 The Japanese were unable to defeat Tang, and his force threatened the region to the east of the important city of Mukden and communications with Korea.Based in the Tonghua area, his army fought with the Japanese Kwantung Army stationed in Shenyang and the Manchukuon army of South Liaoning province.Although all major cities had been lost, the volunteer armies gained a new lease of life during the summer of 1932 and reached their greatest strength.