On This Day - What happened 24 December 1941 AD

As the Western Allies entered the war against Japan, the Sino-Japanese War would become part of a greater conflict, the Pacific theatre of World War II. Almost immediately, Chinese troops achieved another decisive victory in the Battle of Changsha, which earned the Chinese government much prestige from the Western Allies.

The third Battle of Changsha (24 December 1941 – 15 January 1942) was a major offensive in China by Imperial Japanese forces following the Japanese attack on the Western Allies. The offensive resulted in failure for the Japanese, as Chinese forces were able to lure them into a trap and encircle them. After suffering heavy casualties, Japanese forces were forced to carry out a general retreat. In January 1942, the only Allied success against Japan was a Chinese victory at Changsha.