Battle of Changle Village Memorial

Battle of Changle Village Memorial

The Battle of Changle Village Memorial is a cultural tourism attraction and a classic red tourism site.

Situated in Changle Village, Jianzhang Township, about 45 kilometers east of Wuxiang County, this was the main battlefield during the War of Resistance where the main forces of the Eighth Route Army defeated the Japanese attempt to carry out the “Nine-Route Encirclement” offensive against the Taihang Mountain base area. In the spring of 1938, the Japanese gathered more than 30,000 troops and launched an offensive from nine directions — including Bo’ai, Handan, Xingtai, Shijiazhuang, Yangquan, Yuci, Taigu, Qinxian, and Changzhi — aiming to encircle the revolutionary base areas in southeastern Shanxi. Their goal was to eliminate the main forces of the Eighth Route Army in the areas of Liaoxian, Wuxiang, and Yushe, and destroy the newly established Taihang Anti-Japanese Base. On April 16, after the Japanese forces moved north toward Yushe and found no resistance, they abandoned Wuxiang and headed toward Xiangyuan. Under the orders of Commander-in-Chief Zhu De and Deputy Commander Peng Dehuai, the main forces of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army along with a part of the 115th Division, commanded by Division Commander Liu Bocheng, Political Commissar Deng Xiaoping, and Division Commander Chen Geng, pursued the enemy with four regiments. Our forces used swift surprise attacks to corner the Japanese troops within the river valley between Machang Village, Lizhuangtan, and Changle Village, dividing them into segments and defeating them one by one. Over 2,200 enemy soldiers were annihilated, marking a decisive victory in shattering the Nine-Route Encirclement. To commemorate this glorious triumph, the local government built the majestic Battle of Changle Village Memorial in the village.

During holidays, people often visit the memorial to pay their respects and honor the revolutionary martyrs.