



Guangdong Operation

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseAfter operations at the Chinese port city of Amoy in May 1938, the effort to blockade the entire Chinese coast continued in Oct as Admiral Koichi Shiozawa's fleet moved off Guangdong Province's coast in southern China. By operating the main Japanese naval group near the mouth of the Pearl River, China was deprived of another venue where supplies could possibly trickle in, while also achieving a secondary objective of isolating the British port of Hong Kong.

ww2dbaseWhile the naval operations commenced, three divisions and a flight group of the Japanese 21st Army under Lieutenant General Mikio Furusho attacked Guangdong on 12 Oct. Guangdong Province was defended by General Yu Hanmou's six divisions of the Fourth Route Army, who faced the attacking forces without any reinforcements from the rear because Chinese forces were occupied with a simultaneous Japanese attack in the Wuhan area. The Japanese landing took place in the Bias Bay area, east of Hong Kong. The landing achieved surprise, therefore Chinese resistance at the landing site was minimal. By 21 Oct, the city of Guangzhou (Canton) was captured by the Japanese. Humen and Samshui fell on 23 and 25 Oct, respectively. By Nov, Japanese operation in Guangdong entered mop-up phase, and by end of Dec, the conquest of Guangdong was considered complete.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.

Last Major Update: Jul 2007

Guangdong Operation Interactive Map

Guangdong Operation Timeline

30 Sep 1937 Japanese aircraft bombarded Chinese coastal battery positions overlooking the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong Province, China. 12 Oct 1938 Troops of the Japanese 5th Division, 18th Division, and 104th Division landed at Daya Bay 75 kilometers southeast of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China; the landing operation was supported in the air by both Japanese Navy and Japanese Army aircraft, flying in from as far was Taiwan. 21 Oct 1938 Japanese troops captured the city of Guangzhou in Southern China nearly unopposed. The city was afire from both heavy Japanese bombing in the previous few days as well as from fires set by the retreating Chinese troops. 23 Oct 1938 Japanese troops captured Humen, Guangdong Province, China. 25 Oct 1938 Japanese troops captured Sanshui (also "Samshui" in Cantonese), Guangdong Province, China. 29 Oct 1938 Japanese Navy warships entered the harbor of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, raising the Japanese Navy ensign on the customs buoy.

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