Battle of Shanghai
Part of the Second Sino-Japanese war
Defending the Sihang Warehouse.
Date: 13 August - 9 November 1937 Location: in and around Shanghai Result: Japanese victory
Combatants
Republic of China National Revolutionary Army	Empire of Japan Imperial Japanese Army, Shanghai Expeditionary Force, Central China Theater Army, Imperial Japanese Navy Third Fleet
Commanders
Chiang Kai-shek, Xie Jinyuan	Heisuke Yanagawa, Iwane Matsui
Strength
600,000 troops in 75 divisions and 9 brigades, 250 airplanes	300,000 troops in 8 divisions and 6 brigades, 3000 airplanes, 300 tanks, 130 warships
Casualties
~200,000	~70,000

The Battle of Shanghai (Traditional Chinese: 淞滬會戰; Simplified Chinese: 淞沪会战; Hanyu Pinyin: Sōnghù Huìzhàn; Japanese: 第二次上海事変; literally the "Second Shanghai Incident") was the first of the 22 major engagements between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It was by far the largest and bloodiest battle of the entire war. Combatants National Revolutionary Army, Republic of China Imperial Japanese Army, Empire of Japan Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Yan Xishan, Feng Yuxiang, Zhu De, He Yingqin Tojo Hideki, Matsui Iwane, Minami Jiro, Kesago Nakajima, Toshizo Nishio, Neiji Okamura. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Sihang_defenders. ... The Eight Hundred Heroes (Traditional Chinese: 八百壯士; Simplified Chinese: 八百壮士; pinyin: ), also known as the Lost Battalion - not to be confused with the American Lost Battalion of WWI - were the defenders of the Sihang warehouse, who covered the retreat of Chinese forces after the Battle of Shanghai. ... August 13 is the 225th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (226th in leap years), with 140 days remaining. ... November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Shanghai (Chinese: 上海 pinyin: (help· info); Shanghainese: Zanhe ), situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta, is Chinas largest city. ... National motto: None Official language Mandarin Chinese Capital and largest city Taipei President Chen Shui-bian Vice President Annette Lu Premier Su Tseng-chang Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 138th 35,980 km² 2. ... The National Revolutionary Army (NRA) (Chinese: 國民革命軍; pinyin: guo2 min2 ge2 ming4 jun1) was the national army of the Republic of China. ... Flag of Imperial Japan The Empire of Japan or Imperial Japan (: 大日本帝國; Shinjitai: 大日本帝国; pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku) commonly refers to Japan from the Meiji Restoration until the end of World War II. Politically, it covers the period from the enforced establishment of prefectures in place of feudal domains (廃藩置県; Hai-han Chi... The Imperial Japanese Army (: 大日本帝國陸軍 Shinjitai: 大日本帝国陸軍 Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun) was the official ground based armed force of Japan from 1867 to 1945 when it was Imperial Japan. ... Ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... Chiang Kai-shek (October 31, 1887 – April 5, 1975) was a Chinese military and political leader who assumed the leadership of the Kuomintang (KMT) after the death of Sun Yat-sen in 1925. ... Xie Jinyuan and 3 of his subordinates. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... General Iwane Matsui (松井 石根 Matsui Iwane, July 27, 1878 - December 23, 1948) was the commanding officer of the Japanese expeditionary force responsible for the Nanjing Massacre in 1937. ... Symbol of the Polish 1st Legions Infantry Division in NATO code A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to fifteen thousand soldiers. ... Symbol of the Polish 1st Legions Infantry Division in NATO code A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to fifteen thousand soldiers. ... Combatants National Revolutionary Army, Republic of China Imperial Japanese Army, Empire of Japan Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Yan Xishan, Feng Yuxiang, Zhu De, He Yingqin Tojo Hideki, Matsui Iwane, Minami Jiro, Kesago Nakajima, Toshizo Nishio, Neiji Okamura. ... The Mukden Incident of September 18, 1931, also called the Manchurian Incident, occurred in southern Manchuria when a section of railroad, owned by Japans South Manchuria Railway, near Mukden (todays Shenyang) was blown up. ... Resistance at Nenjiang Bridge was a small war fought between small forces of Chinese militias against the Japanese Imperial Army and collaborationist forces, after the Mukden Incident in which Manchuria was lost to Japan. ... Combatants Republic of China, 19th Route Army, 5th Army Empire of Japan, Imperial Japanese Army, 2nd Independent Tank Company, Shanghai Expeditionary Force Commanders 19th Route Army: Jiang Guangnai (Chinese: 蔣光鼐), 5th Army: Zhang Zhizhong (Chinese: 張治中) Commander: Yoshinori Shirakawa (Japanese: 白川義則), Chief of staff: Kanichiro Tashiro (Japanese: 田代皖一郎) Strength 50,000 90,000 Casualties... The Defense of the Great Wall (Traditional Chinese: 長城抗戰; Simplified Chinese: 长城抗战; Hanyu Pinyin: ) (January 1 - May 31, 1933) was a battle between the armies of Republic of China and Empire of Japan, before official hostilities of the Sino-Japanese War commenced in 1937. ... The Battle of Rehe was fought from February 21 to March 1 of 1933 between China and Japan. ... The Marco Polo Bridge Incident (盧溝橋事變; also known as 七七事變, 七七盧溝橋事變) was a battle between Japans Imperial Army and Chinas National Revolutionary Army, marking the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). ... The Battle of Beiping-Tianjin (Traditional Chinese: 平津作戰; Simplified Chinese: 平津作战; pinyin: ) (25 July - 31 July 1937) was a battle fought during the Second Sino-Japanese War in the proximity of Beiping (now Beijing) and Tianjin. ... Combatants 524th Regiment, 88th Division, National Revolutionary Army Imperial Japanese Army Commanders Xie Jinyuan Strength 453 troops More than 2,000 troops Casualties 95 dead More than 200 dead The Eight Hundred Heroes (Traditional: 八百壯士; Simplified: 八百壮士; Hanyu Pinyin: ), also known as the Lost Battalion - not to be confused with the American... The Battle of Pingxingguan, commonly called the Great Victory of Pingxingguan (平型关大捷) in Mainland China, was an engagement fought between the 8th Route Army of the Chinese Communist Party and the Imperial Japanese Army on September 25, 1937. ... Combatants National Revolutionary Army, China Imperial Japanese Army, Japan Commanders Yan Xishan Strength Casualties The Battle of Xinkou (Traditional Chinese: 忻口會戰; Simplified Chinese: 忻口会战; pinyin: ) was the second of the 22 major engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. ... The Battle of Taiyuan is a major battle fought between China and Japan near Taiyuan, which lies in the 2nd China Theater. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Battle of Taierzhuang (Traditional Chinese: 臺兒莊會戰; Simplified Chinese: 台儿庄会战; pinyin: ) 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. ... The Battle of Xuzhou was fought between Japanese and Chinese forces in May of 1938 during World War Two. ... Combatants National Revolutionary Army Military Region 5,9, Soviet Air Force volunteers Imperial Japanese Army Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Xue Yue, Wu Qiwei, Zhang Fakui, Wang Jingjiu, Ou Zhentong, Yu Jishi，Duan Langru, Feng Shenfa, Wang Yaowu, Zhang Lingpu, Li Tsung-jen, Sun Lianzhong, Song Xiqian, Tian Zhennan, Feng Anbang... During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Japanese artillery forces marched a long distance into the vast area of continental China. ... For the Chinese Civil War battle in 1927, see Nanchang Uprising. ... The Battle of Suixian-Zaoyang (Traditional Chinese: 隨棗會戰; Simplified Chinese: 随枣会战; pinyin: ), also known as the Battle of Suizao was one of the 22 major engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. ... Battle of Changsha (September 17, 1939 _ October 6, 1939) was the first attempt by Japan to take the city of China, during the second Sino-Japanese War. ... Combatants National Revolutionary Army, China Imperial Japanese Army, Japan Commanders Strength 120,000 troops in 12 armies 70,000 troops in 4 divisions Casualties The Battle of South Guangxi (Traditional: 桂南會戰; Simplified: 桂南会战; Hanyu Pinyin: ), was one of the 22 major engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during... 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The Battle of Shanggao (Traditional Chinese: 上高會戰; Simplified Chinese: 上高会战; pinyin: ) was one of the 22 major engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. ... Combatants National Revolutionary Army, China Imperial Japanese Army, Japan Commanders Wei Lihuang (衛立煌)  ? Strength 180,000 troops in 8 armies 100,000 troops in 6 divisions, 3 brigades Casualties  ? more than 20,000 troops The Battle of South Shanxi (Traditional: 晉南會戰; Simplified: 晋南会战; Hanyu Pinyin: ), also known as the Battle of Jinnan was... The Battle of Changsha (September 6, 1941 _ October 8, 1941) was Japans second attempt in taking the city of China, as part of the second Sino-Japanese War. ... The Battle of Changsha (December 24, 1941 _ January 15, 1942) was the third attempt by Japan to take the city of China during the China following their attack on Pearl Harbor. ... The Battle of Zhejiang-Jiangxi refers to a campaign by the Japanese Imperial Army and allied Chinese forces in the Chinese provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangxi in 1942. ... Combatants National Revolutionary Army, China Imperial Japanese Army, Japan Commanders Bai Chongxi Strength 14 armies 7 divisions Casualties ~60,000 25,830 troops The Battle of West Hubei (Traditional: 鄂西會戰; Simplified: 鄂西会战; Hanyu Pinyin: ), was one of the 22 major engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during the... The Battle of Changde (Traditional Chinese: 常德會戰; Simplified Chinese: 常德会战; pinyin: ) was a major engagement in the Second Sino-Japanese War. ... The Battle of Henan-Hunan-Guangxi (Traditional Chinese: 豫湘桂會戰; Simplified Chinese: 豫湘桂会战; pinyin: ) also known as Operation Ichigo or Tairiku Datsu Sakusen (Japanese:一号作戦 or 大陸打通作戦) was a series of major battles between the Imperial Japanese Army forces and the Republic of China Army, fought from April to December 1944. ... The Battle of Changsha (1944), also known as the Battle of Hengyang or Battle of Hengyang-Changsha, was an invasion of the Chinese province of Hunan by Japanese troops near the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War. ... The Battle of Guilin-Liuzhou (Traditional Chinese: 桂柳會戰; Simplified Chinese: 桂柳会战; pinyin: ), also known as the Battle of Guiliu was one of the 22 major engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. ... Combatants National Revolutionary Army, China Imperial Japanese Army, Japan Commanders Strength 17 armies 5 divisions, 3 brigades Casualties  ? 15,000 troops The Battle of West Henan-North Hubei (Traditional: 豫西鄂北會戰; Simplified: 豫西鄂北会战; Hanyu Pinyin: ), was one of the 22 major engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during the... Combatants China, National Revolutionary Army Japan, Imperial Japanese Army Commanders He Yingqin 板西一良 (??) Strength 2 army groups, several companies, NRA Air Force, USAF 70-80,000 troops in 7 divisions Casualties Unknown ~20,000 {{{notes}}} The Battle of West Hunan was the last of the 22 major engagements involving 100,000... Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Simplified Chinese characters (Simplified Chinese: 简体字; Traditional Chinese: 簡體字; pinyin: jiÇŽntǐzì; also called 简化字/簡化字, jiÇŽnhuàzì) are one of two standard character sets of printed contemporary Chinese written language. ... Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: 汉语拼音; Traditional Chinese: 漢語拼音; Pinyin: , lit. ... National motto: None Official language Mandarin Chinese Capital and largest city Taipei President Chen Shui-bian Vice President Annette Lu Premier Su Tseng-chang Area  - Total  - % water Ranked 138th 35,980 km² 2. ... Flag of Imperial Japan The Empire of Japan or Imperial Japan (: 大日本帝國; Shinjitai: 大日本帝国; pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku) commonly refers to Japan from the Meiji Restoration until the end of World War II. Politically, it covers the period from the enforced establishment of prefectures in place of feudal domains (廃藩置県; Hai-han Chi... Combatants National Revolutionary Army, Republic of China Imperial Japanese Army, Empire of Japan Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Yan Xishan, Feng Yuxiang, Zhu De, He Yingqin Tojo Hideki, Matsui Iwane, Minami Jiro, Kesago Nakajima, Toshizo Nishio, Neiji Okamura. ...

Some Japanese sources call the battle "Second Shanghai Incident", but in reality it was a full-scale battle signifying the beginning of an all-out war between the two countries. The term "incident" is used to downplay the Japanese invasion of China. The battle itself lasted three months and involved nearly one million troops, and is divided into three stages. The first stage lasted from August 13 to September 11, during which the National Revolutionary Army defended the city against the Japanese who were landing at the shores of Shanghai; The second stage lasted from September 12 to November 4, during which the two armies involved in a bloody house-to-house battle in an attempt to gain control of the city; and the last stage, lasting from November 5 to end of the month, involved the retreat of the Chinese army by flanking Japanese. August 13 is the 225th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (226th in leap years), with 140 days remaining. ... September 11 is the 254th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (255th in leap years). ... The National Revolutionary Army (NRA) (Chinese: 國民革命軍; pinyin: guo2 min2 ge2 ming4 jun1) was the national army of the Republic of China. ... September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... November 4 is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 57 days remaining. ... November 5 is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 56 days remaining. ...

Background

The Battle of Shanghai was the first major battle in the Second Sino-Japanese War and escalated the regional skirmish of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident into a full-scale war. There were several underlying causes for this. Combatants National Revolutionary Army, Republic of China Imperial Japanese Army, Empire of Japan Commanders Chiang Kai-shek, Yan Xishan, Feng Yuxiang, Zhu De, He Yingqin Tojo Hideki, Matsui Iwane, Minami Jiro, Kesago Nakajima, Toshizo Nishio, Neiji Okamura. ... The Marco Polo Bridge Incident (盧溝橋事變; also known as 七七事變, 七七盧溝橋事變) was a battle between Japans Imperial Army and Chinas National Revolutionary Army, marking the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). ...

Strategic reasons

Since the outbreak of war on July 7, major military operations had occurred in and around North China in the Battle of Beiping-Tianjin. Originally, neither China nor Japan expected the skirmirsh at Marco Polo Bridge to escalate into a full scale war. Japan had expected a quick ceasefire and further gain of Chinese territory, similar to what had happened in the earlier conflicts of Mukden Incident (1931), Battle of Shanghai (1932), and the Defense of the Great Wall (1933). However, Chinese public opinion was vehemently opposed to any further concessions, and the National Government under Chiang Kai-shek was prepared to fight a war of resistance. Chiang Kai-shek saw the Marco Polo Bridge Incident as the boldest attempt by Japan to completely separate Hebei, Chahar, Suiyuan, and other northern provinces from central Chinese government control and incorporate them into Manchukuo. This broke the "Final Point" (最後關頭) of Chiang's tolerance of Japanese action in his policy of "internal pacification before external resistance." Chiang was left with no option but to fight a full-scale war with Japan. North China (北方 Hanyu pinyin: Běifāng) and South China (南方 Hanyu pinyin: Nánfāng) are two approximate regions within China. ... The Battle of Beiping-Tianjin (Traditional Chinese: 平津作戰; Simplified Chinese: 平津作战; pinyin: ) (25 July - 31 July 1937) was a battle fought during the Second Sino-Japanese War in the proximity of Beiping (now Beijing) and Tianjin. ... The Mukden Incident of September 18, 1931, also called the Manchurian Incident, occurred in southern Manchuria when a section of railroad, owned by Japans South Manchuria Railway, near Mukden (todays Shenyang) was blown up. ... Combatants Republic of China, 19th Route Army, 5th Army Empire of Japan, Imperial Japanese Army, 2nd Independent Tank Company, Shanghai Expeditionary Force Commanders 19th Route Army: Jiang Guangnai (Chinese: 蔣光鼐), 5th Army: Zhang Zhizhong (Chinese: 張治中) Commander: Yoshinori Shirakawa (Japanese: 白川義則), Chief of staff: Kanichiro Tashiro (Japanese: 田代皖一郎) Strength 50,000 90,000 Casualties... The Defense of the Great Wall (Traditional Chinese: 長城抗戰; Simplified Chinese: 长城抗战; Hanyu Pinyin: ) (January 1 - May 31, 1933) was a battle between the armies of Republic of China and Empire of Japan, before official hostilities of the Sino-Japanese War commenced in 1937. ... The Marco Polo Bridge Incident (盧溝橋事變; also known as 七七事變, 七七盧溝橋事變) was a battle between Japans Imperial Army and Chinas National Revolutionary Army, marking the beginning of the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). ... Hebei (Chinese: 河北; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ho-pei; Postal System Pinyin: Hopeh) is a northern province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Chakhar is a group of the Mongols. ... Suíyuǎn (綏遠) was a historical province of China. ... Manchukuo (1932 to 1945) (Simplified Chinese: 满洲国; Traditional Chinese: 滿洲國; Pinyin: Kanji: 満州国) was a former country in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia under the leadership of the Emperor Puyi, the last emperor of Qing Dynasty. ...

Chiang Kai-shek and his military advisors believed that the next logical step for the Japanese army was to march from the north, along the Peiping-Hankow and Peiping-Pukow railways, and cut right into middle and eastern China. The Japanese strategy of advancing from the north to the south would have put the Chinese army in a situation where they had to set up a horizontal defense line, in an attempt to encircle the enemy through pincer movement. However, Chinese army strength in North China was weak and that without adequate number of trucks and tracked vehicles, the army could not have made sufficient maneuver for such encirclement. On the other hand, the Japanese army had total superiority in North China and the mobility of its armor and artillery pieces was unmatched. Furthermore, North China has been under effective Japanese control for a while since the mid-1930s. Chinese military presence in North China was minimal, and the Kuomintang itself was banned from conducting party activity in the Hebei province because of a series of settlements from the 1930s that "specialized" North China. In addition, most of the more robust Chinese defense works were built around Eastern China, around the lower Yangtze Delta, instead of in North China. Thus it would have been less strategically sound to transport and deploy Chinese troops in the north. A pincer movement whereby the blue force doubly envelops the red force. ... The Chinese Nationalist Party (Traditional Chinese: 中國國民黨; Simplified Chinese: 中国国民党; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chung1-kuo2 Kuo2-min2-tang3; Tongyong Pinyin: Jhōngguó Guómíndǎng), commonly known as the Kuomintang (KMT), is a conservative political party currently active in the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan. ... The Yangzi Delta generally comprises the triangular-shaped territory of Shanghai, southern Jiangsu province and northern Zhejiang province. ...

Because the Japanese army was moving southward, if the Japanese army had cut through the Chinese defenders, the Chinese line would have been cut in the middle into two parts. The eastern part would have been chased to the sea in a scenario similar to the future Battle of Dunkirk. Japanese navy had total supremacy in the Chinese seas and the retreating Chinese forces would have been totally decimated by the enemy as they had nowhere to retreat to. Therefore, Chiang decided to establish a second front in Shanghai, to draw enemy troops to the eastern China theater. His plan worked as most Japanese troops arrived by amphibious landings at Shanghai, and Japanese troops from the North China theater did not factor much, until toward the end of the battle when they arrived as reinforcements. Chiang's plan was to fight as much as he could to delay the Japanese advance, while time was bought to move vital industries into the Chinese hinterlands. This strategy of trading "space for time" and diplomatic and domestic concerns were the basis of Chiang's decision to place his most capable, German-trained divisions to fight in the battle. Combatants United Kingdom, France, Canada Germany Commanders Lord Gort Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group A), Ewald von Kleist (Panzergruppe von Kleist) Strength approx. ... The German trained divisions were divisions in the National Revolutionary Army trained under Sino-German cooperation. ...

Diplomatic reasons

Shanghai was a cosmoplitan city at the time and had investments and assets from foreign powers, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Empire of Japan. Before the attacks, the Western Powers have been unwilling to condemn Japan for its encroachments upon China because of their similar anti-Soviet Union political agenda and preoccupation with the situation in Europe. To Chiang Kai-shek, the Japanese attack on the city would provide an impetus for the United States and the United Kingdom to enter the war on the side of China. Chiang had some hope that the war would affect their commercial investments and would force them to propose a quick settlement on terms acceptable to China. In addition, Japan could not possibly sustain a war against America, the greatest economic power, and Great Britain, the greatest colonial power. Flag of Imperial Japan The Empire of Japan or Imperial Japan (: 大日本帝國; Shinjitai: 大日本帝国; pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku) commonly refers to Japan from the Meiji Restoration until the end of World War II. Politically, it covers the period from the enforced establishment of prefectures in place of feudal domains (廃藩置県; Hai-han Chi...

However, appeasement permeated the international community and past experience from the 1930s has made it clear that Japanese excursions would not be acted upon by the foreign powers, other than some ineffective censures by the League of Nations. Already in 1935, Chiang's German advisor, General Alexander von Falkenhausen, told him that the Nine-Power Treaty was basically a piece of scrap paper and that he should place no hope that the international community would come to intervene . Chiang's foreign and Chinese advisers also believed that China must be prepared to fight alone for at least two years of the war, regardless of the international situation. In addition, the Japanese initially had no strong intention to escalate the Marco Polo Bridge Incident into an all-out war. They had expected that the Chinese make further localized settlements and incorporate Chinese territories piece by piece, as they had done since 1931. The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... The League of Nations was an international organization founded after the Paris Peace Conference of 1919. ... Alexander von Falkenhausen ( October 29, 1878 - July 31, 1966) was the head of the military government of Belgium during the German occupation, from 1940 until 1944 in the Second World War. ... Signed by the US, France, Great Britain, Japan, Italy, Belgium, China, Netherlands, and Portugal. ...

Domestic reasons

Public opinion and Chinese nationalism were very strong forces that caused Chiang to make a frontal war with Japan. Chiang's National Government have lost considerable public support with the Chinese populace because it was preoccupied with the pacification of the Communist insurgents before Japan. Chiang and his military advisers believed that they needed at least several years of peace to build up the national army to fight Japan on the same footing, thus it would be wasteful to risk his growing divisions. On the other hand, if Chiang decided to put up a great resistance, he risked losing his nascent German-trained divisions that were barely ready to meet the enemy head-on. Thus for Chiang, fighting the war would bolster his public image among the Chinese, but would decrease his political power, which was based on military power. However, stepping down and making more concessions would make him lose public support, but would maintain his political power and grip on a unified China. The Battle of Shanghai would prove to be a great gamble for Chiang.

In addition, Chiang could not risk losing the provinces Zhejiang and Jiangsu to Japanese hands. Both Nanjing, the capital of the Republic of China at the time, and Shanghai are situated in the Jiangsu province. Zhejiang and Jiangsu were the economic powerhouse of the lower Yangtze Delta region and much of the industrial progress and political foundation of the "Nanjing Decade" were developed in these two provinces. This region was also the only place where the National Government under Chiang Kai-shek had unopposed political authority, while North China was already subjugated to Japanese influence, and other provinces were subject to the control of remnant warlords or other Kuomintang militarist factions. Thus, Chiang had to defend Shanghai at all costs since it was situated at the core of his administration. Zhejiang (Chinese: 浙江; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Che-chiang; Postal System Pinyin: Chehkiang or Chekiang) is an eastern coastal province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Jiangsu (Simplified Chinese: 江苏; Traditional Chinese: 江蘇; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Chiang-su; Postal System Pinyin: Kiangsu) is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. ... Nanjing (Chinese: 南京; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Nan-ching; Postal System Pinyin: Nanking), is the capital of Chinas Jiangsu Province and a city with a prominent place in Chinese history and culture. ... Shanghai (Chinese: 上海 pinyin: (help· info); Shanghainese: Zanhe ), situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta, is Chinas largest city. ... The Republic of China (Traditional Chinese: 中華民國; Pinyin: Zhōng huá mín guó) succeeded the Qing Dynasty in 1912, ending 2,000 years of imperial rule. ...

Chiang and his advisers were also somewhat confident in raising the stakes of the battle, since in 1932 the Chinese army had fought the Japanese to a standstill in the First Battle of Shanghai. Chiang also hoped that the battle would produce a quick cease-fire, as was the case in 1932, and a return to pre-July 1937 status to buy more time to build up his military strength. On the other hand, Chiang was determined to fight a protracted war if Japan would not settle for localized settlements, and already planned to move important industries further inland for the coming war of attrition. Combatants Republic of China, 19th Route Army, 5th Army Empire of Japan, Imperial Japanese Army, 2nd Independent Tank Company, Shanghai Expeditionary Force Commanders 19th Route Army: Jiang Guangnai (Chinese: 蔣光鼐), 5th Army: Zhang Zhizhong (Chinese: 張治中) Commander: Yoshinori Shirakawa (Japanese: 白川義則), Chief of staff: Kanichiro Tashiro (Japanese: 田代皖一郎) Strength 50,000 90,000 Casualties...

Prelude to the battle

Because of these reasons, Chiang Kai-shek decided to deploy his troops along the Nanjing-Shanghai railway for the impending battle. On August 9, First Leutenant Isao Oyama (大山勇夫) of the Japanese Marines tried to enter the Hungchiao Airport (虹橋機場) of Shanghai, and was shot to death by the Chinese Peace Preservation Corps (保安隊) stationed near the military airport. On August 10, the Japanese consul general in Shanghai apologized for the intrusion, but demanded that the Chinese to withdraw the Peace Preservation Corps and to dismantle their defense works around the city. The shooting incident also caused Japan to send in reinforcements into the Shanghai area on August 10. In response to Japanese troop movements, Chiang Kai-shek began deploying Chinese troops into the Shanghai area on August 11, in direct violation of the Shanghai Ceasefire Agreement of 1932, which forbade the deployment of Chinese troops in Shanghai. On the next day, representatives of the major powers convened and Japan demanded the powers to enforce the withdrawal of Chinese troops from Shanghai, but mayor Yu Hung-Chun protested that Japan had already violated the agreement through its invasion of China on July 7. In Shanghai itself, Chinese citizens feverishly welcomed the presence of Chinese troops in the city. August 9 is the 221st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (222nd in leap years), with 144 days remaining. ... August 10 is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... August 10 is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... August 11 is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Combatants Republic of China, 19th Route Army, 5th Army Empire of Japan, Imperial Japanese Army, 2nd Independent Tank Company, Shanghai Expeditionary Force Commanders 19th Route Army: Jiang Guangnai (Chinese: 蔣光鼐), 5th Army: Zhang Zhizhong (Chinese: 張治中) Commander: Yoshinori Shirakawa (Japanese: 白川義則), Chief of staff: Kanichiro Tashiro (Japanese: 田代皖一郎) Strength 50,000 90,000 Casualties... Yu Hung-Chun (1897 - 1960) was a Taiwanese (Chinese-born) political figure. ...

Around 9am on August 13, the Chinese Peace Preservation Corps exchanged small arms fire with the Japanese plain-clothes troops near the Baoshan Road (寶山路) in northeastern Shanghai. Sporadic shootings continued through the day until around 4pm, when the Japanese headquarters ordered the naval ships of the Third Fleet, stationed in the Yangtze and the Huangpu River, which runs through Shanghai, to open fire on Chinese positions in the city. Thus the Battle of Shanghai began. August 13 is the 225th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (226th in leap years), with 140 days remaining. ... Length 6,380 km Elevation of the source  ? m Average discharge 31,900 m³/s Area watershed 1,800,000 km² Origin Qinghai Province and Tibet Mouth East China Sea Basin countries China The Chang Jiang (Simplified Chinese: 长江; Traditional Chinese: 長江; pinyin: Cháng Jiāng; Wade-Giles: Chang Chiang... Huangpu river (黃浦江) is a 97km long river in China flowing through Shanghai. ...

The battle

A baby on the platform at the Shanghai South Railway Station after it was bombed by the Japanese on August 28, 1937

On August 13, more than 10,000 Japanese troops pressed towards the Kongkew district of Shanghai and encountered the Chinese Peace Preservation Corps. The Japanese expected a swift victory to conquer Shanghai in three days and China in three months. However, they faced strong resistance. I feel like crying when I see this picture. ... I feel like crying when I see this picture. ... August 13 is the 225th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (226th in leap years), with 140 days remaining. ...

On August 22, the Japanese 3rd, 8th, and 11th Divisions made an amphibious assault under cover from naval bombardments and proceeded to land in at Chwansa, Shihtzelin, and Paoshan districts of Shanghai. The Chinese were unable to counterattack efficiently because of heavy enemy naval firepower, and had to give ground soon after the landing. August 22 is the 234th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (235th in leap years), with 131 days remaining. ...

By September 17, the Chinese retreated to the North Shanghai Railway Station further inland to set up a defensive line at Lotien-Shuangtsaoten section of the railway. During mid-September vicious house-to-house fighting erupted and 100,000 Japanese troops broke the Lotien line. The Chinese retreated further to the southern bank of Wentsaopang creek and took up defensive positions along the Kwangfu-Szesiangkungmiao-Liuho line. September 17 is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years). ...

The Japanese further increased their men to 200,000 during October and launched an offensive on the Wentsaopang creek region. The Chinese also started their counter-offensive. This caused tremendous casualties on both sides. On October 23, the Japanese broke through Chinese lines, forcing them to make an orderly tactical withdrawal further south to the hilltops of the Blue Dragon Ridge. The Chinese fought relentlessly to hold their higher ground. But with casualties of some thirty thousand, the Chinese retreated. However, a group of Chinese troops successfully covered the retreat of the bulk of Chinese forces by fortifying the Sihang Warehouse and defending it against all odds against more than 10 Japanese attacks in 4 days. The story of "The 800 Heroes" spawned a patriotic song of the same name, and successfully raised the morale in an otherwise grim situation. With Chinese lines faltering throughout the city, the Japanese demanded a surrender on November 7th. However, the Chinese refused to surrender and bitter close-quarters battle continued, with Japanese planes strafing and bombing the city. The last Chinese troops evacuated from the city and retreated further south on November 12. October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 69 days remaining. ... The Eight Hundred Heroes (Traditional Chinese: 八百壯士; Simplified Chinese: 八百壮士; pinyin: ), also known as the Lost Battalion - not to be confused with the American Lost Battalion of WWI - were the defenders of the Sihang warehouse, who covered the retreat of Chinese forces after the Battle of Shanghai. ... November 7 is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 54 days remaining. ... November 12 is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 49 days remaining. ...

Aftermath and Appraisal

The Battle of Shanghai was a military defeat but a morale-boosting victory for the Chinese. It made clear to the world that the Chinese would no longer stand by and watch as Japanese forces "peacefully" conquered its territory piece by piece. It also demonstrated that the Chinese would not surrender under intense Japanese fire, something that Chiang wanted to show to the Americans and the British to bring them to his side.

However, to prove his point, Chiang also had to send his German-trained divisions into savage battles with the better-equipped and navally-supported Japanese army. The divisions participating in the battle lost one-third of their men in the battle and it greatly reduced the NRA's manpower. In addition, as General Li Tsung-jen pointed out in his memoir, Chiang knew the Chinese army had a slim chance of winning and Shanghai was likely to be lost. Li Tsung-jen proposed that the National Revolutionary Army should preserve its strength and move further inland to capital Nanking to prepare for a more robust defense there. Strategically speaking, Li believed that China was a vast country and it made no difference if a city could be held for a few months longer at the expense of huge casualties. The National Revolutionary Army (NRA) (Chinese: 國民革命軍; pinyin: guo2 min2 ge2 ming4 jun1) was the national army of the Republic of China. ... General Li Tsung-jen 南哥的姑公(1890–1969) Li Tsung-jen (南哥的姑公) (李宗仁 Pinyin: Lǐ Zōngrén) (August 13, 1890 - January 13, 1969), courtesy name Delin (å¾·é„°), was vice-president and acting president of the Republic of China and adversary of Chiang Kai-shek. ... The National Revolutionary Army (NRA) (Chinese: 國民革命軍; pinyin: guo2 min2 ge2 ming4 jun1) was the national army of the Republic of China. ... Nanjing (南京, Pinyin: Nánjīng, Wade-Giles: Nan-ching; Postal System Pinyin: Nanking, formerly Jinling 金陵, Jiangning 江宁, and Tianjing 天京) is the central city of downstream Yangtze Basin and is a renowned historical and cultural city. ...

But Chiang believed that it was necessary to prove Chinese valor to the foreign powers in the city to bring them to China's side. In addition, the Chinese fought tenaciously so that the city would not fall in three days, and that China would not fall in three months as the Japanese had proclaimed. This proved to be a huge morale-booster to the Chinese troops. But Chiang's calculation backfired, as no foreign powers came for effective intervention and the futile defense of the city with heavy casualties also decreased the ability of China to mount effective counteroffensives against the Japanese in later battles. Plus, the heavy casualties inflicted by the Chinese and difficulties in conquering the city caused Japanese troops to carry out the infamous Nanjing Massacre as a retributive action against Chinese resistance. The Nanking Massacre (Chinese: 南京大屠殺, pinyin: Nánjīng Dàtúshā; Japanese: 南京大虐殺, Nankin Daigyakusatsu), also known as the Rape of Nanking and sometimes in Japan as the Nanking Incident (南京事件, Nankin Jiken), refers to what many historians recognize as widespread atrocities committed by the Japanese army in and around Nanking (now Nanjing...

All in all, although the price paid was astronomical, the battle was a proving ground for China's unwillingness to surrender and make any concessions to Japan and its determination to resist Japanese aggression.

See also

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Battle of Shanghai

• History of the Republic of China