Chinese Counteroffensive at Changsha

On September 21, 1939 the Chinese counterattacked at Changsha. The timing of the attack appears to have been based on the fact that on the previous day the Japanese had begun breaking through the fourth and last Chinese line of prepared defensive positions. With the Japanese fully extended and the Chinese having extracted the last ounce of advantage from the prepared defenses, the counterattack cut the Japanese supply lines and forced a retreat. I will go on to say that a second Japanese attack, begun from the north on the 18th, was similarly dealt with starting on the 25th. By October 6th the Japanese had been forced back to their original positions.

The Japanese will try again and as a result the above operations became known to history as the first battle of Changsha. Meanwhile more and more observers including many Japanese believe this battle demonstrates that the Japanese have reached the limit of their ability to win territory in China.