Guangxi Women's Battalion
Women's battalion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Guangxi Women's Battalion was a women's unit in the National Revolutionary Army (the armed forces of the Republic of China) formed in 1938 in Guilin, Guangxi.[1] It was one of several corps that were founded following an appeal by Soong Mei-ling for women to support the Sino-Japanese War effort in 1937.[2][3] Similar units included: the Yunnan Women's Battlefield Service Unit,[4] Zhejiang Women's Guerrilla Band,[5][6] Hunan War Service Corps,[7] and others.
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| Guangxi Women's Battalion | |
|---|---|
| |
| Active | 1938–1945 |
| Country |  China |
| Type | Women's unit |
| Size | between 130 to 800 |
| Part of |  National Revolutionary Army |
| Garrison/HQ | Guilin |
| Engagements | Second Sino-Japanese War |
In Guangxi, an initial appeal aimed to recruit 1200 students (both men and women), but over 18,000 initially signed up.[1] Of these 4,269 were selected for service, and of the women chosen, most trained as combat medics with the Fifth Route Army.[1] Reports on the size of the battalion vary from 130 students,[8] to 500,[9] to 800.[2] The battalion fought in southern China.[8]
According to anthropologist Elisabeth Croll, the Guangxi Women's Battalion was "the most famous of the girls' military units" in China.[7]