The Battle of Changsha (September 6, 1941 - October 8, 1941) was Japan's second attempt in taking the city of Changsha, China, as part of the second Sino-Japanese War.

Overview

The offensive was carried out by more than 120,000 Japanese troops, including naval and aerial forces. Under the command of General Xue Yue, the ninth army group of China conducted a response that included street battles right in Changsha city. Ten Chinese armies eventually reached Changsha, completely retaking the city. The Japanese suffered over 10,000 deaths and retreated.

Course of Battle

The battle started when a small Chinese guerilla forces clashed with the Japanese 6th Division in the mountains southeast of Yueyang on September 6th. On the 17th, the Japanese crossed the Sinchiang River at four points and made rapid advances and crossed the Milo River on the 19th. The main Chinese force avoided confronting the enemy but marched in a parallel fashion flanking the Japanese trail southward. However, the Japanese also attempted to flank and encircle the Chinese. This caused both the Chinese and the Japanese army to reach the Laotao river regions for an eventual showdown. On September 27th, several hundred Japanese troops in plain clothes reached the north gate of Changsha but were unable to sabotage the city defenses, leading to heavy fighting on the 28th. Unable to overcome the defenders, the Japanese began a general retreat back to the Yueyang region on September 30th.