China’s contribution to Japan’s defeat

[beijingwalker]

China’s contribution to Japan’s defeat
by Jeff Kingston
Aug 24, 2013
Article history

Allies: A Chinese soldier guards American P-40 planes, painted with the shark-face emblem of the 'Flying Tigers,' in China in July 1942. | NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION

An estimated 14 million to 20 million Chinese died during this epic struggle of resistance against Japanese aggression in a war that produced a staggering 80 million to 100 million refugees. Despite the prolonged onslaught of Japan’s modern military machine for eight long years, a divided China, mostly on its own, put up a heroic fight against steep odds, pinning down 600,000 of its troops and playing a crucial role in weakening Japan by inflicting heavy casualties on forces that were better armed, supplied and trained. The official death toll for Japanese soldiers killed in China between 1937 and 1945 is 480,000.

China was a quagmire that forced Japan to squander vast amounts of resources that put it on a collision course with the Allied powers and undermined its Pacific War effort. To secure the resources it needed to win the war in China, Japan attacked resource-rich Western colonies in Southeast Asia and fatefully, the U.S. at Pearl Harbor.

Historian Rana Mitter points out that China’s key role in World War II is often overlooked, usually portrayed as a sideshow. Here we are given a magnificent rendering of these horrific years and a sense of the terrible price the Japanese exacted before their ultimate surrender.

The Sino-Japanese War began in July 1937, somewhat haphazardly in the vicinity of Beijing at the Marco Polo Bridge. After deadly skirmishing, local commanders had arranged a cease-fire and it seemed unlikely that the incident would flare into all out war, but Tokyo wanted to settle matters.

Mitter draws on a wide array of sources to give us a flavor of war in all its merciless manifestations. He presents a relatively sympathetic account of the Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek, the generalissimo who led Chinese resistance, pointing out that his forces did much more of the fighting than Mao Zedong’s Communists. But in 1949 Mao won the civil war against Chiang and thus the victor’s history that has prevailed until recently in China greatly inflates the role of the Communists while the far more crucial role of the Nationalists has been marginalized. Here they get their due, perhaps overly so.

In a war that was marked by awful atrocities inflicted by the Japanese marauders, the myth that Tokyo was out to liberate Asia is a cruel joke in China.

Perhaps one of the most devastating episodes was when Chiang ordered the breaching of dikes that held back the Yellow River. The deliberate flooding of vast stretches of Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu in 1938 was aimed at slowing the Japanese advance and was done without warning to preserve the element of surprise. Some half a million Chinese died in the deluge and another 4 million were displaced from their homes. It was a ghastly price to pay, but is emblematic of the determination and sacrifices that enabled the Chinese to prevail. True, Chinese battlefield victories were few, but by trading space for time and avoiding decisive defeat, Japan’s proud warriors were worn down by a nation that would not surrender.

The devastating impact of the war has shaped modern China in profound ways. It marked a huge setback for China’s nascent modernization, scarred society by inflicting humiliation and privation on an extraordinary scale and provided the template for the mass mobilization and ruthless suppression that marred Mao’s China. Mitter also points out that the wartime demands of the state intensified — grain requisitioning, forced labor, conscription — and as a result people came to expect more from the state.

Amidst a savage war, he argues that the Nationalists laid the foundations for a modern welfare state by providing food for millions of refugees while improving health care and sanitation. Yet the constant air raids on Free China’s capitol at Chongqing and the generalized scourge of war hampered such efforts.

Moreover, the needs of the peasant farmers clashed with those of the Nationalist troops who conscripted their sons and eventually seized their grain as “tax.” In Henan Province this lead to famine in 1942-43 that claimed 4 million lives, an avoidable tragedy that exposed incompetence and corruption among the Nationalists. This led to a bitter backlash in 1944 when peasants surrounded Nationalist troops sent to counter a Japanese offensive in the region, beating and killing officers while stripping soldiers of their weapons.

Chiang never had good relations with Roosevelt, Churchill or Stalin and resented that China was never accorded the respect or gratitude he felt it deserved. But during the first years of the war, it was Soviet military assistance that helped keep China in the war. In 1942 the U.S. sent Gen. “Vinegar Joe” Stilwell to advise Chiang, but their relationship proved disastrous, souring bilateral relations and undermining China’s war effort. Here we learn that Stilwell was an incompetent “know-it-all” officer with no command experience who recklessly gambled on disastrous forays into Burma.

In the first campaign he deserted his Chinese troops and fled to India and thereafter sought redemption in a second debacle during which 80 percent of his troops, some of China’s best, suffered casualties. Stilwell was obsessed with his media image and always backstabbing Chiang to divert attention from his own ineptitude. Mitter makes a compelling case that Stilwell’s foolish actions made Chiang’s battle to survive Japanese onslaughts even harder.

Chiang may have won the war, but Nationalist corruption and depredations alienated the war-weary Chinese and thereby facilitated Mao’s victory in the civil war. Because the Japanese had caused so much damage, a poor country became even more afflicted while the Nationalist troops bore the brunt of Japanese attacks. In this sense, Mitter concludes, Japan was handmaiden to Mao’s China and all the horrors that unfolded.

Jeff Kingston is the director of Asian Studies at Temple University, Japan Campus.

China's contribution to Japan's defeat | The Japan Times

 

[beijingwalker]

When Japan attacked,dozens of warlords of different provinces were busy fighting each other to expand their sphere of influence,Nationalists and Communists were busy killing each other to seek control of more people and land.there was no real central government and each province was like a small kingdom.China was like a piece of dead meat waiting to be butchered.

we learned from the history,divided we will be butchered and united we will fear no one in this world.

 

[deep.ocean]

Ohh please, don't lie. It was India who just broke Japanes Morale in 2nd World War... As per wikipedia here is what India did in this South East Asian Theatre

South-East Asian theatre
The British Indian Army's Gurkha Rifles crossing the Irrawaddy River on 27 January 1945.

The British Royal Indian Army was the key British Empire fighting presence in the Burma Campaign. The Royal Indian Air force's first assault mission was carried out against Japanese troops stationed in Burma. The British Indian Army was key to breaking the siege of Imphal when the westward advance of Imperial Japan came to a halt.

The formations included the Indian III Corps, IV Corps, the Indian XXXIII Corps and the Fourteenth Army. As part of the new concept of Long Range Penetration (LRP), Gurkha troops of the Indian Army were trained in the present state of Madhya Pradesh under their commander then krishnasamy (later Major General) Orde Charles Wingate.

These troops, popularly known as Chindits, played a crucial role in halting the Japanese advance into South Asia.[11]

 

[faithfulguy]

Ohh please, don't lie. It was India who just broke Japanes Morale in 2nd World War... As per wikipedia here is what India did in this South East Asian Theatre

South-East Asian theatre
The British Indian Army's Gurkha Rifles crossing the Irrawaddy River on 27 January 1945.

The British Royal Indian Army was the key British Empire fighting presence in the Burma Campaign. The Royal Indian Air force's first assault mission was carried out against Japanese troops stationed in Burma. The British Indian Army was key to breaking the siege of Imphal when the westward advance of Imperial Japan came to a halt.

The formations included the Indian III Corps, IV Corps, the Indian XXXIII Corps and the Fourteenth Army. As part of the new concept of Long Range Penetration (LRP), Gurkha troops of the Indian Army were trained in the present state of Madhya Pradesh under their commander then krishnasamy (later Major General) Orde Charles Wingate.

These troops, popularly known as Chindits, played a crucial role in halting the Japanese advance into South Asia.[11]

Defeating Japan was a team effort. Many nations make contributions, including China, US, Australia and Britain. India, being part of the British empire, contributed because it was part of the British empire. So what ever Indians did in WWII, the credit goes to its master, as the commanders were all British and India itself has no right at the time to declare war. Its role was to supply manpower and raw material to the British.

 

[Shardul.....the lion]

only japanese had not commited mistake of attacking pearl harbor, they would have been Japanese empire of east asia for several decades...

 

[Android]

we learned from the history,divided we will be butchered and united we will fear no one in this world.

interestingly and coincidently we have also have learned the same from the history

Defeating Japan was a team effort. Many nations make contributions, including China, US, Australia and Britain. India, being part of the British empire, contributed because it was part of the British empire. So what ever Indians did in WWII, the credit goes to its master, as the commanders were all British and India itself has no right at the time to declare war. Its role was to supply manpower and raw material to the British.

you know Indians notwithstanding the atrocities Japanese committed even on Indian pow actually view Imperial Japan for more info on that read about INA

 

[faithfulguy]

interestingly and coincidently we have also have learned the same from the history




you know Indians notwithstanding the atrocities Japanese committed even on Indian pow actually view Imperial Japan for more info on that read about INA

The only difference its that in the past 2000 years, India has been mostly divided. Only Mughals and Britain united India.

 

[Android]

The only difference its that in the past 2000 years, India has been mostly divided. Only Mughals and Britain united India.

nah there were other dynasties who ruled much larger portion of subcontinent than these two you mentioned most notably Maurya, Gupta, Pala, Delhi sultanate etc even Marathas and Cholas had the capability to do that but they werent able to

 

[faithfulguy]

nah there were other dynasties who ruled much larger portion of subcontinent than these two you mentioned most notably Maurya, Gupta, Pala, Delhi sultanate etc even Marathas and Cholas had the capability to do that but they werent able to

Some of those occurred more than 2000 years ago. And all of them never claim to be the master over India except the British and maybe the Mughals. So history clearly show that its British India that created the India today.

 

[Lightningbolt]

Ohh please, don't lie. It was India who just broke Japanes Morale in 2nd World War... As per wikipedia here is what India did in this South East Asian Theatre

South-East Asian theatre
The British Indian Army's Gurkha Rifles crossing the Irrawaddy River on 27 January 1945.

The British Royal Indian Army was the key British Empire fighting presence in the Burma Campaign. The Royal Indian Air force's first assault mission was carried out against Japanese troops stationed in Burma. The British Indian Army was key to breaking the siege of Imphal when the westward advance of Imperial Japan came to a halt.

The formations included the Indian III Corps, IV Corps, the Indian XXXIII Corps and the Fourteenth Army. As part of the new concept of Long Range Penetration (LRP), Gurkha troops of the Indian Army were trained in the present state of Madhya Pradesh under their commander then krishnasamy (later Major General) Orde Charles Wingate.

These troops, popularly known as Chindits, played a crucial role in halting the Japanese advance into South Asia.[11]

India has never won a war against decent opposition.

 

[NiceGuy]

When Japan attacked,dozens of warlords of different provinces were busy fighting each other to expand their sphere of influence,Nationalists and Communists were busy killing each other to seek control of more people and land.there was no real central government and each province was like a small kingdom.China was like a piece of dead meat waiting to be butchered.

we learned from the history,divided we will be butchered and united we will fear no one in this world.

Many Chinese dont think like you. Ur corrupted govt. just wanna enslave more poor Chinese to take more money, they dont care if China is united or not. poor Chinese hate ur corrupted Govt, and they hope to have a chance to get away from those evils. Look at Taiwan-HK-Xinjiang-Tibet , u will find the correct answer of what those poor Chinese want now

No poor Chinese wanna live under the current Govt. any more . they'd rather be butchered by Filipino than living in same board wt those 50cent warriors and those evils officals

 

[INDIC]

The only difference its that in the past 2000 years, India has been mostly divided. Only Mughals and Britain united India.

Without the help of Britain, America and USSR, China couldn't have defeated Japan.

 

[GR!FF!N]

only japanese had not commited mistake of attacking pearl harbor, they would have been Japanese empire of east asia for several decades...

wrong..if Japan's North Strike Group wouldn't commit an unsanctioned war against Russia and loose it,China would be in Japan's hand..NSG,which was in China and Manchuria, lost its leverage over Japan's war ministry and SSG(South Strike Group) become their choice..thats why you'll see that after Japan-Russia war,NSG's activity almost stopped and it was SSG who became ultra active...all the major operations conducted after that war is entirely done by SSG...

 

[Shardul.....the lion]

wrong..if Japan's North Strike Group wouldn't commit an unsanctioned war against Russia and loose it,China would be in Japan's hand..NSG,which was in China and Manchuria, lost its leverage over Japan's war ministry and SSG(South Strike Group) become their choice..thats why you'll see that after Japan-Russia war,NSG's activity almost stopped and it was SSG who became ultra active...all the major operations conducted after that war is entirely done by SSG...

but final nail or nails were done by americans retaliating and conquering every country in south east asia and finally japan and giving free credit to these arrogant chinese people..

 

[GR!FF!N]

but final nail or nails were done by americans retaliating and conquering every country in south east asia and finally japan and giving free credit to these arrogant chinese people..

well,Its USA all along whose hardware changed the course of the war..be it China where they shot down over 500 Japanese aircraft by only using 10,be it their bombers,fighters and cargo aircraft which broke the spine of Japan in various battles,be it Tanks or be it ships,WW II battles in Asia is almost one man show..Neither British,nor China,nor Russia contributed enough to make Japan loose..simply,they couldn't afford that much costly war..Britain sent only 2 old battleships in Asia..both sunk within few days of battle started against Britain empire..China has no navy at all and virtually no AF..Russia was strong..but they didn't contribute much either..