When did the Battle of Wuhan begin and end?
The Battle of Wuhan began on the 15th of June 1938 when Japanese forces captured Anqing. The fighting continued for four months until the fall of Wuhan in October 1938.
Questions about Battle of Wuhan
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who commanded Chinese forces during the Battle of Wuhan?
Generals Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi defended the north of the Yangtze while Chen Cheng took charge of the south. Xue Yue commanded armies to flank the enemy at Wanjialing and organized defenses around the Dabie Mountains, Poyang Lake, and the Yangtze River.
What was the population of Wuhan by late 1938?
Wuhan held a population of 1.5 million people by late 1938. The city served as the de facto wartime capital due to its strong industrial foundations and status as a major transportation hub along the Yangtze River.
How many Japanese troops participated in the Battle of Wuhan?
Shunroku Hata organized approximately 350,000 men of the Second and Eleventh Armies to fight around Wuhan. This force included five-and-a-half divisions under Yasuji Okamura and four-and-a-half divisions led by Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni.
Did Japan use chemical weapons during the Battle of Wuhan?
Japan used poison gas at Hankou to break Chinese resistance after conventional assaults failed. Emperor Shōwa authorized specific orders for the use of chemical weapons which were transmitted 375 times from August to October 1938.