Battle of West Henan–North Hubei

The Battle of West Henan-North Hubei , was one of the 22 major engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It was in northern and western . While it was a tactical stalemate, the battle was also a strategic victory for the Japanese forces, who seized control of local airbases, denying Chinese forces of any localized air support.

Order of battle

Chinese

*59th Army
*69th Army
*77th Army
*New 8th Army
*68th Army
*55th Army
*45th Army
*15th Army
*85th Army
*89th Army

Japanese

*39th Division
*5th Brigade
*11th Brigade
*B Army
*22nd Army Group
:*2 divisions
*110th Division
*115th Division
*11th Brigade
*4th Cavalry Brigade
*3rd Armoured Brigade

Battle of Wancheng

The Battle of Wancheng was a historical battle fought in the later years of the Han Dynasty between the warlords Cao Cao and Zhang Xiu in 197.

Background

Cao Cao led his army to attack Wancheng, while Zhang Xiu, the ruler of Wancheng, was worried and afraid of Cao Cao's mighty army. Cao Cao invaded Jingzhou, upon reaching Wan, Zhang Xiu offered to surrender. His strategist Jia Xu suggested that he feigned surrender first and then later draw up a plan to defeat Cao Cao. As Jia Xu had predicted, Cao Cao accepted Zhang Xiu's surrender and allowed him to remain in control of Wancheng. Later, Cao Cao was attracted to Zhang Xiu's deceased uncle Zhang Ji's widow, and took her as a concubine. Zhang Xiu felt humiliated and longed to get back at Cao Cao. Cao Cao heard about Zhang Xiu's displeasure and plotted to kill Zhang. However, the plan was leaked out and Zhang Xiu revolted and launched an attack in the night on Cao Cao's camp.

Battle

Zhang Xiu's forces stormed Cao Cao’s camp. The battle went against Cao Cao, with no advantage, he fled on a light horse. Dian Wei battled at the gate preventing the traitors from entering. The troops then entered from the other gates. At the time Dian Wei had about ten or so men; they all fought a desperate battle; each fought like ten men. The traitors numbered many and were coming from front and rear. Dian Wei using his long crescent halberds attacked left and right destroying ten or more. The surrounding area littered with many casualties and dead. Dian Wei received over ten cuts, yet he continued to fight despite lacking troops. Dian Wei held onto two traitors underneath his arms, killing them. The remaining traitors dared not to advance any further. Dian Wei continued attacking the traitors, killing numerous men. His wounds took its toll, he let out a great cry and then died. The traitors dared not to advance and take his head, instead returned to the army. Cao Cao had retreated back to Wu Yin where he then heard about Dian Wei’s death. The news brought tears to his eyes. Cao Cao's son Cao Ang offered his steed to his father and bravely stayed behind to hold off the enemy, allowing his father to escape while he was killed in the battle. Cao Cao's beloved nephew Cao Anmin was also killed in battle.

This battle was one of the most humiliating moments in Cao Cao's life.

Modern references

This battle appears in video games such as ''Dynasty Warriors'', where the stage is the highlight of Dian Wei's story. Chronologically, Dian Wei as an non-playable character makes his last appearance and doesn't appear anymore in the next stages.

Battle of South Henan

The Battle of South Henan , was one of the 22 major engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

Battle of Shangcai

Battle of Shangcai was a series of clashes fought between the and the during Chinese Civil War in the post World War II era, and resulted in the communist victory. The battle is also called the Blocking Actions at Shangcai by the , who launched the battle to support their Eastern Hennan Campaign, with intention to prevent the nationalist force from reinforce their comrades-in-arms fighting the Eastern Hennan Campaign.

Prelude

During the first half of the Chinese Civil War, communists lacked the necessary weaponry to destroy large formations of nationalist troops who were stationed in fortifications, so they must be lured out of the fortifications and engaged in the open field where communists would have a chance, and one of such occasion rose in June, 1948. On June 15, 1948, had decided to launch Eastern Hennan Campaign to attack Kaifeng, thus forcing the to reinforce the defense of the city via redeployment. Communists planned to take the opportunity to destroy the nationalist reinforcement force while it was on the move.

Order of battle

Order of battle:
*Army-sized 11th Reorganized Division commanded by Hu Lian 胡琏
**3 division-sized brigades
Order of battle:
*10th Column commanded by Song Shilun 宋时轮
**28th Division
**29th Division commanded by Xiao Feng 肖锋 political commissar Li Mancun 李曼村
***Brigade-sized 85th Regiment
***Brigade-sized 86th Regiment
***Brigade-sized 87th Regiment

Strategies

Communist strategy
*The nationalist 11th Reorganized Division was already on its northern march toward Kaifeng, to prevent it from reinforcing nationalist force defending the city, the communist commander Song Shilun decided to attack Shangcai , where the nationalist 11th Reorganized Division setup its headquarter, thus forcing the nationalist division to return to save its own headquarter.
Nationalist strategy
*Hu Lian , the nationalist commander of the 11th Reorganized Division was well aware the communist strategy and adjust his plan accordingly. Giving up the mission to reinforce Kaifeng, Hu Lian ordered all of his force to turn back, and planned to use his headquarter as a bait to attract the enemy, while his main force would attack the enemy from the other side, destroying the enemy in a two fronts assault. Though this move would mean that he had to give up the rescue of the city exactly as his enemy had hoped, it was a good price to pay in exchange of totally destroying the enemy’s 10th Column.

Battle

In the morning of June 16, 1948, Song Shilun ’s 10th Column at Leave County and Dancing Sun in western Henan received order to reach north of Shangcai and be ready for the incoming battle no later than 9:00 AM next morning. When the 28th and the 29th Divisions of the communist 10th Column were ready to move out, it was already 2:00 PM in the afternoon of June 16, 1948. To travel to their destination in 17 hours at 90 km away, many communist troops were force to sleep while on the move. To ensure the timely arrival and preparation, the communist commander himself and his chief-of-staff Gong Zuoyao traveled with the 29th Division, and the communist troops reached their destination on time.

The communists begun their attack on the town of Shangcai after taking a short break, with the three regiments of the 29th Division shouldered the main responsibility of attacking the nationalist headquarter: the 85th Regiment attacked the regions of Single Hamlet and Little Village to the north of the town after taking regions including Wheat Store , and Plum Hamlet , the 86th Regiment attacked and took the regions Western Flood Bridge , Liu Bridge , Kudzu Hamlet , Sloped Zhao Village , of the 87th Regiment attacked and took the regions of Dong Hamlet , and Juan Liu . By the night of June 17, 1948, all of the dispatched units of the nationalist 11th Reorganized Division had turned back to rescue the headquarter at Shangcai , and much heavier fighting was expected by both sides.

The only way to return to Shangcai was via the narrow strip of land beginning at the Eastern Flood Bridge in the east and ended at the Wheat Store in the west. The local rugged terrain, however, was ill-suited for the highly mechanized nationalist force, and this was exploited by the communists to the maximum. At 8:00 AM in the morning of June 18, 1948, the nationalist 11th Reorganized Division launched its all out attack on the communists but the progress was painfully slow due to the unfavorable terrain. After eight hour of continuous fighting, the nationalist offensive stopped and both sides rested and prepared for the next round of fighting. By 10:00 PM, the communists withdrew to the second line of the defense by redeploying their 28th Division to the regions of Fan Hamlet , Luo Pavilion , Jiang Hamlet , Xiao Slope , and their 29th Division to the regions of King’s Pavilion , Xiadi Pass , Hundred Feet Village , and Thunder Hamlet .

Fierce fighting resumed and continued to the next day. After suffering five thousand casualties and realizing the rugged terrain had severely limited the effectiveness of the superior firepower, the nationalist commander refused to be drawn into a war of attrition anymore in a terrain favoring the enemy and decided to call it a quit. Since turning back to reinforce Kaifeng was too late to do, the nationalists withdrew southward, abandoning the hope of annihilating the communist 10th Column. The communists, in the meantime, successfully achieving their original objective of preventing the nationalists from reinforce Kaifeng did not pursuit and ended the battle.

Battle of Northern and Eastern Henan

During the Second Sino-Japanese War the Japanese 1st Army under Lt. General Kiyoshi Katsuki drove the Chinese forces of General Cheng Chien's 1st War Area out of Northern and Eastern Honan until they were stopped by the disastrous 1938 Yellow River flood caused by the diversion of the Yellow River by the Chinese Army into the and Huai Rivers.

Order of battle for Campaign of Northern and Eastern Henan 1938

Battle of Muye

The Battle of Muye was fought in China in 1046 BC. The battle led to the end of the Shang dynasty, and the beginning of the Zhou dynasty. The Zhou dynasty marks the beginning of the feudal phase of Chinese history.

Background

By the 13th century BC, Shang influence had reached what is now Gansu Province, a region that was occupied by a people known as the Zhou. King Wen of Zhou , the ruler of the Zhou, who was a Shang vassal, was given the title "Count of the West" by the King Di Xin of Shang . Di Xin used Duke Wen to guard his rear while he was involved in a south-eastern campaign.

Eventually Di Xin, fearing Duke Wen's growing power, imprisoned him. Although Wen was later released, the tension between Shang and Zhou grew. Wen prepared his army, and conquered a few smaller loyal states to Shang, slowly weakening Shang's allies. However, Duke Wen died in 1050 BC before Zhou's actual offense against Shang.

Di Xin paid very little attention to these, as he viewed himself as the rightful ruler of China, a position appointed by the heavens.

Duke Wen's son Duke Wu led the Zhou in a revolt a few years later. The reason for this delay was because Duke Wu believed that the "heavenly order" to conquer Shang had not been given.

Chinese civilians greatly supported Ji's rebellion. In legend, Di Xin, initially, had been a good ruler. But after he married Daji, he became a ruthless ruler. Many called for the end of the Shang Dynasty.

Battle

Duke Wu of Zhou led an army of about 50,000. Di Xin's army was at war in the east, but he still had about 530,000 men to defend the capital city of . But to further secure his victory, he gave weapons to about 130,000 slaves to protect the capital. The slaves did not want to fight for the corrupted Shang Dynasty, and defected to the Zhou army instead.

This event greatly lowered the morale of the Shang troops. When engaged, many Shang soldiers did not fight and held their spears upside down, as a sign that they no longer wanted to fight for the corrupted Shang. Some Shang soldiers joined the Zhou side altogether.

Still, many loyal Shang troops fought on, and a very bloody battle followed. The Zhou troops were much better trained, and their morale was high. In one of the Chariot charges, Duke Wu broke through the Shang 's defense line. Di Xin was forced to flee to his palace, and the remaining Shang troops fell into further chaos. The Zhou were victorious and showed little mercy to the defeated Shang, shedding enough blood "to float a log".

Aftermath

After the battle Di Xin placed many valuable jewelry on himself, and lighted a fire and burned himself to death in his palace. Duke Wu personally killed Daji after he found her. Shang officials were released without charges, and some later worked as Zhou officials. The imperial rice storage was opened right after the battle, to feed the starving population.

This Battle leaves Duke Wu as master of all of Shang's important cities. Duke Wu proclaimed the Zhou dynasty as King Wu of Zhou.

Battle of Maling

The Battle of Maling was conducted in Maling, currently Dazhangjia Town , Shen County , , in 342 BC during the Warring States Period. The combatants were the state of , who fought on behalf of state of , and the state of . This battle is well recorded in history texts and is famous for the tactics of Sun Bin, known as the Tactic of Missing Stoves, in which the enemy is led to underestimate the enemy by creating an illusion of a soldiers running away from the army.

Pang Juan, commander of , was lured to a narrow pass at night, where his army was ambushed by 10,000 archers of . Pang Juan committed suicide, and Wei was defeated. The power of Wei was decreased significantly, making it unable to compete for Kingship of the Zhou Dynasty.

In 342 BC, the state of Wei attacked the state of , and Han turned to Qi for help. Sun Bin advised to provide military aid for Han, but only send out troops when the army of Wei has been depleted after prolonged fighting in order to preserve their own strength while garnering respect from Han.

Han was mislead to believe that they could rely on the army of their ally, Qi, and thus fought without reserve. After a year of resistance, Han was no longer able to resist, and asked for help from Qi a second time. Instead of sending troops to save Han directly, Sun Bin suggested to aim for the capital of Wei, Daliang.

When King Hui of Wei learned of the attack, he had to order Pang Juan, general of Wei, to retreat in order to defend against the oncoming army of Qi. Pang Juan was incensed at the news, because he was only days away from taking the capital of Han. King Hui of Wei appointed Prince Shen of Wei as Chief commander and Pang Juan as commander, and ordered an army of 100,000 to mobilize against Qi.

Learning from the Battle of Guiling, Pang Juan ordered his troops to go around the Qi troops, to avoid getting ambushed in the main path. Pang Juan also ordered his troops to make haste to the capital, before Qi can set up any effective ambushes. Instead of rushing and trying to ambush the high morale Wei troops, Sun Bin decided to let a great majority of his troops rest. These Qi troops were ordered to slowly move back into Qi and prepare equipments for an ambush when needed. Sun bin took a smaller force to face Pang Juan. Once the two forces draws close to each other, Sun Bin immediately ordered a retreat.

In order to mislead his enemy, Sun Bin ordered his soldiers to make less stoves day by day. On the first day, Qi had stoves enough for 100,000 people; on the second day, there were only stoves for 50,000 people. On the third day, there were only stoves for an army of 20,000. As Pang Juan saw this, he judged that the soldiers of Qi were deserting their army and decided to pursue the Qi army with a small elite cavalry. This small elite cavalry, with their recent victory in Han, was over confident. As Qi retreated into their own territory, Sun Bin ordered his troops to abandon some of their heavy artillery. This further gave the impression of a state of confusion amongst the Qi army. As Qi arrived at Maling, Sun Bin noticed a heavily wooded and narrow pass that could be used for ambush. Estimating the arrival of Pang Juan around nightfall, he ordered to have a tree cut down, its bark removed, and the words "Pang Juan shall die in Malingdao, under this tree" carved, which was a proverb spoken by the teacher of both Sun Bin and Pang Juan .

Pang Juan had moved to Malingdao, and when he saw the sign, he paid no attention to it, instead ordering the words to be scraped off, and the army advance. Suddenly, a flush of Qi troops had surrounded the Wei. In the darkness, Qi archers managed to shoot down many of the Wei soldiers, before the rest of soldiers charged in. The Wei troops did not expect that Qi still had so many troops under their command, and were quickly overran. Pang Juan, sensing his end was near, committed suicide. In some versions, Pang Juan was among the first of his troops to be shot to death.

Even though it was Pang Juan whom had tricked Sun Bin and maimed him by removing his knee caps, Sun Bin felt very sad to see his former classmate dead. He had hoped they would make their relationship better after the battle.

After the death of Pang Juan, Prince Shen was captured by Qi. The power of the state of Wei decreased considerably after this battle.