New Fourth Army

The New Fourth Army was a Chinese military organization that emerged during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It was formed from remnants of communist troops who had survived the Long March. Commanded by General Ye Ting, with Xiang Ying as chief of staff, this force operated behind Japanese lines near Shanghai.12

The army employed guerrilla tactics, organized resistance bases, and recruited new members, growing to over 100,000 by 1940. Despite operating under the framework of the United Front against Japan, there were frequent clashes between communist and Nationalist forces as they competed for control of territory and political influence. A significant event was the New Fourth Army Incident in January 1941, where Nationalist forces attacked the army's base, resulting in heavy casualties for both sides.12