Chronicle of the Soviet Invasion of Northeast China

Author: Jin Dongji
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features:
Chapter 3: The War in China and Its Role in Japan's Continental Policy
1. The Military, Political, and Economic Status of China in the First Half of 1945
In early 1945, most of the provinces under the control of the Chinese government were located west of the Beijing-Hankou-Guangzhou (Guangdong) railway line. In northern China, Japanese aggression had advanced even further west, occupying provinces such as Suiyuan, Chahar, and Shanxi. In areas not occupied by the enemy, large numbers of troops from the Third, Seventh, Sixth, and Tenth War Zones were deployed in Hainan, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Fujian to protect local resources. At that time, the economy under the Kuomintang (KMT) government was extremely backward, with semi-feudal agriculture based on severe exploitation of farmers. The gross national product was less than one-tenth of what it was before the war. Industrial production in China had been declining before Japan's surrender. The industrial foundation of factories mainly relied on industrial equipment transported out of cities threatened by Japanese aggression. However, only 639 enterprises and 12,164 skilled workers had been relocated. It was very difficult to establish an industrial base in Chongqing, which had a weak economic foundation. China was isolated from the world, and the ruling families who controlled the country implemented anti-popular policies, focusing solely on their own interests while controlling the economic lifelines of the nation. However, within areas not occupied by the Japanese, four major industrial zones had formed: the southeastern industrial zone of Sichuan, the southwestern industrial zone of Sichuan, the Yunnan industrial zone, and the northwest industrial zone. The wartime economy under the KMT government mainly relied on these four industrial zones, but in terms of supplying weapons and ammunition to the army, it had to rely entirely on imports, primarily from the United States. Since 1940, the KMT Chongqing government had adopted a policy, allowing Japanese forces to occupy most of China's territory and major transportation routes. As a result, by the summer of 1945, under the rule of Chiang Kai-shek, more than 11,000 kilometers of railways had been occupied by Japanese forces, leaving only 1,243 kilometers in operation, and 115,702 kilometers of highways had been reduced to 52,123 kilometers. The military victories of the Japanese in 1944 allowed them to occupy large sections of the Beijing-Hankou, Zhengzhou-Xinjiang, and Hankou-Guangzhou railways. The capacity of water transportation also decreased. In 1937, under the rule of the Chongqing government, there were 1,023 steamships sailing in China's waters, with a total tonnage of 576,875 tons. By the summer of 1945, there were only 414 steamships left, with a total tonnage of only 64,789 tons. The KMT's armed forces consisted of 29 operational units and 4 joint forces of similar scale, totaling 4.6 million people. The army was divided into 11 war zones, 4 battle lines, and the Burma Expeditionary Force. Although the KMT army was numerically large, its combat effectiveness was not strong. Not all units were under Chiang Kai-shek's command, as some local warlords and commanders of regional forces often disregarded his orders. The small Chinese air force was incorporated into the China-American Mixed Air Force, which was part of the U.S. Air Force's Fourteenth Air Force stationed in China. The air force consisted of eight fighter squadrons and four medium-bomber squadrons. As of January 1, 1945, after merging with the Fourteenth Air Force, the China-American Air Force had 501 fighters, 106 medium bombers, 46 heavy bombers, 30 transport aircraft, and 31 reconnaissance aircraft. B-29 long-range bombers from the U.S. Twentieth Bomber Command also took off and landed at Chengdu Airport. At that time, two U.S. naval units were deployed on the Yangtze River: a total of 13 gunboats with displacements ranging from 185 to 740 tons, one torpedo boat, and two transport ships. The U.S. government was interested in enhancing the combat effectiveness of the KMT army. General Albert Wedemeyer, the commander of the U.S. forces in China, transferred the "Mars" infantry division from the U.S. forces in Burma to China, with the aim of using them to train Chinese troops. Five divisions were returned from the Burma battlefield, and they were the most experienced Chinese troops in fighting the Japanese. The Chinese forces in Yunnan therefore intensified their preparations, with their 11 division commanders under the command of American officers. New divisions were formed. The U.S. military prepared to deploy 39 divisions. The supply capacity of military materials for the Chinese army was greatly improved. With the opening of the land route from February to Kunming and the laying of oil pipelines, air transportation began to play a full role. In January, transportation relied entirely on air transport, with a volume of 46,000 tons. In May, the total transportation volume of all means of transport reached 65,000 tons, in June it reached 70,000 tons, in July it reached 91,000 tons. U.S. advisors did not hold high hopes for the KMT-controlled Chinese army's ability to eliminate Japanese forces; they only aimed to strengthen Chiang Kai-shek's government after the war. However, the staff led by General Albert Wedemeyer formulated the "Beta" operation plan, according to which, if the war against Japan was postponed and operations returned to the mainland, the Chinese army would be utilized. It was planned to first liberate Nanjing and Liuzhou (after May 1), then occupy Zhanjiang Port in the northern part of Leizhou Peninsula, and then advance towards Guangdong and Hong Kong, occupying a coastal port there. P36-37