Battle of Beiping-Tianjin
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The Battle of Beiping-Tianjin (traditional Chinese: 平津作戰; simplified Chinese: 平津作战; pinyin: Píng Jīn Zùozhàn) or Peiking Tientsin Operation or by the Japanese as 北支事変 (Northern China Incident) (25 July – 31 July 1937) was a battle fought during the Second Sino-Japanese War in the proximity of Beiping (now Beijing) and Tianjin. It resulted in a Japanese victory.
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[edit] Order of battle at Beiping-Tianjin
See main article: Order of battle at Beiping-Tianjin
[edit] Peiking Tientsin Operation [1]
Following the Marco Polo Bridge Incident on July 8th, the Japanese China Stationed Army sent reinforcements from Tientsin, while General Sung Che-yuan, ordered his forces to hold their positions, and attempted to avert war through negotiations. After repeated negotiations both sides agreed to cease fire and return to their stations. On July 9th Chiang Kai-shek ordered 26th Route Army (later 1st Army) under Gen. Sun Lien-chung to take 2 Divisions to Baoding and Shihchiachuang to be under the command of Gen. Sung.
However on the afternoon of July 10th, after receiving reinforcements the Japanese renewed the attack. Again they were repelled. After the Japanese attack failed Lt. General Kanichiro Tashiro commander of China Stationed Army fell ill and died on the 12th of July, being replaced by Lt. General Kiyoshi Katsuki. At the same time the Japanese ordered a Division, two brigades and an air regiment as reinforcements for the China Stationed Army. Later in July three more Divisions were sent to the Peiking Tientsin area. Since these reinforcements had not yet arrived, the Japanese claimed that they would not aggravate the situation and agreed on an investigation by both sides hoping to resolve it as a local incident.
By July 25th the Japanese reinforcements arrived and attacks began first at Lanfang on the 38th Division.
On July 26th, Japanese planes bombed Lanfang. Japanese units attempted to enter Kuang An Gate in Peiking but were stopped. The Japanese then issued an ultimatum to Gen. Sung demanding the withdrawal of Chinese forces on the outskirts of Peiking to the west of the Yungting River. Gen. Sung refused, and ordered his units to prepare for action and requested large reinforcements from the Central Government.
On July 27th, the Japanese laid siege to Chinese forces in Tungchow, one battalion broke out and fell back to Nanyuan. Japanese planes also bombed Chinese forces outside Peiking and reconnoitered Kaifeng, Chengchow and Loyang.
On July 28th, the Japanese 20th Division and three brigades launched an offensive against Chinese forces in Peiking. The main attack was against Nanyuan and a secondary attack against Peiyuan. Scores of planes made bombing runs in rotation. Bitter fighting ensued with Gen. Tung Ling-ko Deputy Commander of 29th Corps and Gen. Chao Teng-yu commanding 132nd Division being killed. The Peace Preservation units were also mauled. However a brigade of 38th Division under Gen. Liu Chen-san beat back the Japanese in the Langfeng area and a brigade of the 53rd Corps and another unit recovered the rail station at Fengtai.
That night realizing that fighting the Japanese in this situation was futile, Gen. Sung lead the main force of 29th Corps to withdraw south of the Yungting River. Mayor Chang Tze-chung of Tientsin was left in Peiking to take charge of political affairs in Hopei and Chahar in an acting capacity. Gen. Liu Ju-chen's New Separate 29th Brigade was left in Peiking.
On July 29th, the puppet Eastern Hopei Army troops mutinied against the Japanese in Tungchow killing most of their Japanese advisors and other civilians. Meanwhile on the coast at dawn the 5th Division and naval forces separately attacked the Tientsin and the port at Taku-kou. Units of 38th Division under their acting commander Liu Wen-tien and its local Peace Preservation forces defended Tientsin. Gen. Huang Wei-kang's brigade defended Taku fighting gallantly and killing many Japanese troops. It also attacked the nearby Japanese airfield at Tungchutzu, destroying many aircraft. At night Gen. Chang Tze-chung was ordered to withdraw toward Machang and Yangliuching south of Tientsin.
On July 30th, the Japanese captured Tientsin and Taku, looting and burning caused heavy destruction.
The Japanese entered Peiking and on August 4th, Gen. Chang Tzu-chung finding it impossible to carry out his duties left Peiking, and Liu Ju-chen's forces withdrew into Chahar.
[edit] Sources
- [1] 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. Pg.177-180 Map 2
