The Japanese at once mobilized all their military and police forces to attack the aborigines, but even in the face of cannon and machine gun fire, they would not surrender.
日軍雖然以機槍和大砲，對抗山胞的獵槍和柴刀木棍等原始武器，但因山胞的士氣高昂，日軍傷亡慘重，仍無法攻克馬赫坡。日方也曾數次向山胞勸降，均遭嚴辭拒絕。