The Battle of Pingxingguan () was the initial significant confrontation in northwestern Shanxi after the commencement of the full-scale Second Sino-Japanese War at the Pingxing Pass. The conflict commenced in late September and endured for almost ten days. Initially, Chinese soldiers effectively ambushed and repelled Japanese troops in the Pingxingguan region. Subsequently, the Japanese force breached Ruyuekou () and seized the county seat of Fanshi. This battle also saw cooperation between Nationalist and Communist troops. The Pingxingguan Ambush, commonly called the Great Victory of Pingxingguan, was a part of this battle fought on 25 September 1937, at the beginning of the Second Sino-Japanese War, between the Eighth Route Army of the Chinese Communist Party and the Imperial Japanese Army.
Yan Xishan, commander of the Second War Zone, dismissed a counterattack plan suggested by Chinese general Fu Zuoyi without adequate assessment, despite the circumstances. He subsequently commanded a complete withdrawal of Chinese defense forces. This decision resulted in a total retreat to the Xinkou line, culminating in the forfeiture of vital positions such as Yanmen Pass and Pingxingguan to Japanese control.
Background After the capture of Beiping (present Beijing) at the end of July 1937, Japanese forces advanced along the Beijing–Baotou railway to Inner Mongolia. Having anticipated the move, Chiang Kai-shek had appointed the Shanxi warlord Yan Xishan as Pacification Director of Taiyuan. Theoretically, Yan had authority over all the Chinese military forces in his theatre of operations, including Lin Biao's 115th Division of the Communist 8th Route Army, Liu Ruming's ex-Kuomintang troops and various Central Army contingents responsible to Chiang Kai-shek. In reality these forces operated independently from Yan's provincial army.
Japanese forces, mainly the 5th Division and 11th Independent Mixed Brigade, moved out from Beiping and advanced on Huailai County in Chahar. A Japanese column advanced quickly into Shanxi, making use of the railway which the Chinese did not attempt to destroy. On September 10, the Japanese 5th division captured Yu County and the 16th brigade captured Yangquan. The Chinese abandoned Datong on 13 September. On the same day, the 16th brigade attacked the 84th division at Huoshaoling (火燒嶺) while the 5th division also attacked the 21st division, 73rd division, and 3rd independent brigade, fighting fiercely all day long. Lü Chaoran (), the commander of the 423rd regiment, was killed in action. On September 14, the 5th division occupied Guangling County. On the 15th, the division attacked the 424th regiment of the 73rd division at the Songshushan (松樹山) position, capturing it by morning. Divisional commander Liu Fengbin () personally led four infantry companies to recapture the position. Liu Fengbin was badly wounded during the fierce fighting and more than half of the troops were killed or wounded. The Chinese army fell back to a line from Yanmen Pass on the Great Wall east to the mountain pass of Pingxingguan.
In reaction to the circumstances, Yan Xishan, commander of the Second War Zone, redeployed the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army and Central Army units—previously withdrawn along the Beiping–Suiyuan Railway—along the Inner Great Wall line at Pingxingguan and Yanmen Pass. Simultaneously, he directed the Eighth Route Army to progress toward Lingqiu, in anticipation of a pivotal confrontation with the Japanese in northern Shanxi.
In accordance with this deployment order, under the directions of Mao Zedong and Zhu De, the Eighth Route Army's 115th and 120th Divisions traversed the Yellow River in late August and early September, respectively. On September 17, Mao provided additional directives to Zhu De, Commander-in-Chief of the Eighth Route Army, instructing the 120th Division to advance towards Yanmen Pass and the 115th Division towards Pingxingguan. On September 23, Zhu De, Peng Dehuai, and Ren Bishi directed the Eighth Route Army headquarters into Nanru Village, Wutai County, to oversee operations directly. Following discussions with the Nationalist Army's 71st Division, the Eighth Route Army resolved to initiate an extermination campaign in proximity to Pingxingguan.
Before the principal confrontation, the Japanese 5th Division's 21st Brigade vanquished the Nationalist 73rd Division at Guangling. It subsequently breached the defensive line maintained by the Independent 3rd Brigade of the 33rd Army at the Guangling–Lingqiu border, seizing control of Lingqiu County on September 20. On September 21, Lt. Gen. Seishirō Itagaki, commander of the Japanese 5th Division, directed Col. Toshiwaza Miura ()'s 21st Brigade to spearhead an assault on Pingxingguan with three battalions. By September 22, Japanese forces had arrived at Pingxingguan, Guangu, and Dongpaochi, where they faced staunch opposition from three regiments of the Nationalist Army's 8th Independent Brigade, a component of the 33rd Army. Concurrently, two battalions of the 21st Regiment progressed northwest towards Pingxingguan through Hunyuan, Xiaodaokou, and Xihekou. The Battle of Pingxingguan officially commenced with this event.
Battle Pingxingguan Ambush
The pass of Pingxingguan was a narrow defile worn through the loess, with no exit for several kilometres except the road itself. On the evening of September 22, the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army, under the leadership of Lin Biao and Nie Rongzhen, reached Shangzai Town, located southeast of Pingxingguan. To facilitate the withdrawal of the Nationalist 73rd Division from Lingqiu County, the 115th Division convened a mobilization meeting on September 23 for all officers at the company level and higher. The strategy designated the 343rd Brigade's 685th and 686th Regiments to execute the primary offensive, while the 344th Brigade's 687th Regiment was ordered to obstruct reinforcements. The 688th Regiment was appointed as the primary reserve force. The division's autonomous regiment was tasked with traversing the region between Lingqiu and Laiyuan, while the cavalry battalion operated between Lingqiu and Guangling to impede Japanese supply lines. Subsequent to the meeting, the division's primary contingent advanced swiftly to Ranzhuang Village, located 15 kilometers southeast of Pingxingguan.
On September 24, the Nationalist garrison at Pingxingguan presented a collaborative fighting strategy to the 115th Division for synchronization with the Eighth Route Army's ambush. The Eighth Route Army was designated to execute the frontal assault, but the Nationalist forces were tasked with defense and flanking maneuvers. Lin Biao and Nie Rongzhen sanctioned the plan following careful consideration. That night, amidst torrential rain, the 343rd Brigade progressed into the Baiyatai region, while the primary force remained concealed on the eastern inclines of the valley between Xiaozhai and Laoyemiao. The division command post was established on a hill to the southeast of Laoyemiao ().
At 7 a.m. on September 25, numerous Japanese military transport trucks traversed the ambush area. The logistical column of the 21st Brigade entered the death zone shortly thereafter. This unit comprised around 100 trucks, in excess of 200 carts, and a contingent of cavalry. The ambush commenced with the 685th and 686th Regiments executing a synchronized assault. Following a barrage of gunfire from rifles and machine guns, they advanced into the valley for hand-to-hand fighting along the roadway. Japanese forces endeavored to capture the crucial elevation at Laoyemiao but were thwarted by the 3rd Battalion of the 686th Regiment, incurring significant casualties. By afternoon, the 687th Regiment entered the fray, exacerbating the encirclement. This engagement represented the inaugural significant triumph for Chinese forces on the frontal battlefield since the commencement of full-scale war, subsequently referred to as the "Victory at Pingxingguan." The conflict yielded in excess of 1,000 Japanese losses, the annihilation of over 100 vehicles and 200 carts, and the seizure of one Type 92 infantry cannon, more than 2,000 shells, over 20 machine guns, in excess of 1,000 rifles, and over 50 warhorses.
To facilitate the ambush near Laoyemiao, the Independent Regiment of the 115th Division, commanded by Yang Chengwu, reached Yaozhan Village ()—located on the transportation route between Laiyuan and Lingqiu—by noon on September 24. The 1st Battalion of the regiment occupied Yimaling to impede Japanese advances, while the 2nd Battalion captured Sanshan Town northeast of Lingqiu to disrupt the path between Guangling and Lingqiu. The 3rd Battalion functioned as the reserve unit. At dawn on September 25, two Japanese regiments advanced into Yimaling from Laiyuan. Upon entering range, the Eighth Route Army commenced firing, and the conflict rapidly escalated into close-quarters fighting. By 3 p.m., upon receiving news of the triumph at Pingxingguan, the Independent Regiment escalated their offensive. Certain units initiated assaults from the Japanese rear, compelling the adversary to withdraw to Laiyuan. The 1st Battalion chased them near the city before retreating. The conflict yielded more than 400 Japanese losses and the acquisition of significant military supplies, thus accomplishing the blocking mission.
Simultaneously, while the conflict intensified near Laoyemiao, the Nationalist 71st Division assaulted almost 2,000 withdrawing Japanese soldiers near Dongpaochi (). The Japanese launched a counteroffensive to the northwest in an effort to escape. Nevertheless, the 17th Army, initially designated to flank the Japanese from Tuanchengkou north of Pingxingguan, vacated its position due to apprehension of encirclement. This resulted in the Japanese capturing the region from Yaozijian to Xipaochi, nearly surrounding the 71st Division. At this pivotal juncture, the Eighth Route Army's 686th Regiment assaulted Japanese forces around Dongpaochi, while the 685th Regiment reclaimed elevated terrain west of Guangu and Xinzhuang, thwarting reinforcement efforts by more Japanese units. Shortly thereafter, General Chen Changjie commanded the 61st Army to Dongpaochi, compelling the Japanese to withdraw to Tuanchengkou. While the breakout attempt was not entirely obstructed, the intervention averted the encirclement of the 71st Division. Capitalizing on the withdrawal, two battalions of the 434th Regiment, 217th Brigade of the 61st Army, advanced and reclaimed Yaozijian.
Subsequent to this encounter, the Japanese 5th Division ceased their advance against Pingxingguan. Consequently, because Yang Aiyuan and Sun Chu, subordinates of Yan Xishan, were unable to mobilize Central Army forces, overall command of the operation was reassigned to General Fu Zuoyi.
Battles of Yaozijian and Dongpaochi At this juncture, Japanese forces at Guangu and Tuanchengkou had been firmly encircled by Chinese troops. The Japanese executed a pincer maneuver against Yaozijian from both Tuanchengkou and Guangu. The Chinese 434th Regiment made a vigorous defense; nevertheless, due to the enemy's numerical advantage, the whole regiment—including its commander Cheng Jixian and battalion commanders Fu Guanying and Liang Shirong—was nearly annihilated, resulting in over a thousand losses. Fewer than 100 soldiers successfully withdrew. The 433rd Regiment, assigned to provide reinforcement, did not arrive at the battlefield punctually.