China updates archives on battles against Japanese aggressors

BEIJING -- China on Saturday published documents chronicling a battle between Chinese and Japanese forces in 1943, involving more than 300,000 troops.

The documents are the 27th installment of a series of War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression archives, which have been released on the website of China's State Archives Administration, one per day, since Aug 25.

Saturday's release detailed Chinese forces's defense of the city of Changde in central China's Hunan province, which was besieged by Japanese troops to contain counterattacks by Chinese troops in Yunnan.

The Japanese employed 100,000 troops and 130 aircraft to attack and occupy Changde. Then the Chinese side sent a total of 210,000 troops, reclaiming the city after a week of fierce fighting.

The battle in Changde had an impact on the victory of the World War II as well as the war of Chinese resistance against Japanese invasion, according to the release.

The archival series have been published daily to mark the 69th anniversary of victory against Japanese aggressors.

China has officially set Sept 3 as Victory Day to mark Japan's surrender on Sept 2, 1945.