Battle of Wuhan

Prelude to Battle
Before the Battle IJA High Command had chosen Wuhan in order to crush the main CNRA force, alongside the planned Battle of Xuzhou, it would help strengthen Japan's grasp on the region.

However, when the first bombing campaign against Wuhan began it was repelled by the CCCP Volunteer Fighter Group. As such not all available IJA assets by Wuhan were used in the battle in fear of enemy air superiority

(Fact: Wuhan was the largest and most deadliest battle of the 2nd Sino-Japanese war in real life and in IJA's history)

First Assault of Wuhan's Outskirts
The Battle began when Japanese SNLF stormed across the Yangtze River in small Boats and Landing Craft, the first attack was held off by the numerically superior CNRA resulting in 24 IJA killed.

On one side of the Yangtze's banks a foothold had been gained, but as armoured support was drawn into support them the infamous 'Dare-To-Die' Corps, using Suicide vests strapped with explosives charged the Japanese positions destroying all their tanks and forcing a panicked retreat which caused 12 IJA to drown.

Second Assault of Wuhan Outskirts
A second assault force was put together when it was found that one of the landing forces north of the Yangtze had captured Ruichang seriously weakening CNRA supplies, although Ruichang was recaptured due to the tired IJA detachment falling back they had still done serious damage. As such another assault on Ruichang began on the 12th of June.

Starting in the morning of the 13th, the assault on Ruichang began and gained quick momentum. This assault met very strong oposition by the seriously bewildered defenders, their defense was so strong infact that the entire tank Division under the control of the 1st Army was moved into support the battle. The Battle lasted until the 15th when Ruichang was finally taken with about 190+ IJA killed.

First Assault of Wanjialing
On the 16th of June as more forces poured across the Yangtze capturing more and more towns it was decided that Wanjialing was needed in order to surround Wuhan, as such a large detachment of the Army designated to assault Wuhan was moved to attack the town.

The battle began on 17th of June and lasted until the 21st, during this time Jiujiang was also taken but Wanjialing was not.

During the first offensive the Japanese got very far innland almost taking the entirity of Wanjialing, their advance halted when Chinese tank support under command of Colonel Jmbay22 and IJA was pushed back with costly casualties, it was decided to regroup for another attack. By this time it was the 19th of June and as such time was being wasted, they withdrew in a span of 2 days with light skirmishes on the way.

Wanjialing was later taken when the Chinese abandoned it on the 5th of September

First Assault of the Dabie Mountains
On the 5th of August after an entire month of skirmishes a new offensive was born at the Dabie mountains, the large offensive would almost entirely surround Wuhan and as such they were strongly defended by CNRA. IJA marched into the Mountain ranges on the 5th.

On the 6th of August CNRA forces ambushed the head of the Japanese march in a mountain pass resulting in a battle that lasted an entire day and only ended when the Japanese retreated at night on the 7th.

Meanwhile further north of the mountains another ambush had been set off, this time however the CNRA were held off and IJA advanced further until being halted on the 9th by poor supply lines.

The offensive halted until the 20th of august and renewed with new supplies and men, all forces of IJA advanced further into the mountains but due to CNRA's time to prepare defenses they had readied up sturdy mountaintop fortresses, one of these battles resulted in General Proximation being wounded and having to retreat to heal up, the other offensives however gained serious ground and almost exited the mountain range. On the 1st of September CNRA counter attacked and diminished most of IJA's goals.

CNRA withdrew on the 5th of September to Wuhan.

Attempted Encirclment of Wuhan
On the 20th of October most of Wuhan had been encircled except for the road to Jingzhou and Xianning. As such an offensive was launched on these two areas, from the North and North East. Both offensives lasted until the 24th where most of CNRA's casualties took place resulting in 378 Dead to 108 IJA.

It was overall a failure due to not being able to take either objective.

Aftermath
On the 26th of October CNRA abandoned Wuhan after the final IJA raid which did result in a disconnection. Neither side won the battle although IJA suffered the most.

Most of IJA's offensives halted for the rest of 1938 due to this tactical failure until a renewed offensive in 1939 lead by the invasion of Hainan and the deadly Changsha.