Before answering this question, first of all, we should rationally analyze the military strength of China and Japan at that time.
Before the Lugou Bridge Incident, the Chinese Navy and the Navy of the Republic of China had 25,000 people, and the equipment ships were 66, divided into cruisers, light cruisers, transport ships, practice ships, torpedo boats, etc., with a total tonnage of only 57,608 tons. By 1937, the Japanese Navy had 285 ships and a total displacement of 1.15 million tons, a full 1.1 million tons more than the navy of the Republic of China.
In addition, at that time, the Republic of China Air Force was able to put into combat with only more than 200 aircraft, and only more than 600 pilots could carry out missions. But what about Japan? The annual production of aircraft is more than 1500. After the late strategic mobilization entered the limit, Japan was able to produce 10,000 to 20,000 aircraft per year.
As for the level of militarization of infantry, it is natural not to say much, in general, China at that time was an era behind Japan.
Stilwell once said: "As long as the Chinese army is given excellent equipment and adequate training, they are no less than the soldiers of any country in the world." The most unrealistic thing for Japan in World War II was to disregard the reality of Japan's comprehensive national strength at that time and go to war with Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union.
According to historical records, in April of the year before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, in the form of a letter, with "sincere goodwill", told Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshiyuki Matsuoka, who was visiting the Soviet Union at the time, through the British ambassador to the Soviet Union: "The steel production of the United States was 75 million tons in 1941, and the British was 12.5 million tons, adding up to 90 million tons... It is not enough for Japan to fight a war alone with 7 million tons of steel production. However, Japan is a gambler who believes that the spiritual will can change the fate of the war, and knowing that the strength is not good, it still firmly believes that the war will be won, because "the main reason for the victory or defeat of the war is still the spiritual factor." This has not changed since ancient times. Therefore, Japan's strategy and tactics are biased towards sneak attacks, surprise attacks and other adventurous methods, always pursuing quick battles and quick decisions, but often failing to achieve their goals.
In the later stages of Japan's domestic war of children's labor in World War II, the Japanese army suffered from strategic errors and the shortage of national strength and material support, which was the inevitable cause of Japan's self-destruction. For example, Japan's post-war historical sources reveal that the Japanese army was hungry and "grazed" in the Pacific War. On the island of Mereyon in the Pacific Ocean, there were more than 3,400 Japanese troops stationed, and the last 70% of them were killed. However, of all the soldiers killed, only 132 were actually killed, accounting for 5.5% of the total number of deaths. The remaining 2,400 people died of starvation and illness. Although the Japanese army starved to death, the upper echelons of the domestic military department still ignored reality and shouted that the spirit would win.
On January 31, 1945, Major General Yoshio Nasu, director of the Military Affairs Bureau of the Army Province, proudly said in the parliament: "The troops in Burma and other areas who are now on the front line are preparing to eat grass in peacetime, and some troops are eating grass in battle when there is no food supply in the rear..." In the view of militarism, the sacrifice of loyalty to the emperor without paying attention to reality is something to be proud of, it should be vigorously advocated, and it is also the most powerful spirit in Japan to distinguish other troops. There is a more vivid first-line example.
In the winter of 1943, the Japanese army and the Chinese Expeditionary Force in India launched an offensive and defensive battle in the Lagassu Heights of Savage Mountain, Burma. When the Japanese army heard that the Chinese army was defending the position, it suddenly relaxed, thinking that the Chinese army was vulnerable and that it would not be a problem to take it quickly. However, at this time, the Chinese army responded to the words of General Stilwell, if the combat readiness is good and the training is sufficient, they are no less than the armies of any other country in the world. At this time, the Chinese defenders in Lagassu were a heavily armed and most advanced unit supported by the United States, and the supplies and ammunition were incomparable to those of Japan. Therefore, the Japanese army, which was hungry and "grazing", attacked for dozens of days and did not take it. When I heard that it was American artillery and ammunition, I suddenly lost confidence.
On the night of December 14, the Japanese army formed a death squad and attacked again at night, trying to seize the highlands by surprise attack. Before the war, the Japanese army mobilized to boost morale with the emperor's holy will, and specially distributed 2 days' meals to the death squads. Enough to eat and drink, and have the strength to fight. However, you may not be able to guess that this so-called 2-day meal turned out to be 2 poor rice balls. Yes, the Japanese army was on the verge of starvation at this time, and one rice ball a day was the norm. Because at this time their logistical supply unit, the 12th Heavy Regiment of the 18th Division, was stationed 70 kilometers away, and to deliver food, they had to walk 300 kilometers of winding and rugged mountain roads. The distant water does not quench the thirst of the near, or find a way to seize the position of the Chinese army. Take The Lagassu and you're ready to eat. As a result, the battle was still lost, the Chinese mortar fire was too fierce, the Japanese killed 47 daredevils, and did not capture Lagassu. However, the Japanese were not without success in this battle, and soldiers reported that they had captured a corner of a Chinese position and found grain there.
The Japanese picture is only that the place where the grain was stored was a bit awkward: when the Chinese army withdrew, it spilled some rice that was too late to take away in the cesspool of the toilet of the position. The Japanese army looked angry and hateful, "These rice, yellow chengcheng dung, flashing a little white light..." The Japanese lieutenant Inoue Xian recalled, next to the ground, there was a sentence written by the Chinese army: "Japanese soldiers, are you hungry?" Then eat it! "What to do? Eat or not? On one side were feces and urine, and on the other side were the Japanese soldiers who were so hungry that they couldn't eat the grass. Under the existential crisis, the Japanese army no longer cares about face.