THE SITUATION IN CHINA
I. —ADVANCE OF THE IMPERIAL ARMY—
PRESS SECTION, WAR DEPARTMENT
AN outline of the campaign of the Japanese troops for clearing the Peiping and Tientsin area of the Chinese 29th Army was given in the August issue of the TOKYO GAZETTE. Subsequent operations of the Japanese Army in North China, including the Peiping and Tientsin area, Chahar, Shansi and Suiyüan provinces, and the Shanghai sector will be summarized here.
Along the Peiping-Suiyüan Railway
The Japanese forces operating along the Peiping-Suiyüan Railway started an attack on the Chinese troops near Nankow Station at dawn on August 12th, and drove them away from their positions. The right wing of the Japanese troops occupied the Huyu district, while the left wing, at 6 o'clock on the same evening, started an offensive on Nankowchen and the heights to its west. The Japanese reduced Nankowchen at 8 o'clock.
At 4:30 o'clock, the following afternoon, the Japanese troops captured the heights on both sides of the railway line north of Nankowchen. On the evening of August 14th, they dislodged the Chinese 89th division from its positions near Nihang. Thus, the front ranks of the Japanese troops had advanced to the line connecting Huitien and Lungtang, by the evening of August 15th.
The Sakata detachment then succeeded in outflanking the right wing of the enemy positions. This detachment advanced to Sungshupien at 8 o'clock on the morning of August 14th and to a spot near the Great Wall on the evening of the same day. The detachment then attacked the 1,390 metre height held by part of the Chinese 4th division.
The situation along the Peiping-Suiyüan railway steadily developed favourably for Japan. The Japanese troops on the morning of August 18th launched an attack on the Chinese 89th division which had been holding Chuyüngkwan, a narrow defile, and steep ascents on both sides of the pass.
As may be imagined, fierce fighting ensued between the opposing forces, but the Japanese troops reduced Chuyüngkwan at 6 o'clock on the morning of August 23rd, and occupied Shangkwan, another barrier, at 10 o'clock on the morning of August 25th. At 1:30, the same afternoon, the Japanese forces captured Pataling, a former frontier city which was very strongly defended by walls built of stone and brick.
The Japanese then started a drive on the Huailai plain. After crossing the Outer Great Wall on August 24th, they swept everything before them and made a triumphant entry into the city of Huailai at noon, August 27th.
Another Japanese detachment, in concert with the Japanese troops which advanced from Nankow, started operations on August 17th against approximately 3 divisions of Chinese troops, which held the hilly area extending from the district west of the Peiping-Suiyüan railway to Chenpiencheng. At 4 o'clock on the morning of August 22nd, this detachment occupied the 1,120 metre height east of Chenpiencheng and of Huiling to the south. The same evening, the detachment entered Chenpiencheng.
One section of the detachment occupied heights north and west of Chenpiencheng, while another captured a height, 1,390 metres, the highest peak of the Pataling range, about 10 kilometres west of Chuyüngkwan. At dawn, August 24th, the combined Japanese forces broke through the enemy line. At 7 o'clock, the same morning, the vanguard of the Japanese troops passed the line connecting the Great Wall and Shitangtze, about 12 kilometres south of Huailai. The main body of this detachment advanced on the Huailai plain early in the morning of August 25th.
The Japanese military air force in close cooperation with the first line of the Japanese troops dropped bombs on the enemy positions at Yinking and Huaiju from early in the morning of August 24th despite adverse weather conditions. The air bombardments seriously disturbed the rear positions of the Chinese troops.
The Japanese air force attacked not only the Chinese troops retreating south of Shacheng in Chahar province but raided Tatung, strategically the most important point on the Peiping-Suiyüan Railway, and dropped bombs on military establishments there.
The Senda and Nara detachments which also pursued the Chinese troops along the Peiping-Suiyüan Railway captured Kangchuang and Yinking on the evening of August 27th.
The Aihara detachment, after reducing Huailai, continued its westward drive along the Peiping-Suiyüan Railway, and occupied Shacheng at 5:30 o'clock on the afternoon of August 28th. The following
night the detachment made entry into the walled city of Hsinpaoan.
Detachments of the Kwantung Army, operating from the north, started eliminating remnants of the Chinese troops near Kalgan on the morning of August 25th. They entered Kalgan, capital of Chahar province at 11 o'clock on the morning of August 27th. The Tsutsumi detachment of the Kwantung Army captured Hsuanhua on the night of August 28th. About 7 o'clock, the following evening, the detachment occupied Hsiahuayuan where General Tang En-po, commander of the Chinese 13th Army, had set up his headquarters. On the night of August 29th, the Tsutsumi detachment established contact with the Aihara detachment, thus effecting direct contact between the Kwantung Army, operating from the north, and the Japanese Garrison Troops in North China, which advanced from Nankow. Close cooperation between these two Japanese forces hastened the capture of Kalgan and also the Peiping-Suiyüan Railway.
Chinese troops which attempted a drive on the Peiping and Tientsin area along the Peiping-Suiyüan Railway were miserably routed by the Japanese troops. They fled in confusion in the southwestern direction, namely toward Fanshanpu, Taoshanpu and Weihsien, leaving a large number of killed and wounded. It is ascertained that the Chinese 4th and 89th divisions were wiped out with the exception of one or two battalions, while the Chinese 21st and 72nd divisions lost the majority of their numerical strength.
The Kwantung Army in its operations in Chahar captured about 20,000 rounds of dumdum bullets from the Chinese troops up to August 31st.
Along the Peiping-Hankow and the Tientsin-Pukow Railway Lines
Simultaneously with the advance of Chinese Central Government troops along the Peiping-Suiyüan Railway, having the Peiping and Tientsin area as their objective, no less than thirty divisions of the Chinese Central Government troops, about 400,000 strong, moved northward along the Peiping-Hankow and the Tientsin-Pukow Railways up to August 20th with the same object in view. Especially brisk was the Chinese troop movement along the northern section of the Peiping-Hankow railway, from Chochow, 64 kilometres south of Peiping, to the Yungting River via Kuan, about 50 kilometres south of Peiping. Part of the Chinese troops advanced to the base of the mountains northwest of Liangsiang on the Peiping-Hankow
Railway which had been held by the Japanese. Accordingly, the situation became so tense and alarming, that the Japanese troops started operations against those Chinese troops at dawn on August 20th. The following evening the Japanese advanced their positions to the line connecting Tolitsun, Kungshufen and the southern limit of Liangsiang.
On the morning of August 25th, the Japanese troops started a general offensive against the enemy which held the hilly district from Peicheying to Yangtzekang. At 9:30, the same morning, the Japanese succeeded in dislodging the Chinese from the 500 metre and 348 metre heights south of Peicheying.
At 4 o'clock on the afternoon of August 27th, the Japanese troops started artillery bombardments on the 382 metre height about 3 kilometres northwest of Yangtzekang, the last stronghold of the enemy in this district. Assisted by their air force, the Japanese captured the height at 5:15, the same afternoon, thus destroying the Chinese positions west of Tolitsun which menaced the Japanese positions at Liangsiang.
On the other hand, the Hadori detachment, which had advanced south along the defile between mountains from Sangyutsun, attacked and occupied the enemy positions at Huashihpien on the morning of August 28th. The Hadori detachment, in cooperation with the Hisashige detachment, on August 29th launched an attack on the enemy at the 700 metre height about 4 kilometres south of Huashihpien; at 3:30, the same afternoon, the right wing projection of the enemy positions was captured. At 5:30, the following morning, the Japanese completely occupied this height.
Examination of the Chinese soldiers who surrendered to the Japanese in the engagement in a hilly district west of Tolitsun on August 27th and investigation of their belongings revealed the shocking fact that Chinese troops themselves or through inhabitants infected well water and provisions with bacilli in an attempt to massacre the Japanese troops. Fortunately, however, no victim was reported among the Japanese troops which had taken every possible precaution against such inhuman warfare.
Along the Tientsin-Pukow Railway Line
The Akashiba detachment occupied Chinghai on the Tientsin-Pukow railway line about 30 kilometres south of Tientsin on August 24th. This detachment, early in the morning of August 29th, resumed its southward advance and occupied Chenkwantun about 12 kilometres south of Chinghai shortly after 11 o'clock, the same morning. Giving hot chase to the retreating enemy, the detachment
advanced to Lukwantun, about 8 kilometres south of Chenkwantun at 4:30, the same afternoon. There the detachment started preparations for launching an offensive against the remnants of the Chinese 29th Army which had taken up positions at Machang, about 60 kilometres south of Tientsin.
To reconnoitre the enemy positions and also to facilitate the advance of the Akashiba detachment, three Japanese air force units, about 10 o'clock on the morning of August 30th, raided Siaowangchuan and dropped bombs on the military centres there. Japanese air forces also raided Tsangchow where the Chinese troops had established their base of operations, and dropped bombs on the military barracks, the railway station, troop trains and other military establishments, dealing heavy damage to them. The Chinese anti-aircraft guns at Tangkwantun and other places opened furious fire upon the Japanese planes, which, however, all returned to their base in safety.
On August 31st, the Japanese air force again raided Tsangchow and effectively bombarded the railway station, three troop trains and military establishments, as the result of which the city was thrown into confusion.
The Nakai detachment, during a heavy rainfall on August 31st, attacked Wangkouchen, about 12 kilometres west of Chinghai, and occupied it the same night. The enemy fled in confusion, sustaining heavy losses due to the repeated Japanese air bombardments and the fierce onslaught of the Japanese infantry.
The Situation in Chahar
Early in August, the Nanking Government began sending large numbers of troops to Chahar province, which were a serious menace to the security of Manchoukuo. This action constituted a flagrant violation of the Tangku Truce Agreement, and also of the Doihara-Chin Teh-chun Agreement (cf. August, TOKYO GAZETTE). Therefore, the Kwantung Army which is jointly responsible with the Manchoukuoan Army for safeguarding the national defence of Manchoukuo, determined to suppress the Chinese troops in Chahar.
A unit of the Kwantung Army air force started operations, at midnight on August 20th, against the 3,000 Chinese troops which had crossed the Great Wall north of Kalgan and invaded Inner Mongolia. The campaign developed very favourably, so that on August 21st the enemy fled in the direction of Kalgan, crossing the Great Wall south of Changpei, hotly pursued by the Japanese detachment. At 7 o'clock, the following morning, the detachment occupied
Wanchuan. A section of it reached Kungchiachuan at 7 o'clock on August 24th and cut off the Peiping-Suiyüan Railway. At midnight the detachment effected an entry into Kalgan, cut the retreat of the Chinese troops which had invaded Chahar province, and started pursuing the enemy.
The Mongol troops which are cooperating with the Japanese troops encountered a Chinese cavalry force, about 3,000 strong, west of Changpei on the morning of August 24th and routed them with heavy losses.
Situation in the Peiping and Tientsin Area
Peace and order have gradually returned to the Peiping and Tientsin area with the successful Japanese campaign for eliminating remnants of the Chinese 29th Army which infested various places in the area after the main body of the army was routed by the Japanese troops. Representatives of Chinese citizens started a movement for maintaining peace and order, as the result of which a peace maintenance commission was organized in Peiping on July 30th, including Chiang Chao-tsung, formerly acting Premier of the Peking Government, Tsou Chuan-sun and Pan Yu-kuei. A similar peace maintenance commission was also formed in Tientsin on August 1st, including Kao Ling-wei, formerly Premier of the Peking Government, and ten other members. Conditions have been returning to normal in the Peiping and Tientsin districts. Train service between the two cities was resumed on August 6th, and railway, telegraphic and telephonic services between Peiping and Shanhaikwan were partially resumed from August 7th.
The Autonomous Government of East Hopei collapsed for a time with the Tungchow incident, but Chih Tsung-mo, as acting Chief Executive temporarily removed the seat of the government to Tangshan in East Hopei where he has been devoting his energies to the reorganization of the Autonomous Government and restoration of popular confidence.
The Japanese forces entered Peiping at noon of August 8th, when their commander issued a proclamation, assuring the citizens of Peiping that the Japanese troops would be responsible for maintaining peace and order in Peiping.
Shanghai Situation
The Shanghai incident was caused by the Chinese violation of the Shanghai Truce Agreement of 1932. When the situation became aggravated, the Japanese Government sent troops to Shanghai.
Early in the morning of August 23rd, the Japanese troops in cooperation with the Imperial Navy successfully landed near Lotienchen, on the estuary of the Yangtze River, and also near Woosungchen in the face of the enemy. Since then, the Japanese troops in concert with the Marines are steadily advancing their positions, pressing back the Chinese troops.
The Japanese detachment which landed at a point on the estuary of the Yangtze River completely occupied Lotienchen, strategically a very important point on the enemy's left wing, at noon on August 28th, after fierce fighting for 40 hours.
The Asama detachment inaugurated attacks on Yuehpuchen and Lion's Forest Forts on the morning of September 1st. This detachment occupied Lion's Forest Forts about 5 o'clock, the same evening, while a section of it captured Yuehpuchen. The detachment then pressed the Chinese troops southward.
The Japanese detachment which landed near Woosungchen launched an attack on Yinhangchen on the morning of August 27th and occupied an important point near Yinhangchen at 10 o'clock, the same morning. The detachment thus established a position menacing the rear of the enemy at the Chapei and Yangtzepoo districts.
Covered by naval and air forces, the main body of the Takamori detachment successfully effected a landing north of Woosungchen at 10 o'clock on August 31st. The detachment after 50 minutes fighting, occupied Woosungchen and the district north of it in cooperation with another Japanese force which operated from the iron bridge across the Woosung Creek. Fiercely pursuing the enemy which fled in confusion, the detachment at 1 o'clock, the same afternoon, reached the line connecting Lichiatze and the Mercantile Marine School building via Chuchiatze. The following evening, September 1st, the detachment made a further advance and reached the line from the southern limit of Woosung Fort to Tachinchiatsun.
Unit after unit of strong Japanese reinforcements landed near Woosung during the morning and afternoon of September 1st. The three arms of the Japanese forces, land, sea and air, in concerted action are now making combined attacks on the Chinese troops at Tachangchen.
Likewise on September 1st, an additional Japanese military detachment landed at the International Settlement of Shanghai.
II. THE IMPERIAL NAVY IN ACTION
PUBLICITY BUREAU, NAVY DEPARTMENT
The Situation around Shanghai
Following the conclusion between Japan and China of the Agreement for the Cessation of Hostilities on May 5, 1932, China began, as time elapsed, to manifest insincerity in the observance of the agreement. She increased the number of her constabulary. In violation of the stipulations of the agreement, she started to strengthen the military equipments of these policing forces to an unnecessary extent. Likewise, in various parts of the forbidden area, she began to make warlike preparations such as the construction of trenches and other military works, including a secret attempt at the reconstruction of the fortress at Woosung, rearmament of which was strictly prohibited in the terms of the Truce.
Again, since the Sixth Plenary Session of the Central Executive and Supervisory Committee and the Fifth Plenary Session of the Kuomintang Congress, which sessions were held in the autumn of 1935, China had concentrated vast forces of her Central Armies in the district between Nanking and Shanghai. This constituted a grave menace to Japanese rights and interests there; it served somewhat as a turning point in relations between the two countries. Furthermore, China converted regular troops into constabulary and plain-clothes soldiers whom she sent surreptitiously into the forbidden area, where she caused them to construct military works resembling tochkas and various other establishments of warlike character. When Japan protested against such violations of the Truce, China simply dodged the issue, showing no signs of honest dealing, while she continued to exhibit even greater arrogance and contempt toward Japan and the Japanese.
When the present affair broke out in North China, the Nanking Government openly ordered its armies around Shanghai to push preparations against Japan. At the same time, the constabulary in Shanghai secretly and feverishly constructed trenches in the neighbourhood of the Municipal Government Building and Kianwanchen, while in the Chapei district strong sand-bag positions were erected. From August 7th, the Chinese worked night and day constructing tochkas and other military works around the Municipal Government building and the North Station in flagrant violation of
the Truce.
In this warlike atmosphere, at about 6:30 o'clock on the evening of August 9th, an incident occured in which the Chinese Constabulary murdered Lieutenant Isao Oyama and First Class Seaman Yozo Saito of the Japanese Marines. The site of the murders was a point on Monument Road (an extension road of the International Settlement, to the east of the Hungchiao Aviation Field), about three hundred metres to the north of the southeastern gate of the air field.
On the following day, post mortem examinations were conducted on the spot in the presence of the Japanese and Chinese officials concerned. These revealed unspeakable brutality on the part of the constabulary; the fact of their looting was established; and the Chinese, who had been trying to hide their guilt to the last, were compelled to admit the complete falsity of their contentions.
On August 12th the Chinese began to strengthen their garrison at Woosung with regular forces in complete disregard of the Truce, while railway traffic between Nanking and Shanghai was closed to passengers and devoted to military purposes. Then, early in the morning of the following day, Chinese plain-clothes soldiers sniped sentinels of the Japanese Marines on Darroch Road, Dixwell Road and in various other parts of the Settlement. Despite such provocations by the Chinese, the Japanese still remained calm and prudent and refused to take up the challenge. However, upon being fired at by Chinese regulars as well as by plain-clothes soldiers, the Japanese Marines could not but return the fire.
Even under circumstances such as these, the Japanese Navy, earnestly solicitous of saving Shanghai from being involved in hostilities, and of insuring the safety of the lives and property of the three million innocent citizens there, refused to abandon the hope that their desire would somehow be realized. Accordingly, when on August 12th the consuls-general of Great Britain, the United States and France proposed mediation for the cessation of hostilities to the Japanese and Chinese authorities concerned, the Japanese proceeded promptly to give careful consideration to the proposal. Therefore, even when the bi-motor Martin monoplane bombers, the pride of the Chinese air force, appeared over the Japanese quarter of the International Settlement, on the afternoon of August 13th and carried out an intimidating flight toward the Hongkew area at the low altitude of only seven hundred metres, the Japanese took no action, but continued to exert their efforts for a peaceful settlement of the situation, by giving favourable consideration to the mediation proposal.
Apparently construing this peaceful attitude of the Japanese as a sign of weakness, the Chinese forces, ignoring the mediation proposal
of the three Powers, sent a large aerial force over Shanghai on the 14th which not only attacked Japanese Marines and destroyed Japanese property, but wrought havoc with the pier and warehouses owned by British nationals and caused a terrible explosion of oil tanks of the American Standard Oil Company. At about 4:45 o'clock on the afternoon of the same day, the Chinese aeroplanes again appeared over the city and dropped bombs into the midst of several thousand refugees assembled at the Great World, the famous amusement centre of Shanghai. This was followed by another outrage at about 6:30 o'clock, when a Chinese plane dropped two bombs in front of the main entrance of the Cathay Hotel at the corner of Nanking Road, the finest and the most congested business centre of Shanghai. This resulted in numerous casualties as large numbers of refugees were concentrated there at the time of the attack. The scene of the disaster presented an indescribably appalling spectacle. According to the report of the Journal de Shanghai of the following day, casualties caused by these Chinese bombings amounted to 445 killed and 821 wounded in the French Concession and 495 killed and about 600 wounded in the International Settlement.
When the state of affairs came to such a pass, the Imperial Japanese Navy was at last resolved to take the necessary measures and commenced operations with lightning speed after issuing the following statement on August 14th:
The outrageousness of the Chinese in the Oyama incident has been definitely ascertained by the post mortem examination held on the spot in the presence of Japanese and Chinese representatives and members of the Shanghai Municipal Council. Notwithstanding this the Chinese have not only failed to reflect on their wrong act, but have manifested an aggressive attitude toward us, thereby rendering the situation around Shanghai extremely strained. However, in consideration of the international character of Shanghai with its many foreign residents, Japan has continued to exert utmost caution. Accordingly, we have done nothing other than respond to the wanton attacks made against us by the Chinese forces since last night, and we have refrained from attacking the Chinese aeroplanes flying low over the Settlement, in view of the fact that we were deliberating on the proposal of mediation, submitted on the 13th by the ambassadors of third Powers, to Japan and China. But at about 4 a.m. today, the 14th, more than ten Chinese aeroplanes went the length of perpetrating the outrage of bombing our warships, the headquarters of our Marines, our Consulate-General and other places. The Imperial Japanese Navy, which has consistently maintained an attitude of patience and perseverance until today, has now finally been compelled to resort to all such measures as are necessary and effectual. That we have been forced to take this step is greatly regretted in view of
the hope for peaceful settlement which we have always entertained, but it is indeed unavoidable.
The Determined Fighting of the Marines
From that date, the Japanese Marines numbering only several thousand, opposed the overwhelmingly large Chinese forces scores of times as numerous as themselves. And though successively harassed night and day by the raids of the Chinese regular troops and by the intrusion of plain-clothes soldiers, they tenaciously held their positions in the area extending from Hongkew to Yantzepoo, by inflecting heavy losses on the enemy. However, in view of the necessity of clearing the environs of Shanghai of the enemy forces, in order to assure the safety of the international metropolis, Imperial Army contingents forced a landing in the face of enemy fire, perhaps the most difficult of military operations, in the grey of the morning of August 23rd, under cover of Japanese warships and aerial forces. After an hour of hand-to-hand fighting, they occupied the enemy positions.
The morale of Japanese forces on the Shanghai front was greatly heightened by the landing of Army contingents. Thus all Imperial forces began a concerted advance; they secured their lines around the Settlement, repulsed the enemy's air raids and repeated counter-attacks, and swept the Chinese plain-clothes soldiers from the rear which the latter had been attempting to disturb.
By these activities of the Japanese forces, communications in the Yangtzepoo area have been secured; various public utilities, such as water-supply and electric light and telephone services have just begun to be restored, so that the going and coming of foreigners in that district has increased. And while keeping strict guard against the surreptitious entry of lawless Chinese elements, the Japanese forces have at the same time begun a general readjustment within the Settlement.
The Closing of the Chinese Sea Coast to Traffic of Chinese Vessels
Time and again the Japanese Government has made it clear that, despite its earnest efforts to prevent an aggravation of the situation, hostilities have unavoidably been extended. Since the situation has assumed serious proportions, the adoption of all effective measures to destroy the fighting power of China appears to be the sole means of making China reconsider her erroneous attitude and of bringing the affair promptly to an end, thereby restoring peace as soon as possible.
From this viewpoint, the Imperial Japanese Navy decided to close the Chinese sea coast, extending from the mouth of the Yangtze River through Fuchow and Amoy to Swatow, to traffic of both government and private vessels of China, and issued, on August 25th, the following proclamation in the name of the Commander-in-Chief of the Third Fleet.
I hereby proclaim that, beginning at 6:00 p.m., August 25, 1937, the sea coast of China from 32°4′ north latitude and 121°44′ east longitude, to 23°14′ north latitude and 116°48′ east longitude is closed to the traffic of Chinese government and private vessels by the naval force under my command.
The present closure shall be valid against all Chinese vessels.
Traffic of vessels of third Powers as well as those of Japan in the area closed by the present proclamation will not be interrupted.
Done on August 25, 1937. Vice-Admiral Kiyoshi Hasegawa Commander-in-Chief of the Third Fleet.
Subsequently, the Japanese Navy decided to extend the area of the closure to the entire Chinese sea coast. On September 5th the following proclamations were issued:
I hereby proclaim that, beginning at 6:00 p.m., September 5, 1937, the Chinese sea coast from 40° north latitude and 119°54′ east longitude, to 34°30′ north latitude and 119°55′ east longitude, except Tsingtao, is closed to traffic of Chinese government and private vessels by the naval force under my command. The present closure shall be valid against all Chinese vessels, and there will be no interference with vessels of third Powers as well as those of Japan.
Done on September 5, 1937. Vice-Admiral Zengo Yoshida. Commander-in-Chief of the Second Fleet."
"I hereby proclaim that, beginning at 6:00 p.m., September 5, 1937, the Chinese sea coast from 34°30′ north latitude and 119°55′ east longitude to 21°33′ north latitude and 108°03′ east longitude, except leased territories of third Powers, is closed to traffic of government and private vessels of China.
The present closure shall be valid against all Chinese vessels, and there will be no interference with vessels of third Powers as well as those of Japan.
This proclamation supersedes the proclamation issued by me on August 25, 1937.
Done on September 5, 1937. Vice-Admiral Kiyoshi Hasegawa. Commander-in-Chief of the Third Fleet
Activities of the Naval Air Force
On the afternoon of August 14th Vice-Admiral Hasegawa, Commander-in-Chief of the Third Fleet, issued the following important statement:
The Third Fleet has been forced to take necessary defensive measures an account of provocative attacks by the Chinese forces. Consequently, the people dwelling in the areas occupied by Chinese forces and in the neighbourhoods of their military establishments are advised to move to other suitable districts.
Soon after the issuance of the above proclamation, an order was dispatched to the Japanese Naval Flying Corps which had been awaiting action. No sooner had the order been received than the pick of the Imperial Naval air force began operations. Breaking through the raging centre of a typhoon, crossing over vast expanses of the sea, and braving all other hazards of the elements both night and day, the Japanese planes flew not only over Shanghai and its neighbourhood but deep into the interior of China, and conducted aerial campaigns unprecedented in the annals of aerial warfare. The activities of the Naval Flying Corps may be gleaned from the following records.
August 14th:
An aerial force hopped off from its base braving stormy weather. At about 6:30 o'clock in the morning, one of its units bombed the air fields of Hangchow, Chiekiao and Kiaossu, while another unit bombed the Kuangte Air Field. By these air raids Japanese forces destroyed an aerodrome and several planes lying outside the aerodrome at Chiekiao, and two hangars and several planes lying outside the aerodrome at Kuangte. In an aerial combat they shot down four enemy planes.
In the bombing attack on Hangchow, one Japanese bomber (commanded by a petty officer of the Naval air force) received seventy shots, large and small, from anti-aircraft guns, and from over ten enemy fighters. One of the engines and the wireless apparatus of the plane were shot through and rendered useless, but the pilot valiantly continued to fight, and, after shooting down two enemy planes, he returned his plane safely to its base. The return flight, made alone, since much time had elapsed, was managed successfully through a dangerous storm over the sea, with but the remaining engine functioning. The bravery and composure of such a crew as this are indeed worthy of highest admiration; the power of Japanese aeroplanes has been demonstrated to the world.
August 15th:
1. A squadron approached the Nanchang Air Field around noon, although its planes lost sight of one another in the dense atmosphere caused by a raging rain storm. This field was bombed, and nine enemy planes outside the aerodrome were destroyed in addition to serious damage which was inflicted on the commanding headquarters and on the field itself.
2. A squadron raided Nanking at about 9:30 o'clock in the morning. Flying low through rain over the air bases in and around the Chinese capital, Japanese planes bombed and destroyed three aerodromes, commanding headquarters, and over eight planes of the Chinese force. This squadron also engaged in severe aerial combats over Soochow and Nanking. The definite number of enemy planes shot down in these encounters was nine.
3. A squadron representing the pick of the Japanese Naval air force flew to Kiaossu and Shaosing (on the southern coast of Hangchow Bay) in spite of terrible weather conditions. At about 9:00 o'clock in the morning, the planes bombed the enemy airfields at these points, destroying six planes lying on the ground, and inflicting damage on the aerodromes.
Another squadron bombed the Chiekiao Air Field at about 3:30 in the morning and caused damage to the field and hangars. At the time these bombings were carried out, the Japanese planes engaged with a large force of enemy fighting planes, and shot down nine of them.
4. A squadron bombed the Hangchow Air Field, destroying a fighting plane and four hangars.
The loss sustained by the Japanese forces in the bombing raids carried out in the two days described above amounted to eight planes, the majority of which were lost on account of daring flights made while flying at low altitudes during stormy weather.
August 16th:
1. A squadron raided the Kasing Air Field at about 6:00 o'clock in the morning during heavy rainfall. Eight Chinese planes that were preparing for action were destroyed, while two other planes were shot down in the air. Another squadron bombed the Hungchow Air Field and destroyed two enemy planes. Additionally, a hangar, a barrack house and other buildings were shattered to pieces. In this attack, a slight injury received by one aviator was the extent of the Japanese casualties.
2. With part of its force, the corps which, in the forenoon,
bombed the Chinese air bases at Kasing and Hungchiao and inflicted severe damages on them, cooperated with Japanese Marines, and bombed the enemy artillery positions in Kiangwanchen, Nansiang and Tachangchen several times during the morning and afternoon. Another unit of the same corps, engaging in aerial combat, shot down two Douglas planes and one Corsaire plane without sustaining any loss to itself.
3. Leaving their base early in the morning, two bombing squadrons, one for Küyung and the other for Yangchow, bombed these two places at 11:00 o'clock in the morning and 0:30 in the afternoon, respectively. At Küyung, the Japanese force bombed and destroyed thirteen enemy fighting planes that lay outside the aerodrome, and in aerial combat shot down eleven out of twenty enemy fighters. At Yangchow, the Japanese planes bombed and destroyed six large and three small enemy planes which were lying outside the aerodrome, and in aerial combat shot down two enemy machines.
In these two raids, the Japanese loss consisted solely of one plane which was missing. One of the planes which raided Küyung lost sight of its companion fliers due to inclement weather. It remained to engage in combat with additional enemy planes, and shot down three of them. Although it received numerous bullets in its fuselage, some of which pierced its fuel tank and injured members of the crew, it returned to its base without mishap, as the crew selected a suitable course with admirable presence of mind.
4. A squadron which hopped from its base at night, taking advantage of the darkness, made a surprise attack on the Nanchang Air Field. After inflicting extensive damages to the enemy, it returned safely to its base.
By similar series of operations, the Japanese Naval air force carried on bombing expeditions to Pengpu, Hwaiyin, Haining, Nanking, Chiuchiang, Kuangteh, Chuchow, Hankow, Hsiaokan and other places. By shooting down numerous aeroplanes of the enemy, and by cooperating with the Japanese troops, the Corps has wrested control of the air around Shanghai.
Evacuation of Japanese Nationals in China
Since the outset of the present affair, the Imperial Japanese Navy has adopted a most careful attitude to prevent the affair from spreading to Central and South China and has devoted efforts toward the protection of Japanese nationals as well as their rights and interests in China. However, anti-Japanese acts in China daily increased in violence and insidiousness. Chinese merchants conducting
any business relations with Japanese were persecuted as traitors, and finally the Chinese began to hurl stones at Japanese women and children as well as to refuse to sell any provisions to Japanese residents. Under such circumstances, the Chinese employees of Japanese firms and factories ceased to attend to their work for fear of persecution likely to be dealt on them by their own people, thereby compelling the closure of the firms and factories. General business transactions by Japanese ceased and their livelihood was menaced. Moreover, Chinese armies and constabulary constructed various military works around the Japanese Concession and other Japanese-inhabited districts, while these forces were rapidly concentrated so as to besiege the Japanese areas. The general condition of affairs became such that the dreadful Tungchow incident (cf. August TOKYO GAZETTE) might be repeated at any moment in those districts. In view of such circumstances, it was decided to evacuate Japanese residents from the upper regions of the Yangtze River.
Evacuation of Japanese nationals from various points along the Yangtze began toward the end of July under the protection of Japanese warships. This progressed so steadily that all Japanese residents numbering 2,800, scattered in different places along the river extending over 1,000 sea miles between Chungking and Shanghai, were evacuated without a single mishap within the brief period of some days.
In Tsingtao an incident occurred on August 14th in which two Japanese seamen patrolling the streets were shot by Chinese plain-clothes soldiers. The alarm caused by this affair subsided following diplomatic negotiations; but when on August 21st the corps of Chinese Salt Guards dispatched by the Nanking Government came into the Tsangkow district and replaced the local police, the situation again became so tense that the evacuation of all Japanese women and children was carried out on August 23rd. Three days later, namely on August 26th, an order was issued for the evacuation of all remaining Japanese. They quit the port city, leaving behind them their entire property and business for which they had toiled for past decades.