A Nation’s Desperate Stand

In early 1938, China stood at a crossroads. The Japanese Imperial Army had already captured Nanjing, committing horrific atrocities in what would become known as the Nanjing Massacre. Chinese morale was at its lowest ebb as Japanese forces advanced relentlessly up the Yangtze River. The strategic city of Xuzhou (徐州), a critical railway junction where the north-south Tianjin-Pukou line met the east-west Longhai railway, became the next major battleground. The Chinese military leadership recognized that without a decisive victory, the nation’s will to resist might collapse entirely.

General Li Zongren (李宗仁), commander of the Fifth War Zone, understood the psychological importance of demonstrating that the Japanese could be stopped. As he walked the grounds of his headquarters with Chief of Operations Liu Fei (刘斐), their conversations revealed the gravity of the situation. “Since the fall of Nanjing,” Liu observed, “many frontline soldiers have become dispirited. We must choose the right moment to win a victory.” Li nodded in agreement, knowing that only battlefield success could restore confidence in China’s ability to resist.

The Trap at Taierzhuang

Li Zongren’s strategic insight proved crucial. He recognized that the Japanese 10th Division under General Isogai Rensuke (磯谷廉介), flushed with victory after capturing Teng County, would likely advance recklessly toward Taierzhuang without waiting for support from the 5th Division at Linyi. This created an opportunity to isolate and destroy an overextended enemy force.

The Chinese plan took shape with precision: “Hold firmly to Taierzhuang and the Grand Canal line, lure the enemy to attack, cut off their retreat, and at the opportune moment launch a counter-encirclement to annihilate the Japanese forces.” Chiang Kai-shek reinforced Li’s command with two additional armies – the 20th Corps under General Tang Enbo (汤恩伯) and the 2nd Army Group led by General Sun Lianzhong (孙连仲).

Sun’s forces were given the critical task of defending Taierzhuang itself. His deployment was meticulous: the 184th Regiment would hold the town center, while supporting units occupied flanking positions at Fankou Village and Guanzhuang, creating a triangular defensive system. The terrain favored the defenders, with the Grand Canal to the west and triangular mountainous areas to the east and west providing natural barriers.

The Bloody Siege Begins

On March 24, 1938, the Japanese launched their assault. The initial attack force consisted of just two battalions from the 63rd Infantry Regiment, supported by artillery – a gross underestimation of Chinese resistance. As fighting intensified, both sides poured in reinforcements. Japanese tactics combined heavy artillery bombardment with tank assaults and aerial bombing, while Chinese defenders relied on night raids and close-quarters combat.

The battle reached a critical moment when Japanese artillery breached the northeastern city wall. Division Commander Chi Fengcheng (池峰城) personally led a “dare-to-die corps” to plug the gap. These suicide squads, armed with bundles of grenades and traditional broadswords, launched desperate counterattacks. One soldier would later recall, “We only want to fight the Japanese, we don’t want silver dollars!” – rejecting Li Zongren’s offer of monetary rewards for their sacrifice.

By April 3, the situation appeared dire. Japanese forces using tear gas had captured most of Taierzhuang, with Chinese defenders clinging to just a few positions in the southern sector. Sun Lianzhong delivered his famous reply when asked about withdrawal: “If the soldiers perish, you fill the gap. If you perish, I will fill it. Anyone who retreats across the canal will be shot!”

The Tide Turns

In a dramatic nighttime assault on April 4, Sun’s remaining forces – including cooks, stretcher bearers, and wounded soldiers – retook three-quarters of the town. Meanwhile, Tang Enbo’s 20th Corps finally moved to attack Japanese flanks after repeated orders from Chiang Kai-shek himself, who admonished: “With ten divisions against the enemy’s one and a half, after more than ten days you’ve achieved no results… How will you explain yourself?”

The Japanese 10th Division, now exhausted and overextended, began withdrawing on April 6 despite orders to continue fighting. Chinese forces launched a general counterattack the following day. By dawn on April 7, the Battle of Taierzhuang had ended in complete Chinese victory, with the exception of a few Japanese units that escaped to Yi County.

The Aftermath and Legacy

The statistics told a stunning story: over 12,000 Japanese casualties, 30+ tanks destroyed, and vast quantities of equipment captured. Chinese losses were heavy – 7,500 casualties from 46,000 engaged – but the psychological impact proved immeasurable. Japanese war records acknowledged Chinese defenders “fought tenaciously to the last,” with trenches filled with mountains of corpses that even impressed enemy observers.

Wuhan celebrated with 100,000-strong victory parades featuring giant portraits of Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi (白崇禧). Communist leader Mao Zedong praised the battle as a model of combining positional and mobile warfare. The victory temporarily halted Japanese momentum and proved they could be defeated, though subsequent attempts to “expand the victory” at Xuzhou would prove disastrous.

Taierzhuang became a symbol of Chinese resistance, demonstrating that with proper strategy, terrain advantage, and determined leadership, even a poorly equipped force could triumph. The battle’s legacy continues to inspire, commemorated in museums, films, and history books as a turning point in China’s eight-year war against Japanese aggression.