Infographic: Major Events in War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Year of 1939

In December 1939, at a meeting of the CPC Central Plains Bureau, Liu Shaoqi, then secretary of the bureau, outlined the strategic mission for the New Fourth Army in Central China: to defend westward, expand eastward, and open up northern Jiangsu.

In 1939, to sever China’s southwestern transport routes and threaten its rear base, the Japanese army deployed 50,000 to 60,000 troops to seize Kunlun Pass, a key strategic point near Nanning, Guangxi. On December 18, the Chinese Guilin Command launched a counteroffensive. After fourteen days of intense fighting, Chinese forces recaptured Kunlun Pass on December 31, securing a major victory against the Japanese army.