Luoyang, Henan was not invaded by the Japanese army, was it?

Luoyang was invaded during the Anti-Japanese War.

From the autumn of 1943 to the spring of 1944, the Japanese army suffered successive defeats in the Pacific battlefield. In order to save its fate of destruction, in March 1944, the Japanese army formulated the "Operation Plan No. 1" (historically known as the Battle of Henan, Hunan and Guangxi), aiming to open up the mainland communication line from Northeast China to Southeast Asia.

Historical data records that the Henan Campaign, with the main military objective of capturing Luoyang, was the first stage of the Henan-Hunan-Guangxi Campaign. The Chinese army formulated a strategic plan to "defend Luoyang City with weak forces to attract large Japanese troops, and other Chinese troops will move out to counter-encircle the enemy troops attacking Luoyang and annihilate the Japanese troops in one fell swoop." This is known in history as the Battle of Henan.

However, facing the Japanese army whose total strength was several times that of our army and covered by aircraft and tanks, China's more than 18,000 Luoyang garrison with backward equipment could not stop it despite the support of solid defense lines. The fierce Japanese offensive. On May 25, Luoyang fell.

In the entire battle to defend Luoyang, the Communists killed more than 20,000 enemy people, more than 10,000 of our troops were killed, and more than 3,000 people were injured and captured. After the breakout, our army only had 316 officers and 1,795 soldiers left. Nearly 10,000 people in Luoyang were killed in the Japanese bombing.

Extended information:

The battle process of Japan’s capture of Luoyang:

On May 9, 1944, the Japanese 1st Army crossed the Yellow River from Yuanqu. After occupying Mianchi, the troops divided into two groups. Capture Xin'an all the way, advance to Luoyang from the west wing, and invade Shaanxian, Lingbao, and Lu's all the way to the west. At the same time, Luoning, Yichuan, Songxian, Yanshi, and Mengjin fell one after another. Luoyang became an isolated city.

On the morning of May 11, the enemy launched an attack on the Xigong defense area stationed by the 64th Division, and fierce battles were fought in Xiazi, Qilihe, Xinglongzhai, Zhaijiatun, Xiaotun and other places. In two days of fierce fighting, our defenders suffered heavy casualties and were severely undermanned. In order to save troops and continue fighting, the division was ordered to abandon the Xigong position and occupy new positions on the evening of the 12th.

On the 13th, the enemy had captured Zhougong Temple. After the Xigong position was abandoned, the defense lines of the 64th Division and the 65th Division were readjusted. The 64th Division mainly defends the line from Shijiatun at the southern foot of Mangshan Mountain through Miaogou and Shaogou to the Guandi Temple in the northwest corner of the city. The 65th Division mainly defends the line from Wangchaoling, Yingzhuang, Shangqing Palace, Zhuangwang Mountain and Houdong in Mangshan Mountain.

They used the terraced slopes, cliff trenches and village houses in Mangling to build gun holes, built hidden fire points with concrete and masonry, and connected the various fire points with fox trenches and traffic trenches. Set up barbed wire fences outside the firepower points, dig anti-tank trenches, and lay mines near the anti-tank trenches.

The two divisions of the 15th Army relied on these semi-permanent fortifications to meet the enemy, defended Mang Ridge, fought with the enemy village by village, and fought hand-to-hand combat many times.

On May 22, the enemy stormed Luoyang with the 63rd Division, the 3rd Tank Division, the Cavalry Brigade and the Yetian Corps, which were several times the strength of our defenders. In the afternoon of the same day, the plane delivered Chiang Kai-shek's 20th order to the 15th Army: "Still stick to Luoyang and don't believe the rumors. At the latest one week, I will be responsible for supervising the army and air force to reinforce Luoyang."

According to this According to the order, the 15th Army once again changed its deployment. Except for a strong force at the East and West Stations to maintain strongholds, the main force of the Army withdrew entirely into the city and joined forces with the 94th Division to defend the city. However, Jiang Dingwen and Liu Zhi refused to carry out the order to rush to Luoyang.

Chengxiang is the last support point of Luoyang and the focus of the battle between the enemy and ourselves in the defense of Luoyang. In order to facilitate the defense of the city, a moat about 6 meters wide and 7 to 8 meters deep was dug outside Luoyang City. Running water was drawn into the moat to form an artificial moat.

Trenches 2 meters wide and 2 meters deep are dug in every street and alley in the city. On top of the trenches, sacks, sand or bricks are piled up to form walls 1.5 meters high and 1 meter wide. After the 15th Army withdrew into the city on the night of the 22nd, it readjusted the defense area in the city on the 23rd.

The 94th Division defends the eastern half of the city, East Railway Station and North-South Street, the 64th Division defends the west gate, southwest corner, Jidao Street, Xingfu Street, Guxiang Lane and the back alley of Heluo Middle School to the south city base; the 65th Division Shouxi Station and the northwest corner. The military headquarters is located on Yiyong Street, and the command headquarters is Baocheng Yinlou. The headquarters of the 64th Division is in the southwest corner, and the headquarters of the 65th Division is in Fudan Middle School.

On May 23, the Japanese commander Eitaro Uchiyama forced the monks of the White Horse Temple to send a surrender letter to the Chinese defenders in the name of "preventing the ancient city of Luoyang from being destroyed by the war." The commander of the Chinese defenders was attacked on the spot. General Wu Tinglin sternly refused. The battle for the city was in full swing that day.

The enemy's artillery was at Anlewo, Zhougong Temple, Xiguan, Match Company, Miaojiagou, Zhuangwang Mountain, Shangqing Palace, Gejialing, Wulipu, Xiayuan Street, etc., all over the city and east, Bombardment of West Railway Station.

About 8,000 rounds were fired into the city in one day. That night, the enemy's siege force increased to more than 35,000 men, more than 400 tanks, 120 wild heavy artillery and mechanical guns, and more than 1,000 vehicles were used to mobilize troops and transport ammunition.

At dawn on the 24th, in addition to multiple enemy planes flying over Luoyang to bomb, strafe, and distribute leaflets, five to six thousand enemies launched an attack on the eastern half of the city guarded by the 94th Division, and the two sides launched a fierce battle.

At 12 noon, 120 enemy artillery pieces bombarded the city. Shells rained down, and the exposed fortifications and houses were destroyed. Under the cover of artillery fire, more than 300 enemy tanks attacked the city from six routes: the southwest corner, west gate, northwest corner, northeast corner, east gate, and southeast corner.

The enemy's main force is concentrated in the northwest corner and southwest corner. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the northeast corner defended by the 94th Division and the northwest corner defended by the 65th Division were breached at the same time. At 4 o'clock, the enemy was found in the special office and Fudan Middle School. At 5 o'clock, the enemy tanks entered the intersection via North Street.

The garrison's command system at all levels was isolated section by section. When the command was interrupted, the defending officers and soldiers used civilian houses to engage in street fighting with the enemy, fighting for it street by street and alley by lane. The enemy had to pay a huge price for every step forward.

After sunset, the whole city entered a state of melee. After fierce fighting, the Japanese killed and wounded more than 8,000 enemies, and the 15th Army officers and soldiers also suffered more than 3,000 casualties. Unable to continue fighting, an order was issued that night, ordering all the ministries to seize the road out of the city and assemble outside Luoyang City to stand by.

On the 25th, some officers and soldiers who had not withdrawn from the city fought bloody battles with the enemy in more than ten streets and alleys. In the end, due to the small number and disparity in strength, Luoyang fell.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Battle of Luoyang

People's Daily Online - Talking about the Battle of Luoyang during the Anti-Japanese War