(1883-1939)
'General Ting Chao' or Ding Chao (born
1883; died
1939) is known for his
defense of Harbin during the Japanese
Invasion of Manchuria in 1931 and 1932.
Following the
Invasion of Manchuria by the
Imperial Japanese Army and the capture of
Liaoning and
Jilin provinces. Hostilities did not commence in the Harbin area until the end of January 1932 when General Ting Chao resolved to defend the northern metropolis, a key hub of rail and riverine communication, against the approach first of General
Hsi Hsia's "New Kirin" Army and then Japanese troops. He appealed to the city's Chinese residents to join his
Jilin Self-Defence Army made of railway garrison troops and other regulars in battle against the Japanese.
Later after Ting Chao's beaten forces retired from Harbin to the northeast down the Sungari River, they joined the Lower Sungari garrison of Gen.
Li Du as the nucleus of armed opposition in the north. After his retreat from Harbin he was made Chairman of the Government of
Jilin Province and opposed the new puppet government of
Manchukuo in their
anti bandit operations of the
pacification campaign.