Battle of Wuyuan

By 28 January 1940 the Japanese had built up sufficient forces from the 26th Division at Baotou to launch the "First Battle of the Back Loop" (第1次後套作戦), recovering previously lost territory and moving west to take Wuyuan. It fell on 3 February, Linhe further west followed on 4 February.

Japanese Forces:

• Mongolia Garrison Army (駐蒙軍) under Naosaburo Okabe
  • 26th Division under Lt. Gen. Shigenori Kuroda
  • IJA Cavalry Group

Chinese Forces:

• 8th War Area under Deputy Commander Fu Zuoyi
  • 35th Corps under Fu Zuoyi
    • New 4th Division
    • New 31st Division
    • 11th Provisional Division
    • Garrison Brigade
  • 81st Corps under Ma Hongbin
    • 101st Division
  • 6th Cavalry Corps under Ma Buqing
    • 3rd Cavalry Division
  • Guerrilla Force

On March 16, 1940, as the Japanese were attacking the New 4th Division west of Linhe, the rest of the Chinese 35th Corps with the New 31st Division and a regiment of the Garrison Brigade, secretly moved east along the Wu-chia River. On the night of the 20th they entered Wuyuan by surprise and after a seesaw fight over the strongpoint captured the city at 1600 hours on the 21st. The Japanese garrison retreated northward. Chinese forces then moved on to capture a strongpoint around Hsin-an-chen on the 22nd. This cut the road along the Yellow River to Wuyuan.

In an attempt to recover the situation the Japanese sent 600 troops from Dashetai via Siyitang in 80 trucks to make a forced crossing of the Wu-chia River at Ta-tsai-chu 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Wuyuan. For three days they fought the 101st Division without success. By the 25th they had been reinforced to 3,000 men and made the crossing with artillery and air support. Wuyuan again fell to the Japanese on the 26th and the Chinese fell back to the banks of Fang-chi-chu and continued their attacks at Xin'an, Xishanzui, Xixiaozhao, and Man-ko-su.

The Middlesboro Daily News, reporting on Japan's planned offensive into the Muslim region, predicted that the Japanese would suffer a crushing defeat.^[4]

Muslim Generals Ma Hongkui and Ma Hongbin defended west Suiyuan, especially Wuyuan in 1940 against the Japanese. Ma Hongbin commanded the Muslim 81st corps and incurred heavy casualties, but after fierce fighting eventually repulsed the Japanese and defeated them.^[5][6]

Unable to withstand the pressure of Chinese attacks, the Japanese at Wuyuan retreated on March 30 and 31. On April 1 a guerrilla force and cavalry column recaptured Wuyuan, and the 11th Provisional Division recaptured Wu-pu-lang-kou. On April 3, cavalry recovered Xishanzui as the Japanese retreated to the east.

Japan used poison gas against the Chinese armies at the Battle of Wuyuan and Battle of West Suiyuan.^[7][8]

Chinese casualties were reported by commander Fu Zuoyi on 24 April 1940,^[9] they were also compiled in a 1962 book by the Defense Ministry of Taiwan.^[1]

After the battle, Fu Zuoyi, deputy commander of the Eighth Military Front, requested that the 1st battalion of the 95th regiment of the new 32nd division be awarded the honorary flag, citing their bravery in attacking Wuyuan, fighting until battalion commander Zhao Shoujiang (趙壽江) was killed and the whole battalion had only 11 soldiers left.^[10] On May 16, the Nationalist Government awarded the battalion the Flying Tiger Flag [zh].^[11]