Atlas of Battles

battle, notable, interwar and Second World War

Battle of Xuzhou

Battle of Xuzhou was a battle fought on 24 March 1938 at Xuzhou, in what is now People's Republic of China; it lasted 38 days. It was part of Second Sino-Japanese War, which ran from 1937 to 1945. The recorded result: Japanese victory. Recorded strength: 35,578 officers and 571,396 soldiers in 64 divisions against 400,000 troops.

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徐州戦闘経過要図 1938年5月〜6月
徐州戦闘経過要図 1938年5月〜6月. みや東亞, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought24 March 1938lasted 38 days
WhereXuzhou, People's Republic of China34.267N, 117.167E
OutcomeJapanese victory
BelligerentsChinaagainstJapan
Part ofSecond Sino-Japanese War1937 to 1945

Where it sits in Second Sino-Japanese War

Defense of Harbin, 1932Battle of Wenzaobang, 1932Battle of Nanking, 1937Siege of Shanghai, 1937Battle of Luodian, 1937Marco Polo Bridge incident, 1937Battle of Beiping–Tianjin, 1937Battle of Zhangjiakou, 1937Battle of Nankou, 1937Battle of Shanghai, 1937Battle of Wusong, 1937Battle of Taiyuan, 1937Battle of Datong, 1937Battle of Jining, 1937Battle of Xinkou, 1937Battle of Pingxingguan, 1937Defense of Sihang Warehouse, 1937Battle of Jinshanwei, 1937Defense of Linyi, 1938Siege of Xuzhou, 1938Battle of Northern and Eastern Henan, 1938Defense of Teng County, 1938Battle of Taierzhuang, 1938Battle of Xuzhou, 1938Battle of Wuhan, 1938Battle of Changsha, 1939Battle of Nanchang, 1939Battle of Suixian–Zaoyang, 1939Battle of South Guangxi, 1939Battle of Baotou, 1939Battle of Kunlun Pass, 1939Battle of West Suiyuan, 1940Battle of Wuyuan, 1940Battle of Zaoyang–Yichang, 1940Hundred Regiments Offensive, 1940Battle of South Henan, 1941Battle of Shanggao, 1941Battle of South Shanxi, 1941Battle of Changsha, 1941Battle of Changsha, 1942Battle of Tachiao, 1942Battle of Oktwin, 1942Battle of Toungoo, 1942Battle of Yenangyaung, 1942Battle of Lashio, 1942Battle of Yunnan-Burma Road, 1942Battle of West Hubei, 1943Battle of Northern Burma and Western Yunnan, 1943Battle of Changde, 1943Battle of Dushan, 1944Battle of Central Henan, 1944Operation Ichi-Go, 1944Battle of Changsha, 1944Defense of Hengyang, 1944Battle of Guilin–Liuzhou, 1944Battle of West Hunan, 194519321945Battle of Xuzhou, 1938
58 placed engagements of Second Sino-Japanese War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date24 March 1938
to 1 May 1938
PlaceXuzhou, People's Republic of China
34.267N, 117.167E
KindBattle, interwar and Second World War
Strength35,578 officers and 571,396 soldiers in 64 divisions400,000 troops
Casualties and lossesWestern estimate: 60,000+ killed, missing, and deserted; Chinese records: According to the Fifth War Zone : 219,678 killed, wounded, or missing; 2,515 officers and 82,809 soldiers killed; 5,252 officers and 101,134 soldiers wounded; 1,367 officers and 26,601 soldiers missing; According to the Ministry of Military Affairs : approximately 300,000 casualties; 1,352 officers and 103,638 soldiers killed; 2,702 officers and 207,395 soldiers wounded; Japanese Claim: 240,000 casualties, including 103,000 killedWestern estimate: 20,000+ killed in action; Japanese claim (Second Army of the North China Area Army only) : Initial announcement : 2,130 killed, 8,586 wounded; According to statistical table of the IJA 5th and 10th divisions compiled in mid-May 1938 : 2,369 killed, 9,615 wounded; According to statistical table compiled by the IJA Second Army in mid-July 1938 : 3,171 killed, 10,937 wounded; According to official Japanese newspaper : 4,300 killed
Commanders
Battle of XuzhouBattle of XuzhouBattle of PengchengBattle of TaierzhuangBattle of XiapiBattle of GaixiaBattle of SuiyangBattle of PengchengBattle of TaierzhuangBattle of GaixiaBattle of SuiyangZaozhuangLinyiSuzhouHuaiyinHezeJiningHuaibeiShuyang100 km34.267N, 117.167E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1938

Battle of Xuzhou is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 339 in present-day People's Republic of China.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q709421, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Xuzhou, revision 1382925964, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.