100 Army 19, 63rd Division of the Kuomintang 74th Army, which is fighting in the northwest, have always firmly controlled the Japanese invaders 13 Division in the northwest of Changde, and the head of the Japanese invaders 13 Division was killed.
The Kuomintang troops continued to March on Changde and paid a very heavy price. 65438+February 1 1 day, the Japanese aggressors began to retreat across the board. The Japanese army/KOOC-0//KOOC-0/sent a message to/KOOC-0/2 on/KOOC-0/4/KOOC-0/0, and the/KOOC-0/9 army began to retreat.
The battle of Changde ended.
1, loss of troops on both sides
According to the figures reported by the Kuomintang participating troops, 45,000 people were killed in the sixth war zone, 0.5 million people in the ninth war zone, 3,000 people in the fifth war zone and more than 60,000 people in the * * * plan. In addition, the division commander of 150 temporarily assigned Peng Shiliang, the division commander of the 5th division, and prepared the generals such as Sun, the division commander of 10, to die in this battle.
Losses of Japanese aggressors: The statistics of the Kuomintang are more than 40,000 people, and the figures released by Japan are: 1274 people were killed and 2,977 people were injured. Analysis shows that the figures released by both parties are wet, and the reliable estimate is 10000 or above.
Changde Battle Soldiers Cemetery
After the Battle of Changde, General Wang, commander of the 74th Kuomintang Army, decided to build a "Martyrs Cemetery" in Changde to commemorate the soldiers who died heroically for defending the country. The main entrance of the cemetery is a tall three-door archway, and above the archway is a horizontal plaque inscribed by Wang, "Changde Memorial Square for fallen soldiers". There are three horizontal plaques above the four square columns reinforced by cement in Memorial Square: In the middle, Chiang Kai-shek wrote The Righteousness of Heaven and Earth, on the left, Chen Cheng wrote Loyalty and Righteousness, and on the right, Bai Chongxi wrote Qi Changbing Yao. A few dozen steps into the gate is a 9-meter-high memorial tower. Inscriptions were inscribed on the pedestal by Dai Chuanxian, president of the Kuomintang Examination Institute, Yu Youren, president of the Supervision Institute, the Legislative Yuan and Ju Zheng. In front of the monument, Wang inscribed the "Memorial Tower for the Soldiers Killed in Changde Battle of the 74th Army". On the day of the completion of the cemetery, people from all walks of life in Changde and representatives of the 74 th Army held a grand rally, and dozens of white horses galloping on the battlefield also participated in the rally.
Introduction of garrison commander
Yu Chengwan, a native of Taishan County, Guangdong Province, was the deputy commander of the 74th Kuomintang Army and the commander of the 58th Division at the Battle of Changde. /kloc-0 was born in 1902./kloc-0 was admitted to the first phase of whampoa military academy in May, 1924 and graduated in February of the same year. 1927 Major General, Director of the Political Department of the Bureau, is the second Huangpu student to join the team. 1943 was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general.
Yu Chengwan is quick-witted, calm, intelligent and capable, and he is a Confucian. Strict management of the army is famous for its "persistence" in commanding operations. Because of the fall of Changde, several men who didn't break through were forced to erect a white flag. Chiang Kai-shek was very angry when he heard that, and ordered Yu Chengwan to be escorted to Chungking and executed by military law. Changde's "Chongqing Important People" and Wang's "Li Bao" were both exempted from the death penalty and were given a lighter sentence of two years' imprisonment. 1945 after War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression's victory, Yu Chengwan was released from prison.
1949, Yu Chengwan was appointed commander of the 26th Kuomintang Army and commander-in-chief of Yunnan Police. 1957, living in Hong Kong, was shot by bandits at the age of 55.
Around 1943, China's * * * production party fought bloody battles in the occupied areas. At the same time, the Kuomintang organized large-scale battles on the frontal battlefield and the China-Myanmar border. Changde campaign is one of the more representative battles.
1943165438+1October 2, the battle of Changde started, and the Japanese army invested about 30,000 troops and more than 300 guns in Changde defense alone.
China's defenders were only 1 division, and they stuck to 16 day and night, and were badly hit by the enemy. In more than 50 days of fighting, China's army made great sacrifices, killing and injuring more than 20,000 Japanese troops. Although the Japanese army struggled to capture Changde, the second-line corps of the Chinese army immediately launched a counterattack. Seeing that the situation was not good, the Japanese army retreated hastily.
The battle ended with the Japanese army being forced to retreat.
In the battle of Changde, China army suffered a heavy blow from the Japanese army, and at the same time strategically cooperated with the struggle against "mopping up" and "cleaning up the countryside" in the battlefield behind enemy lines.
"A crow stood on the beam of a bombed warehouse and looked at Changde, which was destroyed from the ground, with a serious and satisfied mood ... The national flag of China at the east gate of the city fluttered triumphantly on a bamboo pole, and two fully armed China soldiers stood proudly in their new posts." 194365438+February 2 1, 18 A few days after the battle of Changde, The New York Times recorded a scene of Changde on the ruins with the above words.
From February 3rd of 1 18 10/8 to February 3rd of 65438+ that year, China defended more than 8,000 officers and men of 57th division, and faced with more than 30,000 well-equipped Japanese troops, fought hard 16 days and nights, almost running out of ammunition.
Roosevelt asked Chiang Kai-shek carefully about the position and name of the commander of Changde Guard, and recorded it in his memo. Professor Luo of Huaihua University, who specially studied this history, told reporters that during the Cairo Conference, the heads of China, the United States and Britain were very happy to hear the news of Changde's defense war.