Battle of Changde

Battle context

The Battle of Changde was a major engagement in the Second Sino-Japanese War, fought in and around the city of Changde in Hunan province. The battle involved a substantial Chinese force of nearly 195,000 troops under multiple commanders, including Sun Lianzhong, Xue Yue, and Wang Yaowu, facing a Japanese force of approximately 60,000 under Isamu Yokoyama. Despite the significant numerical advantage held by the Republic of China, Chinese casualties reached over 23,000 against fewer than 2,000 Japanese losses, reflecting the asymmetric attrition that characterized much of the land war in China during this period. The engagement was one of several major Japanese operations aimed at consolidating control over central China and its agricultural and logistical resources, with Hunan province representing a strategically important interior region.