Masakazu Kawabe: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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===Second Sino-Japanese War===

At the beginning of the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] Kawabe was sent to China to take command of the Permanent China Brigade, which had been involved in the [[Marco Polo Bridge Incident]]. As the war expanded he was made Deputy [[Chief of staff (military)|Chief of Staff]] of the [[North China Area Army]] from 26 August 1937 until 14 April 1938 when he became Chief of Staff [[Central China Expeditionary Army]] from 15 February 1938 to 31 January 1939.

Kawabe was promoted to [[lieutenant general]] in March 1939. During his time in China, he was involved in the [[Battle of Xuzhou]], [[Northern and Eastern Honan 1938|Northern and Eastern Honan]], [[Battle of Wuhan]], [[Canton Operation]], [[Battle of Nanchang]], [[Battle of Suixian-Zaoyang]], [[Battle of Changsha (1939)]], and the [[1939-40 Winter Offensive]]. From 12 September 1939 to 14 October 1940 Kawabe was recalled to Japan, and held the powerful post of [[Inspectorate General of Military Training|Inspector-General of Military Training]]. However, he returned to China as [[commander in chief]] of the [[IJA 12th Division]] in March 1940, serving under the [[Kwantung Army]]. Promoted to commander in chief of the [[Japanese Third Army|IJA 3rd Army]] in March 1941, he subsequently was Chief of Staff of the [[China Expeditionary Army]] from 17 August 1942 to 18 March 1943.