X Force
Encyclopedia
X Force was the name given to the portion of the National Revolutionary Army
Chinese
Expeditionary Force
that retreated from Burma
into India
in 1942. Chiang Kai-shek
sent troops into Burma from Yunnan
in 1942 to assist the British
in holding back the Japanese. These Chinese forces became broken up, and in the retreat out of Burma part of these forces entered India. These were cantoned at Ramgarh Cantonment
in Bihar (now in Jharkhand
State), brought up to three-Division strength (Chinese 30th, 22nd and 38th Divisions), and re-equipped and re-trained by American
instructors at British expense. They were named X Force and used by General Joseph Stilwell
as the spearhead of his drive to open a land route to China (the Ledo Road
). The outstanding Chinese commander in X Force was General Sun Li-Jen
, who led the Chinese 38th Division and was praised by the British Fourteenth Army
Commander General (later Field Marshal) William Slim in his book Defeat into Victory. The Chinese forces which re-entered Burma from Yunnan
were correspondingly known as Y Force
.
National Revolutionary Army
The National Revolutionary Army , pre-1928 sometimes shortened to 革命軍 or Revolutionary Army and between 1928-1947 as 國軍 or National Army was the Military Arm of the Kuomintang from 1925 until 1947, as well as the national army of the Republic of China during the KMT's period of party rule...
Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
Expeditionary Force
Chinese Expeditionary Force in Burma
1st Route Expeditionary Forces - Lo Cho-ying [1]* Commander – US Army Lieut.-General JW Stilwell [4]* Chief of the Chinese General Staff Mission to Burma - Lieut.-General Lin Wei[4]...
that retreated from Burma
Japanese capture of Burma
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II took place over four years from 1942 to 1945. During the first year of the campaign, the Japanese Army drove British Commonwealth and Chinese forces out of Burma, and occupied the country, forming a Burmese administration with...
into India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1942. Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
sent troops into Burma from Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
in 1942 to assist the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in holding back the Japanese. These Chinese forces became broken up, and in the retreat out of Burma part of these forces entered India. These were cantoned at Ramgarh Cantonment
Ramgarh Cantonment
Ramgarh Cantonment is a cantonment town in Ramgarh district earlier a part of Hazaribagh district in the Indian state of Jharkhand. On 12 September 2007, it became a new district taking the total count of district in state to 24....
in Bihar (now in Jharkhand
Jharkhand
Jharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
State), brought up to three-Division strength (Chinese 30th, 22nd and 38th Divisions), and re-equipped and re-trained by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
instructors at British expense. They were named X Force and used by General Joseph Stilwell
Joseph Stilwell
General Joseph Warren Stilwell was a United States Army four-star General known for service in the China Burma India Theater. His caustic personality was reflected in the nickname "Vinegar Joe"...
as the spearhead of his drive to open a land route to China (the Ledo Road
Ledo Road
The Ledo Road was built during World War II so that the Western Allies could supply the Chinese as an alternative to the Burma Road which had been cut by the Japanese in 1942. It was renamed the Stilwell Road in early 1945 at the suggestion of Chiang Kai-shek...
). The outstanding Chinese commander in X Force was General Sun Li-Jen
Sun Li-jen
Sun Li-jen was a Kuomintang General, best known for his leadership in the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War. His achievements earned him the laudatory nickname "Rommel of the East". His New 1st Army was reputed as the "1st [Best] Army under heaven" and credited with defeating...
, who led the Chinese 38th Division and was praised by the British Fourteenth Army
British Fourteenth Army
The British Fourteenth Army was a multinational force comprising units from Commonwealth countries during World War II. Many of its units were from the Indian Army as well as British units and there were also significant contributions from West and East African divisions within the British Army.It...
Commander General (later Field Marshal) William Slim in his book Defeat into Victory. The Chinese forces which re-entered Burma from Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
were correspondingly known as Y Force
Y Force
Y Force was the SEAC designation given to Chinese forces under the command of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek that re-entered Burma from Yunnan in 1944 as one of the Allies fighting in Burma Campaign of World War II.-1942:...
.