Guangxi Offensive

The Guangxi Offensive was a major operation fought in the Chinese provinces of Guangxi and Guangdong between Allied and Japanese armies during the Pacific War. Following Japanese failures during the Indochina Campaign, Allied forces began an offensive into Guangxi province. The aim of the offensive was to help liberate southern China, link the colony of Indochina to the Republic of China, and isolate Japanese troops in Yunnan province.

Allied troops initially crossed into Guangxi with little resistance, but the fighting became increasingly brutal as time went on. Battles in and around the provincial capital of Nanning were particularly bloody, resulting in skyrocketing Allied casualties. The capital was, however, captured, opening the first land link between Western Allied territory and the Republic of China. Fighting continued into 1943 as Allied troops secured the entire province and cut off several Japanese divisions in Yunnan. They then moved into Guandong where once again both sides engaged in bitter urban combat, this time in Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Eventually Japanese high command decided to evacuate what troops were left and withdraw to Northern China. Over the next few weeks several coastal cities occupied by Japan outside their contiguous territory in northern China were evacuated as well.

The Guangxi offensive was a resounding Allied success, but came at a steep cost in manpower. Japanese losses were even more horrific, taking close to 80% casualties. Combined with Commonwealth success in the Burma-Yunnan Offensive, the Japanese Army began to suffer mightily as it struggled to replace lost men and equipment. Allied troops in China then reinforced the main Chinese line in the north, paving the war for future Allied attacks which would eventually push Japan out of mainland Asia.

Background
From November 1941 to May 1942, Japanese troops had tried unsuccessfully to take the French colony of Indochina, following which they were forced back to southern China. Allied forces pursued them to the Chinese border, but halted to receive reinforcements and wait for monsoon season to end. Small scale skirmishes were fought during this period, but no major engagements besides an inconclusive attack by IJA troops in July. Unlike the ground war, aerial combat intensified in spite of poor weather. Allied air forces were increasingly dominant in the theatre, their once inexperienced pilots increasingly well trained and battle hardened. Additionally, the introduction of the French VG-60, German Fw 190, and British Spitfire Mk IX gave allied forces aircraft which could compete with their technologically advanced Japanese adversaries.

As part of the Delhi Conference in July, it was decided by Allied leaders that an offensive to liberate Guangxi and Guangdong provinces in southern China would be launched. This was hoped to accomplish numerous objectives. It's most obvious goal was the liberation itself, it would also open a land route from Allied territory to mainland China, relieve pressure on Chinese troops, and support a simultaneous offensive into Burma. After this decision, the buildup in Indochina was accelerated. The French First Army placed under the command of French general Alphonse Juin was assembled to carry out the offensive, it in turn being part of Army Group Southeast Asia under General Joseph Sarrail. 192,000 soldiers divided into two corps led by Philippe Leclerc and Erich von Manstein made up the First Army. These corps possessed numerous armoured formations, giving Allied troops over 400 tanks to support the offensive. These tanks included advanced types such as Char G1s and Tigers. Later on, some 90,000 Chinese Revolutionary Army soldiers under Tang Enbo would support Allied troops.

To face this attack, the Imperial Japanese Army's 22nd Army under Jun Ushiroku was seriously outmatched. It commanded roughly half the amount of men, tanks, and aircraft. Its equipment was also of mixed quality. The primary IJA anti-tank gun was unable to penetrate heavy Allied tanks such as the Tiger or Char B1 at any significant range. Additionally, IJA tanks were hopelessly outclassed by their rivals, although they could be somewhat effective in ambushes or in urban combat. Japanese aircraft were advanced and able to match and in many cases outperform allied fighters in straight contests, but their numerical disadvantage, loss of trained pilots, and scarcity of replacement parts, all hindered their effectiveness.