Unforgotten Front: Timeline of Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945) and the World Anti-Fascist War in the East

The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Here is a historical review of the China Theater of War from 1937 to 1945, and a review of the history from 1931 to 1937 can be found in this article.

July 7, 1937

The July 7th Incident marked China's whole nation resistance war against Japanese aggression and China became the main battlefield of the World Anti-Fascist War in the East.

July 8, 1937

CPC issued a statement on the July 7th Incident, calling for all parties and armies nationwide to unite against Japanese aggression.

July 29 – 30, 1937

Fall of Beiping and Tianjin.

August 1937

The Sino-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact was signed. The Soviet Union provided loans, military supplies and volunteer air force support, with over 200 Soviet pilots sacrificing their lives.

1937 – 1941

Soviet aid to China included delivery of supplies through the Northwest International Corridor (from the Soviet Central Asian region via China's Xinjiang to Northwestern regions), with the Soviet Volunteer Air Squadron directly participating in air battles against Japan over North China, East China and Central China.

July 15, 1937

The CPC Central Committee's Declaration of Cooperation Between the KMT and the CPC was released. It marked the formal establishment of the National United Front Against Japanese Aggression.

August 13 – November 12, 1937

In the Battle of Songhu, 700,000 Chinese troops fought fiercely for three months, thwarting Japan's plan to conquer China in three months.

August 22 – 25, 1937

At the Luochuan Conference, the CPC formulated the policy of total resistance against Japan and decided to set up base areas behind enemy lines.

September 25, 1937

The Victory at Pingxingguan Pass was the first major victory of Chinese forces, led by the Eighth Route Army, after the outbreak of the nationwide war of resistance.

October 13 – November 2, 1937

The Battle of Xinkou is notable for KMT–CPC joint operations against the Japanese aggression.

October 1937

Chinese forces fought fiercely at Xinkou, Niangziguan Pass and other key points, inflicting heavy losses on the Japanese. The Battle of Taiyuan was the best example of KMT–CPC battlefield cooperation in the early war.

Starting from October 1937

The Soviet Union delivered urgently needed aircraft and other supplies to China.

December 13, 1937 – January 1938

Japanese troops massacred over 300,000 Chinese in six weeks. The Nanjing Massacre was one of the worst atrocities in WWII.

1938

With Soviet aid, China formed its first armored division – the National Revolutionary Army's 200th Division.

January 1938

The Eighth Route Army 129th Division's eastern advance column established the Southern Hebei resistance base.

March – April 1938

Over 10,000 Japanese troops were killed in the Battle of Taierzhuang, which marked the first major Chinese victory in the front war.

April – May 1938

Over 600,000 Chinese troops fought the Japanese troops in the Battle of Xuzhou.

May – June 1938

The article "On Protracted War" was released. It provided a scientific analysis of the war's protracted nature and strategic guidance for victory.

June – October 1938

The Battle of Wuhan was largest and longest battle of the war, with the highest troop engagement.

October 9, 1938

The Chinese army in the Ninth War Zone killed over 3,000 Japanese troops, securing victory at Wanjialing, Jiangxi Province.

September 1939 – January 1942

The Three battles of Changsha inflicted significant losses on Japanese forces and drew international attention, reinforcing China's belief in eventual victory over Japanese aggressors. About 56,000 Japanese troops were killed in the third battle.

August 1940 – January 1941

During the Hundred-Regiment Campaign, over 100 Eighth Route Army regiments attacked Japanese positions and railways, killing over 20,000 enemy troops.

December 18, 1939 – January 11, 1940

Chinese forces recaptured the Kunlunguan Pass, killing Japanese Commander Masao Nakamura.

May 1940

Fierce fighting took place against Japanese troops in the areas of Zaoyang and Yichang, Hubei Province.

February 1941

The New Fourth Army captured Qingyang Town, near the Hongze Lake area in Jiangsu Province, annihilating one regiment of puppet troops.

August 1941

The Flying Tigers was formed. Led by U.S. Captain Claire Chennault, the American Volunteer Group came to aid Chinese air force.

August 1941

The 129th Division defeated over 1,300 Japanese troops in the Battle of Xingtai–Shahe–Yongnian in North China.

November 1941

Japanese army launched the "mopping-up" operation. The Eighth Route Army 115th Division and Shandong Column killed over 2,000 Japanese army and puppet troops.

December 20, 1941

The Flying Tigers claimed their first victory as they shot down nine Japanese aircraft in their first engagement.

January 1942

The Chinese government awarded the victorious Flying Tigers pilots.

February 1942

The Hong Kong–Kowloon Brigade was formed, establishing an anti-Japanese guerrilla base in the New Territories in Hong Kong.

Mid-May 1942

The Eighth Route Army 120th Division annihilated over 500 Japanese and puppet troops during the Battle of Tianjiahui in Shaanxi Province.

May 1 – late June 1942

Japanese forces concentrated 50,000 troops to attack the central Hebei resistance base. Local forces fought back, defeating over 10,000 Japanese troops.

May 1942

Japanese offensive to destroy Chinese airfields along the Zhejiang–Jiangxi railway was met with fierce resistance in the Zhejiang–Jiangxi Campaign

May 1943

Chinese forces resisted as Japan sought to secure the upper Yangtze route and resources in Hubei Province.

November – December 1943

In the Battle of Changde, the 57th Division of the 74th Army held Changde in Hunan Province for 16 days, halting the Japanese advance.

April 1944

The Japanese army launched an offensive on the Chinese front to secure a transport corridor. Large areas in Henan, Hunan and Guangxi were lost.

March 1945

Chinese counterattacks killed or wounded over 15,000 Japanese troops in Henan and Hubei provinces.

April – August 1945

Guilin–Liuzhou counteroffensive took place in April. By August, all of Guangxi was recaptured.

April 23 – June 11, 1945

Seventh CPC National Congress was held in Yan’an, Shaanxi Province, calling for mobilizing the masses, defeating Japan, liberating the whole people and building a new democratic China.

April – June 1945

Chinese forces killed or wounded over 24,000 Japanese troops in west Hunan Province.

August 9, 1945

The Soviet Union deployed army to enter Northeast China. Soviet forces destroyed the main strength of Japan’s Kwantung Army.

August 15, 1945

Japanese Emperor Hirohito announced Japan's unconditional surrender via radio.

September 2, 1945

Japan signed the Instrument of Surrender, marking the end of the Pacific War.

September 3, 1945

The Victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and WWII was the first complete victory of the Chinese people over foreign invasion in modern history.

September 9, 1945

The ceremony for Japan's surrender in China Theater was held in Nanjing. Yasuji Okamura, Commander-in-Chief of Japan's China Expeditionary Army, signed the Instrument of Surrender – China Theater, and handed it to General He Yingqin, representative of the Chinese government.

Sources: The Museum of the War of the Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Chinese Institute for History of World War II, Book "A Brief History of the Communist Party of China."

Read more:

Unforgotten Front: China's sacrifices in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression

Unforgotten Front: China was the main battlefield against Japanese fascism

Unforgotten Front: China's role in the World Anti-Fascist War