Four Hours More

By March of 1938 Japanese forces controlled most of the Chinese Shandong Province. Despite the official non-expansionist policy that the Japanese High Command had enacted, the China Garrison Army continued to advance. To counter the Japanese aggression, the Chinese had gathered an army 600,000 strong in the Jiangsu Province immediately …

1938-03-16

S082

By March of 1938 Japanese forces controlled most of the Chinese Shandong Province. Despite the official non-expansionist policy that the Japanese High Command had enacted, the China Garrison Army continued to advance. To counter the Japanese aggression, the Chinese had gathered an army 600,000 strong in the Jiangsu Province immediately to the south. Ultimately, it was the Japanese intention to capture the city of Xuzhou, but in order to do so, they needed to isolate and reduced the small garrison at Tengxian first. The Chinese garrison of 2,000 men hunkered behind the city’s ancient walls having first brought all the supplies they had inside the town and sealing the north and south gates. Timely arrival of reinforcements from the south was their only hope of withstanding the siege. Believing that reinforcements were on the way, the Chinese Commanding Officer, Wang Mingzhang, asked his men to hold for four hours.

Tengxian, China

In 1937 the North China Area Army had chased Song Zheyuan's 29th Army to the south along the Jinpu Railway (see Tianjin–Pukou Railway Operation) after his defeat in the Battle of Lugou Bridge. After Japan won the Battle of Nanjing, the North China Area Army advanced southward to establish a Japanese connection between Beijing and Nanjing, ignoring the non-expansionist policy of the Imperial General Headquarters in Tokyo. Most mechanized and air forces in eastern China were wiped out in the Battle of Shanghai, which concluded in late November 1937. Although new equipment was purchased, it had yet to be shipped. Han Fuqu, the chairman of the Shandong province, rejected orders from Chiang Kai-shek and kept retreating to preserve his force. After Qingdao was occupied in January 1938, Han's policy was denounced and he was executed on 24 January. In March 1938 Japanese forces occupied the north of Shandong, including the capital city Jinan. The defense line along the Yellow River was torn apart.

Japanese

Chinese

Scenario Type = Starter Kit