The Invasion
Japan invaded China on 07 July 1937, 70 years ago today, with the aim to conquer China
politically and militarily to secure vast land and raw material reserves.
Although the two countries had fought in small engagements since 1931,
it is only at Battle of Lugou Bridge (Marco Polo Bridge Incident) on 07 July 1937
that mark the official beginning of full scale war between China and Japan.
From 1937 to 1941, China was fighting against Japan alone, with a small airforce,
little military-industrial strength and no mechanized divisions.
Throughout the next few years from 1937 till 1945, the Japanese air force launched air bombing raids on nearly every city in China, leaving millions death and homeless.
Following the Battle of Lugou Bridge was the Battle of Shanghai, after 3 months of heavy fighting, the Japanese force crush the majority of the China's best trained and best equipped divisions and occupied Shanghai, the heart of China's financial and industrial centre.
Next, the Japanese advance and smash Chinese defense line and capture Nanjing, then capital city of China,
and then advance further in the following campaigns to capture southern part of China.
China resist the Japanese forces at all front despite suffering heavy losses in most of the battles.
By the time war ended, total Chinese casualties during the war was above 20 millions (chinese records show 35 millions), including 3.22 million soldiers.
In addition, the war created 95 million refugees.
Total Japanese casualties was estimate at 1.1 million military casualties (Japan defense minstry shows 200,000), killed, wounded and missing.
The discussion is : Can Japan conquer China, if Japan choose to concentrate all her resources on the China campaigns.
P.S. Correct me if any of the above information is wrong.
Purely military discussion only. :sweat:
Japan invaded China on 07 July 1937, 70 years ago today, with the aim to conquer China
politically and militarily to secure vast land and raw material reserves.
Although the two countries had fought in small engagements since 1931,
it is only at Battle of Lugou Bridge (Marco Polo Bridge Incident) on 07 July 1937
that mark the official beginning of full scale war between China and Japan.
From 1937 to 1941, China was fighting against Japan alone, with a small airforce,
little military-industrial strength and no mechanized divisions.
Throughout the next few years from 1937 till 1945, the Japanese air force launched air bombing raids on nearly every city in China, leaving millions death and homeless.
Following the Battle of Lugou Bridge was the Battle of Shanghai, after 3 months of heavy fighting, the Japanese force crush the majority of the China's best trained and best equipped divisions and occupied Shanghai, the heart of China's financial and industrial centre.
Next, the Japanese advance and smash Chinese defense line and capture Nanjing, then capital city of China,
and then advance further in the following campaigns to capture southern part of China.
China resist the Japanese forces at all front despite suffering heavy losses in most of the battles.
By the time war ended, total Chinese casualties during the war was above 20 millions (chinese records show 35 millions), including 3.22 million soldiers.
In addition, the war created 95 million refugees.
Total Japanese casualties was estimate at 1.1 million military casualties (Japan defense minstry shows 200,000), killed, wounded and missing.
The discussion is : Can Japan conquer China, if Japan choose to concentrate all her resources on the China campaigns.
P.S. Correct me if any of the above information is wrong.
Purely military discussion only. :sweat: