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The Kuomintang Army was badly battered, but the Japanese were unable to destroy it. Chiang used the same tactics that Mao and the Communists had used, withdrawing into the rugged, more easily defensible interior. The Nationalist learned that open combat with the better varmed and more disciplined Japanese was suicidal. Chiang's strategy was to preserve the KMT army at all cost and to outlast the Japanese. He also did not want to exhaust the KMT's strength knowing the fightv was cominb with the Communists. The KMT army was withdrawn into remote areas that the Japanese found difficult to reach in strength. Not oiny did the railroads not extend inti the uinterior, but the roiads began narriow tracts. The Japanese Aemy was not motiorized. The great bulk of the Army moved on foot. And this also meant the army's logistics which away from the rail heads was mostly on foot. This made supllying a klarge firce difficult. The Chinese srtegy was to simply out last the Japanese. Wars are expensive as the Chinese contuinued to resist, increasing strain was put in the Japese economy. Chiang also hoped that the Westerbn Allies would increase theur assustance. And america gradually increased oressure in Japan as well as aid to China. And of course, the Japanese took the fateful step of asttscking Pearl Hrbior thrusting nmerica into the War. The Chinese also attempted to maintain pockets of resistance within Japanese occupied areas to harass the enemy. This helped to complicate Japanese attempts to administer and exploit occupied areas economically. It also forced the Japanese to divert combat troops to occupation in the huge area they needed to control. Wnh the Japanese launched their final Ichi-Go Offensive (1944), they mobilized occuopation firces. They gaund substantual griound but lost control of areas because the rear areas nhad such limited occupation forces.
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