The Sino-Japanese War was a conflict between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan that lasted from 1937 to 1945. It began with Japan's invasion of China in 1937, and ended with its surrender in 1945. This article explores the causes and events of the war, as well as its outcome and impact on China. Japan wanted territorial expansion which led to several incidents before full-scale war broke out. The Chinese used guerrilla warfare tactics while Japan employed harsh tactics such as mass executions, rape, torture, forced labor camps, and chemical warfare against civilians. Major battles included Shanghai (August 1937), Nanjing (December 1937), Wuhan (October 1938), Changsha (September 1939), Hong Kong (December 1941), Kunming (April 1942) and Changde (November 1943). The war ended with Japan's unconditional surrender following its defeat at Hiroshima & Nagasaki by U.S.-led forces earlier that year. The consequences for China were devastating economically and socially due to widespread