Hanyang 88
Encyclopedia
The Type 88, sometimes known as "Hanyang 88", was a Chinese rifle
that was issued to the National Revolutionary Army
during the Second Sino-Japanese War
. The name derived from the Hanyang Arsenal
factory that made this rifle. The rifle had a bayonet
attachment to use in close combat after a charge
. Another standard rifle the NRA used was the Chiang Kai-Shek rifle
, yet another copy of German-made rifles from the Hanyang Arsenal.
This firearm was a rifle directly patterned on the German Gewehr 88. Because of China's initial weak industry, many of these rifles were poorly made. During the War of Resistance against Japan
, the Type 88 more than held its own against the newer, higher quality Japanese Arisaka Type 38
and Type 99
rifles. The Japanese rifles were technologically more advanced by more than 30 years. Low quality of the Hanyang 88 led to a slow rate of fire. It was chambered for the round-nosed 8mm Mauser round. While this round was outdated, it had greater stopping power than the Japanese 6.5x50mm Arisaka round. As a result, the NRA fought successfully against the Japanese in many close-quarters urban battles, such as the Battle of Taierzhuang
in 1938, where the IJA's main advantages, artillery, tanks and aircraft, were ineffectual.
The Hanyang rifle was cheap and easy to produce, sturdy and reliable. Also, because the rifle was the main arm of the Chinese army, the Hanyang arsenal was considered legendary. On a rough perspective, the rifle was mainly used by the NRA's provincial military. The central military soldiers (the core of the NRA), on the other hand, mainly used the Chiang Kai-Shek rifle
. The Hanyang 88 was used throughout the Second Sino-Japanese War
and the early phase of the Chinese civil war
, when the Hanyang Arsenal
was shut down in 1947.
Since production started in 1895, the Type 88 was modified twice to improve performance, in 1904 and in 1930. Because this rifle was a bolt-action gun, it had a bayonet
attachment for use against a Japanese Banzai charge
. The Chinese also used the heavy and deadly dadao
against the Japanese bayonets, Guntō and katana
.
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
that was issued to the National Revolutionary Army
National Revolutionary Army
The National Revolutionary Army , pre-1928 sometimes shortened to 革命軍 or Revolutionary Army and between 1928-1947 as 國軍 or National Army was the Military Arm of the Kuomintang from 1925 until 1947, as well as the national army of the Republic of China during the KMT's period of party rule...
during the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
. The name derived from the Hanyang Arsenal
Hanyang Arsenal
Hanyang Arsenal was one of the largest and oldest modern arsenals in Chinese history.-History:Originally known as the Hubei Arsenal, it was founded in 1891 by one of the Qing officials, Zhang Zhidong, who diverted funds from the Nanyang Fleet in Guangdong to build the arsenal. It cost about...
factory that made this rifle. The rifle had a bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
attachment to use in close combat after a charge
Charge (warfare)
A charge is a maneuver in battle in which soldiers advance towards their enemy at their best speed in an attempt to engage in close combat. The charge is the dominant shock attack and has been the key tactic and decisive moment of most battles in history...
. Another standard rifle the NRA used was the Chiang Kai-Shek rifle
Chiang Kai-shek rifle
The Type Zhongzheng rifle , also known as the Chiang Kai-shek/Jiang Jieshi Rifle and Type 24 after the Chinese Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek, was a Chinese-made copy of the German Mauser Gewehr 98, the forerunner of the Karabiner 98k. Pre-production of the Chiang Kai-Shek rifle started in August...
, yet another copy of German-made rifles from the Hanyang Arsenal.
This firearm was a rifle directly patterned on the German Gewehr 88. Because of China's initial weak industry, many of these rifles were poorly made. During the War of Resistance against Japan
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, the Type 88 more than held its own against the newer, higher quality Japanese Arisaka Type 38
Type 38 rifle
The is a bolt-action rifle. For a time it was the standard rifle of the Japanese infantry. It was known also as the Type 38 Year Meiji Carbine in Japan. An earlier, similar weapon was the Type 30 Year Meiji Rifle, which was also used alongside it. Both of these weapons were also known as the...
and Type 99
Type 99 Rifle
The was a bolt-action rifle of the Arisaka design used by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.-History:During the Second Sino-Japanese War in the 1930s, the Japanese soon found that the 8×57mm IS cartridge the Chinese used was superior to the 6.5×50mm cartridge of the Type 38 rifle,...
rifles. The Japanese rifles were technologically more advanced by more than 30 years. Low quality of the Hanyang 88 led to a slow rate of fire. It was chambered for the round-nosed 8mm Mauser round. While this round was outdated, it had greater stopping power than the Japanese 6.5x50mm Arisaka round. As a result, the NRA fought successfully against the Japanese in many close-quarters urban battles, such as the Battle of Taierzhuang
Battle of Taierzhuang
The Battle of Tai'erzhuang was a battle of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1938, between armies of Chinese Kuomintang and Japan, and is sometimes considered as a part of Battle of Xuzhou....
in 1938, where the IJA's main advantages, artillery, tanks and aircraft, were ineffectual.
The Hanyang rifle was cheap and easy to produce, sturdy and reliable. Also, because the rifle was the main arm of the Chinese army, the Hanyang arsenal was considered legendary. On a rough perspective, the rifle was mainly used by the NRA's provincial military. The central military soldiers (the core of the NRA), on the other hand, mainly used the Chiang Kai-Shek rifle
Chiang Kai-shek rifle
The Type Zhongzheng rifle , also known as the Chiang Kai-shek/Jiang Jieshi Rifle and Type 24 after the Chinese Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek, was a Chinese-made copy of the German Mauser Gewehr 98, the forerunner of the Karabiner 98k. Pre-production of the Chiang Kai-Shek rifle started in August...
. The Hanyang 88 was used throughout the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
and the early phase of the Chinese civil war
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
, when the Hanyang Arsenal
Hanyang Arsenal
Hanyang Arsenal was one of the largest and oldest modern arsenals in Chinese history.-History:Originally known as the Hubei Arsenal, it was founded in 1891 by one of the Qing officials, Zhang Zhidong, who diverted funds from the Nanyang Fleet in Guangdong to build the arsenal. It cost about...
was shut down in 1947.
Since production started in 1895, the Type 88 was modified twice to improve performance, in 1904 and in 1930. Because this rifle was a bolt-action gun, it had a bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
attachment for use against a Japanese Banzai charge
Banzai charge
Banzai charge was a term applied during World War II by the Allied forces to human wave attacks mounted by infantry forces of the Imperial Japanese Army...
. The Chinese also used the heavy and deadly dadao
Dadao
The dadao one of the varieties of dao or Chinese saber, is also known as the Chinese great sword. Based on agricultural knives, dadao have broad blades generally between two and three feet long, long hilts meant for "hand and a half" or two-handed use, and generally a weight-forward balance...
against the Japanese bayonets, Guntō and katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
.
See also
- National Revolutionary ArmyNational Revolutionary ArmyThe National Revolutionary Army , pre-1928 sometimes shortened to 革命軍 or Revolutionary Army and between 1928-1947 as 國軍 or National Army was the Military Arm of the Kuomintang from 1925 until 1947, as well as the national army of the Republic of China during the KMT's period of party rule...
- Sino-German cooperation
- Gewehr 88
- Chiang Kai-Shek rifleChiang Kai-shek rifleThe Type Zhongzheng rifle , also known as the Chiang Kai-shek/Jiang Jieshi Rifle and Type 24 after the Chinese Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek, was a Chinese-made copy of the German Mauser Gewehr 98, the forerunner of the Karabiner 98k. Pre-production of the Chiang Kai-Shek rifle started in August...