The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia
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Kiukiang (Jiujiang; 115.991E
29.722N) is a river port and important rail terminus located
the Yangtze River in central
China. It fell to the Japanese on 26
July 1938, likely after the use of poison gas panicked the defenders, and the Japanese went on the rampage in a
small-scale repetition of the Rape of Nanking. However, the Chinese rallied ten miles (16 km) inland at Ruichang and held the Japanese for another month.
The city was garrisoned by Kyoto Guard Force when war broke out, and there was an airfield just across the river at Ertaokou (115.924E 29.731N).
Stilwell's strategic vision for the war in China called for Hankow to be encircled by Chinese forces striking at Kiukiang after the restoration of China's supply line through Burma. However, the supply line was not reestablished until late 1944, far too late for any of Stilwell's plans to be carried out.
Hsiung and Levine (1992)
Peattie et al. (2011)
Romanus and Sunderland (1953)
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