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14 Mar 1938

China
  • The Japanese 10th Division, 10,000 men in strength, began an offensive from Shandong Province in China toward Jiangsu Province to the south. The first clashes took place on the same day at Tengxian in Jiangsu Province. ww2dbase [Battle of Xuzhou | Tengxian, Jiangsu | CPC]
15 Mar 1938

China
  • 2,000 Chinese troops of the 364th Brigade dug in at Tengxian in Jiangsu Province in China, 75 miles north of the city of Xuzhou, against a 10,000-strong Japanese offensive. The Chinese bolstered its ranks by beginning to conscript and train nearly 1,000 police, militiamen, and other able-bodied men from the region. ww2dbase [Battle of Xuzhou | Tengxian, Jiangsu | CPC]
16 Mar 1938

China
  • The full Japanese offensive against Tengxian, Jiangsu Province, China began at 0800 hours with a bombardment by mountain guns and aircraft. Japanese troops attempted multiple times to rush into the town via collapsed portions of the city wall, but most of the attackers were cut down by Chinese troops. The east gate was taken at 1700 hours, but it was recaptured by the Chinese at 2000 hours. Through the night, 1,000 men from the Chinese 370th and 372nd Battalions were able to sneak into the town as reinforcement. ww2dbase [Battle of Xuzhou | Tengxian, Jiangsu | CPC]
17 Mar 1938

China
  • At 0600 hours, Japanese troops began a 2-hour bombardment on Tengxian, Jiangsu Province, China. At 0800 hours, multiple attacks began from all directions of the town. After suffering very high casualties, Japanese troops captured the west and south gates on the city wall by 1700 hours. Chinese troops on the east gate refused to fall back and fought until they could no longer hold the line; they committed mass-suicide by grenades. Overnight, Chinese troops began to withdraw troops out of Tengxian, marching them to the city Xuzhou 75 miles to the south, which was the Japanese main target of the offensive. ww2dbase [Battle of Xuzhou | Tengxian, Jiangsu | CPC]
18 Mar 1938

China
  • Japanese troops captured Tengxian, Jiangsu Province, China after a two-day battle. The Chinese 31st Division began to march out of Xucheng, Henan Province for Xuzhou area, Jiangsu Province. ww2dbase [Battle of Xuzhou | Tengxian, Jiangsu | CPC]

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis




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Shinchiku Airfield under B-29 attack, northern Taiwan, 17 Jan 1945, photo 3 of 3


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"With Germany arming at breakneck speed, England lost in a pacifist dream, France corrupt and torn by dissension, America remote and indifferent... do you not tremble for your children?"

Winston Churchill, 1935


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