Editing Second Sino-Japanese War (section)

=== United Kingdom ===
{{further|Mission 204|British Army Aid Group}}
After the Tanggu Truce of 1933, Chiang Kai-Shek and the British government would have more friendly relations but were uneasy due to British foreign concessions there. During the Second Sino-Japanese War the British government would initially have an impartial viewpoint toward the conflict urging both to reach an agreement and prevent war. British public opinion would swing in favor of the Chinese after [[Hughe Knatchbull-Hugessen]]'s car which had Union Jacks on it was attacked by Japanese aircraft with Hugessen being temporarily paralyzed with outrage against the attack from the public and government. The British public were largely supportive of the Chinese and many relief efforts were untaken to help China. Britain at this time was beginning the process of rearmament and the sale of military surplus was banned but there was never an embargo on private companies shipping arms. A number of unassembled [[Gloster Gladiator]] fighters were imported to China via Hong Kong for the Chinese Air Force. Between July 1937 and November 1938 on average 60,000 tons of munitions were shipped from Britain to China via Hong Kong. Attempts by the United Kingdom and the United States to do a joint intervention were unsuccessful as both countries had rocky relations in the interwar era.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Perry |first=J. K. J. |date=7 September 2011 |title=Powerless and Frustrated: Britain's Relationship With China During the Opening Years of the Second Sino–Japanese War, 1937–1939 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09592296.2011.599641 |journal=Diplomacy & Statecraft |volume=22 |issue=3 |pages=408–430 |doi=10.1080/09592296.2011.599641 |s2cid=153517917 |access-date=23 October 2023 |via=Taylor & Francis Online}}</ref>

In February 1941 a Sino-British agreement was forged whereby British troops would assist the Chinese "Surprise Troops" units of guerrillas already operating in China, and China would assist Britain in Burma.<ref>{{cite book|last=Kirby|first=Major General Woodburn, S|title=The War against Japan, Vol 2: India's Most Dangerous Hour|location=London|publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office|year=1958}}</ref>
[[File:Mission204China.jpg|thumb|British and Australian troops from 'Mission 204' march to the front in [[Jiangxi province]] in June 1942]]
When [[Battle of Hong Kong|Hong Kong was overrun]] in December 1941, the [[British Army Aid Group]] (B.A.A.G.) was set up and headquartered in [[Guilin]], [[Guangxi]]. Its aim was to assist prisoners of war and internees to escape from Japanese  camps. This led to the formation of the [[Hong Kong Volunteer Company]] which later fought in Burma.<ref name="NSW_2012">{{cite web |title=The Hong Kong Volunteer Company|url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/531286c0e4b04bcb37e6c5c5/t/53214071e4b010ef1a5b9dd8/1394688113290/HK+Vol+&+ex+PoW+Assn+NSW.+OP9+The+Hong+Kong+Volunteer+Company.pdf |publisher=Hong Kong Volunteer & Ex.PoW Association of NSW |access-date=23 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211223171645/https://static1.squarespace.com/static/531286c0e4b04bcb37e6c5c5/t/53214071e4b010ef1a5b9dd8/1394688113290/HK+Vol+&+ex+PoW+Assn+NSW.+OP9+The+Hong+Kong+Volunteer+Company.pdf | archive-date=23 December 2021 |url-status=live }}</ref> B.A.A.G. also sent agents to gather intelligence – military, political and economic in Southern China, as well as giving medical and humanitarian assistance to Chinese civilians and military personnel.<ref name="IWM">{{cite web |url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30076590 |title=BADGE, UNIT, BRITISH, BRITISH ARMY AID GROUP (BAAG) |date= |website=www.iwm.org.uk |publisher=Imperial War Museum }}</ref>

A British-Australian commando operation, [[Mission 204]] (''Tulip Force''), was initialized to provide training to Chinese guerrilla troops. The mission conducted two operations, mostly in the provinces of Yunnan and Jiangxi.

The first operation commenced in February 1942  from Burma on a long journey to the Chinese front. Due to issues with supporting the Chinese and gradual disease and supply issues, the first phase achieved very little and the unit was withdrawn in September.<ref>{{cite book| last1=Whitehead |first1= John|last2= Bennett|first2=George |title= Escape to Fight on: With 204 Military Mission in China |publisher= Robert Hale|pages=132, 174–78 |date=1990 |isbn=9780709041313}}</ref>

Another phase was set up with lessons learned from the first. Commencing in February 1943 this time valid assistance was given to the Chinese 'Surprise Troops' in various actions against the Japanese. These involved ambushes, attacks on airfields, blockhouses, and supply depots. The unit operated successfully before withdrawal in November 1944.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Stevens |first1=Keith |title=A token operation: 204 military mission to China, 1941–1945 |journal=Asian Affairs |date=March 2005 |volume=36 |issue=1 |pages=66–74 |doi=10.1080/03068370500039151 |s2cid=161326427 }}</ref>

Commandos and members of [[Special Operations Executive|SOE]] who had formed [[Force 136]], worked with the [[Free Thai Movement]] who also operated in China, mostly while on their way into [[Thailand in World War II|Thailand]].<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.cia.gov/news-information/featured-story-archive/2008-featured-story-archive/free-thai-movement.html| title = A Look Back&nbsp;... "Free Thai" Movement is Born| date = 30 April 2013| website = cia.gov| publisher = [[Central Intelligence Agency]]| access-date = 20 June 2016| archive-date = 13 August 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160813081130/https://www.cia.gov/news-information/featured-story-archive/2008-featured-story-archive/free-thai-movement.html| url-status = dead}}</ref>

After the Japanese blocked the [[Burma Road]] in April 1942, and before the [[Ledo Road]] was finished in early 1945, the majority of US and British supplies to the Chinese had to be delivered via airlift over the eastern end of the [[Himalayas]] known as "[[The Hump]]". Flying over the Himalayas was extremely dangerous, but the airlift continued daily to August 1945, at great cost in men and aircraft.