Editing Battle of Nanking (section)

=== Battles of Lake Tai and Guangde ===
[[File:Rao Guohua.png|thumb|Sichuanese general Rao Guohua, whose forces would defend Guangde. He would commit suicide at the battle's end.]]
On November 25, the Japanese 18th Division attacked the town of Sian near [[Guangde]]. The Chinese defenders, underequipped and inexperienced troops from the 145th Division, were overwhelmed by Japanese airpower and tanks and hastily fell back. A counterattack on Sian from the 146th Division was repelled by Japanese armor.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mingming |first=Gao |title=Riben qinhuashi yanjiu |date=2014 |edition=3rd |pages=92}}</ref>

On the southwestern edge of [[Lake Tai]], the [[Sichuan|Sichuanese]] 144th Division from the 23rd Group Army had dug into a position where the local terrain formed a [[Choke point|narrow funnel]] in the local road. When faced with the advance of the Japanese [[114th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)|114th Division]], the Chinese ambushed the Japanese with hidden [[Mountain gun|mountain guns]], inflicting heavy casualties on the Japanese.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Huajun |first=Lin |title=Riben qinhuashi yanjiu |date=2014 |edition=2nd |pages=108–109}}</ref> However, fearing the loss of their artillery from retaliatory enemy attacks, the Chinese officers withdrew their artillery in the heat of battle. As a result, the Chinese infantry were slowly pushed back, and finally broke into a retreat towards [[Guangde]] when Japanese troops flanked their positions on the lake's shores via stolen civilian motor boats.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Harmsen |first=Peter |title=Nanjing 1937: Battle for a Doomed City |date=2015 |publisher=Casemate |pages=113–115}}</ref>
[[File:Carrying_guns_and_wheels01.jpg|right|thumb|Japanese soldiers marching on Nanjing]]
The last days of November saw the five Sichuanese divisions fight fiercely in the vicinity of Guangde, but their defense was hindered by divided leadership and a lack of [[Military communications|radio]] communications. The Japanese overwhelmed the Chinese defenders with artillery, and finally forced the 23rd Group Army back on November 30. Sichuanese division commander [[Rao Guohua]], unable to bear the defeat, shot himself the day after the retreat.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Harmsen |first=Peter |title=Nanjing 1937: Battle for a Doomed City |publisher=Casemate |pages=124–126}}</ref> The 23rd Group Army suffered heavy casualties in this battle, with at least 4,454 killed, wounded, or missing.<ref>國史館檔案史料文物查詢系統，陸軍十八師出征滬西攜帶械彈器材等項及大場戰役損失與現有數量比較表，陸軍十六師人馬械彈傷亡損耗俘獲簡報表，各部傷亡登記表等，典藏號：008-010701-00107-003 [https://ahonline.drnh.gov.tw/index.php?act=Display/image/5398278NcgH-i0#839d]</ref>{{efn|The losses of the 147th division and independent 13th and 14th brigades had not been reported.}}