Fighting, Propaganda, and Mass Mobilization: The Battles of Changsha from 1939 to 1942 during the War of Resistance Against Japan in Hunan

Abstract The battles of Changsha from 1939 to 1942 reveal three important dimensions of the military and social history of the Nationalist Party (Nationalists or Guomindang) during the War of Resistance against Japan in Hunan. First, drawing on their previous experiences in 1937 and 1938, the Nationalists devised a tactic to lure Japanese troops into ambush areas (Changsha) for decisive fighting. The Chinese scored some victories over the Japanese, who lacked awareness of the true reasons behind the withdrawal of Chinese troops from the front lines. Secondly, the Nationalists received support from well-organized peasants through two civilian organizations during these military campaigns in Changsha. I conclude with a discussion of how the Nationalists used their propaganda to shape the post-battle narrative of the “Big Victory of Changsha” in 1941 to boost the morale of soldiers and city residents, which had suffered a military collapse earlier that year.