Battle of Xuzhou
In early February 1938, Japanese armored units with strong air support attacked Chinese divisions protecting the Jinpu Railway. This line stretched about 100 miles north and south of Xuzhou, serving as a critical artery for military movement. The campaign began when these forces seized Bengbu on February 9, granting control over areas north of the Huai River. That city sat 400 kilometers northeast of Wuhan, placing it deep within contested territory.
Chinese leadership recognized that holding Xuzhou was vital because it marked the midpoint of the Jinpu line and its intersection with the Longhai line. The Longhai line ran from Lanzhou to Lianyungang, forming China's main cross-country rail route. Seizing this junction would give Japan mobility across central China. Chiang Kai-shek declared defense of Xuzhou his top strategic priority during a military conference in Wuchang at the end of January.
Preparations saw an initial core of 80,000 troops swell to 300,000 men positioned along both railway lines. They aimed to draw in and overextend Japanese attacks according to Baoding academic Jiang Baili's grand strategy of protracted warfare. Many of Jiang's students commanded the Chinese defense, including Chen Cheng, Bai Chongxi, Tang Shengzhi, and Xue Yue. Most mechanized and air forces had been wiped out in Shanghai by late November 1937, leaving new equipment unshipped and vulnerable.
Chiang Kai-shek issued a telegram on April 1 ordering his generals that "the enemy at Taierzhuang must be destroyed." This stone-walled city lay along the Grand Canal and served as an intersection between the Jinpu and Longhai lines. Three Japanese divisions under General Itagaki Seishiro moved south to attack it, confronting forces led by Li Zongren, Sun Lianzhong, and Tang Enbo.
A two-week battle raged from March 22 until April 7, described as very similar to costly urban battles Europe would soon see. Fighting occurred often in close quarters and at nighttime within cramped conditions. These constraints enabled Chinese troops to overcome Japanese advantages in armor and artillery, allowing them to fight on equal terms. They managed to resupply their own units while severing Japanese supply lines from the rear.
By April 7, Japanese forces were forced into retreat, marking the first major Chinese victory of the war. Both sides suffered heavy losses with approximately 20,000 men lost each during the two-week period. The city of Taierzhuang had been almost completely destroyed by brutal urban fighting. This victory provided a crucial morale boost for the Chinese army and population before they approached the defense of Wuhan.
Following their defeat at Taierzhuang, Japanese commanders assembled some 400,000 troops around Xuzhou intent on encircling Chinese forces. The North China Area Army contributed four divisions and two infantry brigades drawn from the Kwantung Army. Meanwhile, the Central China Expeditionary Army brought three divisions plus the 1st and 2nd Tank Battalions with motorized support units.
The 5th Tank Battalion supported the 3rd Infantry Division advancing north along the railway toward Xuzhou. Fighting erupted across the west, east, and north sides of the city in bloody exchanges. On April 18, the Japanese army advanced southward towards Pizhou where Tang Enbo's 20th army corps resisted fiercely alongside the 2nd, 22nd, 46th, and 59th corps. A stalemate emerged by the end of April despite heavy casualties on both sides.
The 60th corps of the Yunnan Army fought against the Japanese 10th division at Yuwang Mountain for nearly a month. By May 15 when it handed over its position to the Guizhou 140th division, that corps had lost more than half its troops. The Japanese slowly prevailed through artillery and aerial bombardment, capturing Mengcheng on May 9 and Hefei shortly after on the 14th.
In desperation, Chinese authorities authorized destruction of river dikes in central Henan to halt rapid Japanese advances. By May 1938, enemy forces stood only 40 kilometers from Zhengzhou while advancing along captured railway lines. The demolition of dykes holding back the Yellow River bought time for preparing Wuhan's defense but caused catastrophic consequences.
The resulting flood inundated some 54,000 square kilometers of central China. Estimates place civilian deaths between 400,000 and 500,000 people with three million refugees displaced. This strategic breach destroyed much of the area around the new course of the river. Historians continue debating whether such flooding was necessary or if alternative strategies existed.
The floods claimed appalling losses among civilians while destroying property across vast regions. Some 700 civilians died in a single bombing raid on May 14 alone. Food shortages plagued local populations due to breakdowns in agricultural labor following the disaster. The humanitarian crisis overshadowed any military gains achieved by delaying Japanese progress toward Wuhan.
On May 15, Li Zongren began evacuating Xuzhou alongside Bai Chongxi and Tang Enbo. They ordered troops to melt away into countryside areas then move south and west at night. Soldiers crossed the Jinpu Railway and split into four groups regrouping west in Dabeishan Mountains for future defense of Wuhan.
This operation became one of the war's most skillful maneuvers as Chinese forces extricated approximately 200,000 to 300,000 troops from encirclement. Units moved quickly at night while hiding in wheat fields during daylight hours. A fortuitous sandstorm and fog on May 18 covered tracks left by retreating soldiers, aiding their concealment.
Xiao County fell on that same day with defending 139th division nearly wiped out. Withdrawal completed by May 21 allowed preservation of majority Chinese forces. These units formed approximately 50% of forces participating later in Defense of Wuhan. Japanese troops marched into Xuzhou on May 19 finding it nearly abandoned but capturing some 30,000 Chinese soldiers and civilians left behind.
The city of Xuzhou itself suffered utter devastation from prolonged fighting. Japanese bombardment had begun there in August 1937 destroying many buildings and bridges. Both retreating Chinese and advancing Japanese troops contributed to destruction of infrastructure. Canadian Jesuits remaining after the fall reported more than a third of houses destroyed.
Much of Xuzhou's civilian population faced atrocities similar to those experienced in Nanjing. Repeated massacres occurred in rural areas around the city witnessed by foreign missionaries. Some 700 civilians died in a single bombing raid on May 14 alone. Local populations frequently harassed by bandits while suffering food shortages due to agricultural breakdown.
The Yellow River floods added another layer of suffering for survivors. Between three million and five million refugees fled inundated regions while half a million perished. The strategic value of these floods remains controversial among historians today. Yet the human cost included appalling losses among civilians who bore the brunt of military decisions made far from their homes.
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Common questions
When did the Battle of Xuzhou begin and end?
The campaign began in early February 1938 when Japanese armored units attacked Chinese divisions protecting the Jinpu Railway. The main fighting concluded on the 21st of May 1938, after Chinese forces completed their evacuation from the city.
Who commanded the Chinese defense during the Battle of Xuzhou?
Chiang Kai-shek declared defense of Xuzhou his top strategic priority at a military conference in Wuchang at the end of January 1938. Generals Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi, Tang Enbo, Chen Cheng, and Xue Yue led the troops positioned along both railway lines.
What was the outcome of the Battle of Taierzhuang within the larger conflict?
A two-week battle raged from March 22 until April 7, resulting in the first major Chinese victory of the war. Both sides suffered heavy losses with approximately 20,000 men lost each during this period while the city of Taierzhuang was almost completely destroyed.
How many civilians died due to the Yellow River floods authorized by Chinese authorities?
Estimates place civilian deaths between 400,000 and 500,000 people following the destruction of river dikes in central Henan. The resulting flood inundated some 54,000 square kilometers of central China and displaced three million refugees.
When did Japanese troops march into Xuzhou after the evacuation?
Japanese troops marched into Xuzhou on the 19th of May 1938, finding it nearly abandoned but capturing some 30,000 Chinese soldiers and civilians left behind. The withdrawal operation completed by May 21 allowed preservation of the majority of Chinese forces for future defense of Wuhan.