The first Battle of Changsha

The Japanese launched four attempts from September 1939 to August 1944 to seize Changsha, capital of South China's Hunan Province. The first battle broke out in 1939 against the background that the war had reached a stalemate after two years of fighting. Japanese forces suffered heavy casualties estimated at over 40,000, with a bulk being fatalities. This battle represented the first major defeat of the Japanese army at a major Chinese city since 1937.