17,000 Chinese Troops Faced 100,000, Inflicting Over 80,000 Casualties on Japanese Forces

A Significant Battle in the History of the World Anti-Fascist War

The Battle of Hengyang was the most casualty-heavy engagement between opposing forces in the history of China’s resistance against Japan and marked the longest period of direct confrontation by Chinese troops.

It has been dubbed the “Moscow Defense of China.”

Chinese forces demonstrated a “ten-to-one” fighting spirit, severely damaging the Japanese army of 100,000 with only 17,000 troops.

Although this city defense battle concluded long ago, its influence has never faded.

After all, there has never been a longer or more fiercely contested battle in Chinese history than the Battle of Hengyang.

How did the “brave Hengyang warriors,” as referred to by Mao Zedong, manage to triumph over the numerically superior enemy?

Why did the Japanese forces deliberately downplay the significance of the Battle of Hengyang?

And why did the Battle of Hengyang become an important component of the global anti-fascist war?

By 1944, the Japanese forces were at the end of their tether, suffering consecutive defeats in the Pacific Theater. In an effort…