1920 Korean militia-Japanese battle
The Battle of Qingshanli (Korean: ; Hanja: ) was fought over six days in October 1920 between the Imperial Japanese Army and Korean armed groups in a densely wooded region of eastern Manchuria called Qīngshānlǐ (, "Seizanri"; , "Cheongsanri"). It occurred during the campaign of the Japanese army in Jiandao, during the Japanese rule of Korea (1910–1945).
Background.
After the March 1st Movement of 1919 by Koreans calling for liberation from Japanese occupation, some Korean activists formed an independence army in Manchuria. The Japanese government asked China to subdue them but got no substantive result.
On 2 October 1920, the Independence Army raided Hun-ch'un and killed 13 Japanese including the commissioner of the consulate police. In response, Japan decided to send troops to eastern Manchuria. Japan immediately held talks with China, and on 16 October received permission for military action in eastern Jilin from the governor of Jilin.
Status of the battles according to Korean sources.
The Japanese forces who joined the expedition were the 28th Brigade of the 19th Division, which was on its way back to Japan, and two units from the 11th and 13th Divisions who had been sent to Vladivostok. Among them, only the 19th Division of the Choson Army of Japan, part of the Imperial Japanese Army garrisoned in Korea, launched an actual military operation and the rest contained a lockdown and a demonstration. The 19th Division was deployed to Hunchun (Isobayashi Detachment), Wangqing (Kimura Detachment) and Yanji-Helong (Azuma Detachment). The Isobayashi and Kimura detachments engaged in no major combat.
From 21 to 23 October, the Northern military administration office army (Korean: ; Hanja: ) led by Kim Jwa-jin lured some of Japanese soldiers and attacked them in Baiyunping (), Quanshuiping () and Wanlougou (). Although the Korean force was small and used guerilla warfare, they were victorious. The Japanese force, who were defeated by the Korean Independent Army, appealed for help to the Azuma Detachment. They were rushed in for the relief of the remnants to fight against the Korean Independence Army.
The Azuma Detachment engaged in combat with the Korean Independence Army on 23 October. The Northern military administration office army united the Korea independent army led by Hong Beom-do in the struggle against Japanese force. The Korean troops had the Japanese Azuma Detachment at a disadvantage, and the two forces fought the final battle in the Yulang town (). The Korean army claimed to have killed 1,200 Japanese soldiers, and wounded thousands of others on 26 October, though the number of casualties during the battle is still debated on. As a result of the battle, Korean forces retreated from the area and the Japanese army kept pursuing them.
In response to these claims, Kim Hak-Cheor (also known as Song Jin-woo), who participated in many battles as a member of the armed group for the independence of Korea, argued that the number of Japanese casualties was exaggerated by a factor of 300 or more. According to him, when Korean independence forces encountered the Japanese army, they lost 9 out of 10 times, and even if they won, they could only kill 2 or 3 Japanese soldiers.
Controversies.
Hunchun massacre.
South Korea views the Hunchun incident as a deception by Japan, who they believe used it as an excuse to dispatch troops.
Casualties of the Japanese army.
Japanese sources claim 11 dead and 24 wounded, and no officer casualties. These numbers are repeated by the list of the fallen soldiers of the Yasukuni Shrine. Japanese investigation of weapons of the 19th Division after the expedition claims that the Japanese army consumed little.
The only Japanese soldier Korean sources name was "Regimental Commander Kanō." "The Bloody History of the Korean Independence Movement" states that a secret paper by a Japanese consul reported Regimental Commander Kanō's death, although Japan has not revealed such a report so far. Japan claims the only man corresponding to "Regimental Commander Kanō" was Colonel Nobuteru Kanō, who served as commander of the 27th regiment, and that his name cannot be found in the casualty list, but is said to have led the regiment until 1922. Moreover, two months after the Battle of Qingshanli, the regiment commanded by Colonel Kanō captured one Korean. This event is recorded in a secret telegram from the Japanese consulate in Qingshanli on 13 November 1920.
On the contrary, South Koreans refer to this battle as the "great victory at Cheongsalli" and consider it a victory of the Independence Army. For the casualties of the Japanese army, "Hanguk Doknip Undongji Hyulsa" (韓國獨立運動之血史）by Bak Inseok (1920) states "900-1,600 including Regimental Commander Kanō," "Daehan Minguk jeongdangsa" compiled by the National Election Commission (1964) "over 1,000," "Hanguk jeonjaengsa" by the Military History Compilation Committee of the Ministry of National Defense (1967) "3,300 dead and wounded," and "Hanguk Minjok Undongsa" by Jo Jihun (1975) "3,300 including Regimental Commander Kanō."
According to Kim Hak-Cheor, who participated in many battles as a member of the armed group for the independence of Korea, the number of Japanese casualties that Koreans claimed was exaggerated more than 300 times.