Ichigo Campaign

Second large city in the Siang Corridor to be reoccupied by Chinese ground forces is Liuchow (Liuzhou). Scene of heavy fighting, the city unlike Nanning which was evacuated with only minor damage, suffered severely... From the U.S. Government sources.

Evidence of the aerial and artillery beating Liuchow (Liuzhou) took before the Japanese evacuated on June 30, 1945. Both the city and its airfield were heavily damaged. From the U.S. Government sources.

GI poses among the rubble. Bomb damage on a street corner in Liuchow (Liuzhou). The city and airfield both suffered heavily during the fighting that preceded the Japanese evacuation on June 30, 1945. A American serviceman stands in the foreground, next to a slogan that reads in Chinese, "Support Chairman Jiang", and the name of the building formerly, the "Lucky...

A building on fire at an American base, China, during WWII. Most likely during the retreat in the face of Ichigo in 1944.

Luichow (Liuzhou) station, China-- Enroute with Kweilin (Guilin) evacuation party. Chinese use any mens of transportation to evacuate the area. 2 July 1944. Photo: H. P. Mcadams

What was formerly a group of modern Chinese buildings in Liuchow now resembles a sprawling brickyard. Heavy aerial bombardment and artillery shelling made rubble of most of the city, and, combined with the advance of Chinese ground troops, contributed to the evacuation of the Japanese after Ichigo.

Battle cry of the liberators – Message on right of entrance to devastated photo studio, written in chalk by conquering Chinese ground troops declares "Reoccupation of Liuchow is prelude to final victory" (克服柳州是最后胜利的前奏). Before the battle around Liuzhou during Ichigo, this shop looked quite different [view].

Japanese hoped to destroy personnel and equipment at the former Fourteenth Air Force base at Liuchow, but American soldiers have equipment with which to safely remove the mines. Liuchow was recaptured on 30 June, 1945.

Al's notation is "Burning everything before evacuation." American hostels at the base burn during the American and Chinese retreat before the Japanese arrive in the fall of 1944. Guangxi province, Liuzhou air base.

The notation provided by Al on the back of the photo is simply, "Waiting to evacuate." This is just prior to the Japanese over running the base (at Liuzhou or Guilin) in October 1944, as part of Ichigo.