[1] Under the orders of Yasuji Okamura, the Japanese 106th Division intended to cross the Wanjialing (萬家嶺) Region, hoping to cut through to the rear of De'an (德安) as a direct approach from Jiujiang (九江) along the railway line south and an approach by 101st Division by pushing through from the eastern foothills of Mount Lu was getting nowhere.

On August 21, the Japanese 101st Division's Sato Detachment (commanded by Major General Sato Shozaburo (佐藤正三郎), 101 Brigade), consisting of two infantry battalions supported by a battalion of artillery, captured Xingzi as part of the push to De'an, but faced fierce resistance from Wang Jingjiu's 25th Corps and Ye Zhao's 66th Corps.

[1] Although the Chinese had a severe shortage of protective equipment against chemical weapons, they were still able to repel the Japanese attack.

[1] On October 7, the Chinese suddenly launched co-ordinated series of fierce counter-attacks, forcing the remaining Japanese units that were still intact to hastily retreat.

[citation needed] For the Chinese, the successful defense of Wanjialing played a key role in the overall Wuhan campaign, halting the Japanese offensive drive towards Wuhan along the southern bank of the Yangtze River, and buying invaluable time for the Chinese government to evacuate its civilian population, war facilities, and industrial assets from the city and move them westward towards cities such as the new wartime capital of Chongqing.