Anti-Japanese Volunteer Armies
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In the invasion of the Northeast or Manchuria, due to Chiang Kai-Shek's policy of non restistance, it is assumed that Japan was soon able to establish complete control and that, after the League of Nations refused to do more than voice its disapproval, the Manchurian Incident' was over. However, until 1933, large volunteer armies waged war against Japanese and Manchukuo forces over much of Northeast China. Afterward they continued the fight in small guerrilla bands. The volunteer armies were eventually defeated but only after their resistance had made support for them and the Anti-Japanese cause popular in China during the early 1930s.
There were several of these armies:
- Jilin Self-Defence Army
- Chinese People's National Salvation Army
- Northeastern Volunteer Righteous & Brave Fighters
- Northeastern Loyal and Brave Army
- Northeast People's Anti-Japanese Volunteer Army
- Northeast Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army
- Heilungkiang National Salvation Army
- Anti-Japanese Army For The Salvation Of The Country
Besides these armies there were other forces under leaders like Lao Pie-fang and others.
For the whole year of 1932 the Japanese had to occupy themselves with fighting these Chinese forces in various areas of Manchuria. General Ma Zhanshan nominally in command of them all had a total fighting force estimated by the Japanese of 300,000 men. Following the defeat of the large forces, many retreated into Jehol and other places in China. The remainder were forced to disperse their reminants into small units, often called shanlin. Ongoing Japanese Anti Bandit Campaigns and other pacification measures steadily reduced the number of insurgents. Their numbers declined from 120,000 in 1933, to 50,000 in 1934; 40,000 in 1935; 30,000 in 1936; and 20,000 in 1937. As of September, 1938, the number of insurgents was estimated by the Japanese at 10,000 men.
From 1935 the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party absorbed many of these volunteer forces into its own ranks.
[edit] Sources
- Hsu Long-hsuen and Chang Ming-kai, History of The Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) 2nd Ed. ,1971. Translated by Wen Ha-hsiung , Chung Wu Publishing; 33, 140th Lane, Tung-hwa Street, Taipei, Taiwan Republic of China.
- Jowett, Phillip S. , Rays of The Rising Sun, Armed Forces of Japan’s Asian Allies 1931-45, Volume I: China & Manchuria, 2004. Helion & Co. Ltd., 26 Willow Rd., Solihul, West Midlands, England.
- The volunteer armies of northeast China
- Notes On A Guerrilla Campaign
See also
