In 1937, after the Lugou Bridge Incident, after the withdrawal of the 29th Army of the Chinese Army from Pingjin, it was expanded into the First Army Group and stationed in strategic places such as Machang, Tangjiatun and Dezhou. (On August 20, the Japanese Chichai troops assembled in the sorghum fields of Qili fort))
During this period, the Japanese army made a decision to "quickly strike at the Chinese army in Hebei Province and the main force of the Chinese air force, and then occupy the key areas in north China, in order to fundamentally solve the north China problem and attempt to adjust Japan-China relations." (On August 24, the Japanese army occupied the county seat of Jinghai)
Based on the above factors, the Japanese army also formulated a strategic plan for occupying the strategic area of the Jinpu Line and preparing to capture the horse factory. (Japanese artillery at Liuguantun on September 4)
About 60 kilometers from Tianjin, machang town in Qingxian County, Hebei Province, on the side of the canal, is unfamiliar to most Chinese. But it is definitely not an ordinary place name in China's modern and modern history. (At 6:30 a.m. on September 4, the Japanese launched an attack on Tangguantun.)
Li Hongzhang once set up a barracks here to practice the Dingwu Army, Yuan Shikai's small station to train troops was nearby, and Duan Qirui also swore here to fight against Zhang Xun's restoration, which was also a flesh-and-blood battlefield for both sides during the Great War. (With the cooperation of the Air Force, the Japanese Chichai unit captured Tangjiatun at 16:00))
Machang Town not only passes through the Jinpu Railway from here, but also by the canal, and the water and land transportation is extremely convenient, so it has become a place where soldiers must fight. (Japanese Chichai forces attacking Tangjiatun)
According to the battle plan, in late August 1937, the 10th Division and the 16th Division went south along Jinpu Road, and on the night of August 21, the Japanese Chichai troops occupied Duliu Town, on the 24th jinghai county, on the 29th, Chen Guantun and On September 4, Tangguantun. (On September 8, the Japanese army observed the defensive deployment of the Chinese army in Machang across the river from the Tangjiatun Tower.)
For Machang, an important garrison of the 29th Army at that time, the Japanese army planned for a week after arriving at the Machang River, and waited until the deployment of troops was completed and the time was ripe to attack. (The Japanese army engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat with the Chinese army when it occupied Tangjiatun.)
Japanese forces such as Akashiba, Numata, and Nagano attacked in the early morning of September 10, and finally occupied the horse factory at 3 a.m. on September 11, and then the Japanese troops continued to pursue south. (Japanese artillery shells Chinese defensive positions across the river on September 7)
After the Japanese occupied the horse factory, they rested in the shade of the horse factory barracks.
The Japanese army observed the movement of the Chinese army at the Dawang Temple in the Machang barracks.