Canton Operation

The 4th War Area Army under the command of He Yingqin in 1938 was assigned to the defense of south China.[3] General Yu Hanmou was in command of the 12th Army Group defending Guangdong province.[16] Eight divisions and two brigades of regular army troops were deployed in the vicinity of Guangzhou.[17] Another five divisions of regular army troops were deployed in Fujian province.[17] The 4th War Area Army totalled about 110,000 regular army troops.[17] Most regular army units in Guangxi province and four divisions from Guangdong had been transferred north to participate in the Battle of Wuhan.[17][18]

In addition to regular army troops, two militia divisions were deployed in the vicinity of Guangzhou and the Guanxi militia consisted of five militia divisions in Guangxi province. The militia divisions would generally be recruited from the local civilian population and disbanded as the army moved through new areas. These divisions were generally employed for security, supply transportation and reconnaissance.[17]

The main strength of the Chinese forces in Guangdong were concentrated in Guangzhou and to the immediate east of the city. Other elements defended Chaozhou and western Guangdong. Chinese defensive installations included the Humen fortress overlooking the mouth of the Pearl River and three defensive lines near Daya Bay.[19] Three batteries of four three-inch guns, a battery of three 120mm guns and Soviet 37mm guns were stationed in Guangzhou for anti-air defense.[20]

Prior to the Canton Operation, the Imperial Japanese Navy conducted an aerial and naval interdiction campaign against China's communication lines to neighbouring regions.[21] Japan believed that the blockade would hasten the end of the war.[21] Disruption of the Chinese logistics network was the primary Japanese objective in Guangdong province from August 1937 until October 1938.[22]

The 5th Fleet's 10th Division blockaded and patrolled the coast from Haimenchen, Zhejiang to Shantou and the 5th Destroyer Squadron patrolled the coast south of Shantou.[23] Occasionally Japanese units from the Marianas were deployed in support of coastal blockade operations in south China.[24] These usually consisted of cruisers accompanied by a flotilla of destroyers.[24] One or two aircraft carriers and fleet auxiliaries would also be on station.[24] Naval interdictions focused on stopping junks ferrying military supplies from Hong Kong to coastal China.[25] The first recorded attack occurred in September 1937 when eleven junks were sunk by a Japanese submarine.[25] Although the Japanese were able to blockade Chinese shipping and ports, foreign shipping could still enter and depart from Hong Kong.[21] The central government had setup Hong Kong as a warehouse for munitions and supplies to pass through.[21]

Aerial interdictions directed bombers against Chinese railway bridges and trains in Guangdong.[22] Starting from October 1937, the Japanese launched air raids against the Sunning railway.[26] The attacks targeted government facilities and bridges in Jiangmen (Kongmoon) and towns along the railway.[26] By 1938, airstrikes against the Kowloon-Canton railway became a common occurrence with damaged trains found periodically along the railway.[27] An air defense early warning system was established to shunt trains during air raids into forested areas that provided overhead concealment.[27] In May 1938 the Colonial Office and the Foreign Office approved a Chinese request to construct and operate a locomotive repair yard within the New Territories to keep the railway operational.[27] Airstrikes conducted against rail facilities in Guangzhou were designed to interrupt rail supplies from Hong Kong so that Japan would not be required to commit to land operations in south China.[28] However, the air raids had failed to severely impede railway operations or stop supplies moving through Hunan or Guangxi.[28]

The blockade in south China also included attacks against aircraft flying out of Hong Kong.[29] In November 1937, a Royal Navy aircraft from HMS Eagle encountered Japanese naval anti-aircraft fire off the coast of Hong Kong.[29] In December 1937, fifteen Japanese bombers overflew Lantau Island and the Taikoo docks.[29] In August 1938 Japanese naval aircraft shot down a China National Aviation Corporation passenger plane and another two passenger planes from the Eurasia Aviation Corporation were shot down the following month.[29]

In addition to airstrikes against military targets, the Japanese conducted politically motivated terror bombing in Guangzhou.[22] Bombing of Guangzhou intensified starting from May to June 1938 with the employment of incendiary munitions and low-level strafing attacks against ships.[30] The IJN air service operating from bases in Taiwan (Formosa) and the aircraft carrier Kaga conducted about 400 airstrikes during this period and continued into July.[31] By the end of summer only 600,000 of the original 1.3 million residents remained in the city of Guangzhou.[32] From August 1937 to October 1938 casualties in Guangzhou were estimated at 6,000 killed and 8,000 injured.[7]