In Sep 1931 the Mukden Incident led to Japanese troops entering Chinese territory of Manchuria, which subsequently led to the establishment of the puppet state Manchukuo in Feb 1932. The occupation of Manchuria by Japanese troops deeply humiliated the Chinese, leading to mass protests (mostly by students) against Japanese spheres of influence and called for a wide boycott of Japanese goods. Scenes of public burning of Japanese goods were not uncommon. Much of the hatred for the Japanese was also rooted in the First Sino-Japanese War that took place only thirty years earlier. One of such protests turned violent, resulting in the injury of several Japanese officials. Soon after, a group of Chinese soldiers "violated" boundaries forcefully set by the Japanese of where the Chinese military could operate in Shanghai, clashing with Japanese in the city. The Japanese government, which held 7,000 troops outside the city centered around a sizeable naval fleet, demanded apology and monetary compensation from the government in Shanghai, who helplessly complied. Nevertheless, Japanese carrier aircraft bombed the city on 28 Jan 1932; it was the first major aircraft carrier action in the Far East. Following the bombing, 3,000 Japanese troops marched into Shanghai, clashing with the Chinese 19th Route Army. Despite urgings from the United States and Britain to cease aggression even before the violence had broken out, Japan continued fighting.
On 30 Jan, Chiang Kaishek met with his advisers in Nanjing and decided to temporarily move the capital from Nanjing to Luoyang as an emergency measure due to Nanjing's proximity to Shanghai. Chiang stressed the importance for the 19th Route Army to hold Shanghai, and assigned the defense of Nanjing to the 61th Division and the German-trained 87th and 88th Divisions. The three divisions in Nanjing was to serve as reserve forces for Shanghai.
By mid-Feb, Japanese 24th Mixed Brigade and 9th Division had both arrived in Shanghai as reinforcements. On 14 Feb, at the request of the Chinese 19th Route Army, the 87th and 88th Divisions, support by other independent units, were sent in to Shanghai as the 5th Army. At the time, the 5th Army was considered the best fighting force in China due to its superb German training and modern equipment.
Read Full Article »