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Defense of Sihang Warehouse

Coordinates: 31°14′32″N 121°27′59″E / 31.242183°N 121.466298°E / 31.242183; 121.466298
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Battle of Sihang Warehouse
Part of the Battle of Shanghai in
the Second Sino-Japanese War

Sihang Warehouse during the battle
Date (1937-10-26) (1937-11-01)October 26 – November 1, 1937
(6 days)
Location
Zhabei, Shanghai, China
31°14′32″N 121°27′59″E / 31.242183°N 121.466298°E / 31.242183; 121.466298
Result Withdrawal of Chinese forces to British concession on November 1st
Belligerents
 Republic of China  Empire of Japan
Commanders and leaders
Republic of China (1912–1949) Xie Jinyuan Okawachi Denshichi
Units involved

Republic of China (1912–1949) 88th Division

  • 1st Battalion, 524th Regiment

Shanghai Special Naval Landing Force[1]

  • 10th Battalion (reinforced)
  • 8th and 9th Companies
Strength
410-420 soldiers[2] 1180 naval infantry[3][4]
Casualties and losses
Xie's Claim:[5]
10 killed
37 wounded
2022 Western Estimate:[6]
34 killed and missing
Japanese Claim:
~80 killed[7]
 Japanese Claim:
2 killed, 40 wounded[8][9][7]
Chinese and Western estimate:
200+ killed[10][11]
Hundreds wounded
4 tanks destroyed or damaged[5]
Several armored cars destroyed or damaged
Defense of Sihang Warehouse is located in Shanghai
Defense of Sihang Warehouse
class=notpageimage|
Location within Shanghai
Sihang Warehouse
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese四行倉庫
Simplified Chinese四行仓库
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinSìháng Cāngkù
Eight Hundred Heroes
Traditional Chinese八百壯士
Simplified Chinese八百壮士
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinBābǎi Zhùangshì
Japanese name
Kanji四行倉庫
Transcriptions
Romanizationshikousouko

The Battle of Sihang Warehouse (Chinese: 四行倉庫保衛戰) took place from October 26 to November 1, 1937, and marked the beginning of the end of the three-month Battle of Shanghai in the opening phase of the Second Sino-Japanese War. Defenders of the warehouse held out against numerous waves of Japanese forces and covered Chinese forces retreating west during the Battle of Shanghai.

Accounts from Chinese, Japanese, and Western sources on the Defense of Sihang Warehouse vary significantly in nature, with both Chinese and Western accounts remembering the conflict as an excellent defense against a vastly numerically superior enemy, while Japanese records point to the defense being a relatively unremarkable event within the entire Battle of Shanghai.

Regardless of the integrity of Chinese and Japanese claims, the defense of the warehouse and media reporting of the event provided a morale-lifting consolation to the Chinese army and people in the demoralizing aftermath of the Japanese invasion of China.[12] The warehouse's location just across the Suzhou Creek from the foreign concessions in Shanghai meant the battle took place in full view of the western powers.

Background

Map of the area around the warehouse:
  Sihang Warehouse, garrisoned by NRA troops
  Foreign concessions, international settlements

By 26 October 1937, Chinese resistance in the district of Zhabei was faltering. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek wanted to withdraw all forces in the area to defend the rural western regions of Shanghai, and ordered Gu Zhutong, acting commander of the 3rd Military Region, to leave the 88th Division behind to buy time and canvass international support by showing the other nations of the Nine Powers (which were to convene on 6 November) China's determination to resist the Japanese war of aggression.[13]

Neither Gu, Sun nor Zhang were about to disobey Chiang's orders, but Sun (via Zhang) suggested to Gu that the number of troops left to cover the withdrawal would not matter for such a show of determination. In his words, "How many people we sacrifice would not make a difference; it would achieve the same purpose."[14]

At 10 p.m. on 26 October, the 524th Regiment, based at the Shanghai North Railway Station, received orders to withdraw to the divisional headquarters at Sihang Warehouse. 1st Battalion commander Yang Ruifu was distraught at having to abandon a position he had held for more than two months.[15]

Order of battle and equipment

National Revolutionary Army

Lieutenant Colonel Xie Jinyuan, commander of the Chinese force
  • 524th Regiment, 88th Division: Regimental commander (CO), Army Lieutenant Colonel Xie Jinyuan
    Executive officer (XO), Army Major Shangguan Zhibiao (上官志標)
    • 1st Battalion, 524th Regiment: Battalion Commander, Army Major Yang Ruifu (楊瑞符)
      • 1st Company, 1st Battalion: Company commander, Army Captain Tao Xingchun (陶杏春)
      • 2nd Company, 1st Battalion: Company commander, Army Captain Deng Ying (鄧英)
      • 3rd Company, 1st Battalion: Company commander, Army Captain Shi Meihao (石美豪, wounded), Army Captain Tang Di (唐棣)
      • Machine Gun Company, 1st Battalion: Company commander, Army Captain Lei Xiong (雷雄)

Initially containing around 800 men, the 1st was technically an over-strength battalion, but casualties suffered over the course of the Battle of Shanghai reduced its actual strength just prior to the battle to 452 men (some sources give 423), including officers. Because of the confusion of the general retreat, some units may have failed to make it to the warehouse, which caused a further reduction in strength, down to only 414 men present at the beginning of the battle. Two months of intense fighting had also whittled down the original German-trained troops, and after five rounds of reinforcements, the majority of soldiers and officers in the battalion were garrison troops from the surrounding provinces.[16]

Most of the men were from the 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment of the Hubei Provincial Garrison. Hubei did not want to send its best troops to Shanghai, as these had trained over a decade to fight against the Chinese Communists. Thus, many of the soldiers sent as reinforcements to Shanghai were green recruits, with the latest batch recruited after the outbreak of war on 7 July.[14]

The regiment was assigned used equipment from the front-line troops of the 88th, and was well equipped considering the poor equipment that most Chinese forces had. Photos and records show that soldiers were each issued a rifle, likely a Hanyang 88 or Chiang Kai-shek rifle, 300 rounds of 8 mm Mauser, two crates of grenades, a German-made M1935 helmet, a gas mask, and food pouch.[15] There was a total of 27 light machine guns, mostly Czech ZB vz.26, approximately one for each squad. The four water-cooled Type 24 Maxim guns were the only heavy weapons available to the battalion—a mortar platoon assigned to them was never mentioned by participants of the battle, and was therefore unlikely to have joined the battle.[14]

Imperial Japanese Navy

Captain Okawachi Denshichi had been assigned command of the Shanghai SNLF on November 16, 1936, and was promoted to Rear Admiral at the beginning of the following month. Prior to the Battle of Shanghai the Shanghai SNLF had a strength of just over 2300 men, but in response to the Oyama Incident on August 9, 1937, the force would be hastily reinforced with Special Naval Landing Forces and ship crews deployed on land. Reinforcements would continue to arrive throughout the course of the battle, eventually bringing the force to just over 10,000 men in strength by October 1937.[4]

On October 27, 1937, the Shanghai SNLF began their advance on Zhabei, organizing their 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 10th, and 12th Battalions into the "Zhabei Force" for the operation. The Shanghai SNLF 10th Battalion would be assigned to the Zhabei Force’s Southern Section and serve as the main force opposing the defenders of Sihang Warehouse.[17]

The 10th Battalion had been raised in August 1937 from some 520 reservists at the Sasebo and Kure Naval Districts. Lieutenant Commander Haji Kitaro, an instructor at the Naval Gunnery School in Yokosuka was appointed as to the Shanghai SNLF to serve as the battalion's commander.[18] Since landing in Shanghai on August 19, the battalion had engaged in intense urban combat and suffered a number of casualties.

During the assault on Sihang Warehouse, the Shanghai SNLF 10th Battalion would be reinforced by roughly 260 sailors of the Yokosuka 2nd Independent SNLF Company and another 200 sailors from the Kure 1st SNLF 2nd Company. The Shanghai SNLF’s 8th and 9th Companies, originally attached to the 4th Battalion (Artillery Battalion), would also provide support with howitzers and mountain guns.[3][4][19]

Battle

Western Account of Events

With the Sihang Warehouse sitting directly opposite to the International Settlement across the Suzhou River, the struggle of the Lost Battalion of Chinese defenders held up in the warehouse became a spectacle for foreigners in Shanghai. The North-China Herald, an English-language newspaper based in Shanghai, China, and regarded as the most influential foreign newspaper of its time, reported heavily on the events.

The existence of the Chinese defenders was made known in the October 28, 1937 issue of The North-China Herald reporting on the Japanese capture of Zhabei that occurred the day prior. While it was reported most of the Chinese forces had abandoned the city, a Chinese unit was observed in a godown near North Thibet Road along the Suzhou Creek. The unit of stragglers still held strong and all efforts by the Japanese to dislodge them had so far proved ineffective. Noting their heroism and gallantry, the issue further described these defenders as a battalion of 500 men from the 88th Division, with 150 thought to have barricaded themselves in the warehouse. Authorities attempted to persuade the defenders to lay down their weapons and surrender in the International Settlement, but the defenders stated they were "determined to die for China." The battalion commander also requested Mayor Yui supply his men with 500 lb. salt, 500 lb. sugar, and 50,000 Chinese biscuits. The Japanese were reported to began attempts to break into the warehouse around 10 AM, targeting the warehouse from North Suzhou Road they were soon met with intense fire from the Chinese. The Japanese, about fifty men strong, were observed pushing the Chinese from their frontline sandbag positions with hand grenades back to their secondary lines and eventually their fortifications in front of the warehouse. However when the Japanese reached the edge of the warehouse, they were met with Chinese hand grenades and forced to take cover under the ledge. Chinese machine gun fire from one of the windows drove the Japanese to abandon their cause. Casualties were reported for both sides.

A touching scene developed on October 28 as a crowd of spectators had gathered to observe the action and praise the defenders for their bravery. Japanese troops were reported to have been making efforts to take the warehouse but were beaten back each time by the Chinese after brief exchanges of fire.

It was reported that early in the morning of October 29 the defenders raised their national flag on the rooftop of the warehouse. Crowds continued to gather to watch the event unfold and some were observed carrying food for the defenders. One Chinese observer, a 31-year old Shanghai City Government employee, was mistaken for a Japanese spy and beaten to death by a mob before authorities could arrive to save the man. Two Japanese pinnaces carrying some 30 Naval Landing Force troops travelled up the Suzhou River but were stopped at the North Chekiang Road Bridge at 2:45 PM by a British officer. While the Japanese officer aboard stated they were heading up the creek to assit the Shanghai Fire Brigade, they were thought to be in fact planned for use in their attack on the Sihang Warehouse. British and Japanese consular conferred over the matter, with the painnaces removed from the river for at 4:30 PM. The Japanese continued in their efforts to take the warehouse, peppering the building with rifle and grenade fire while reinforcing their machine gun position on North Suzhou Road. In the afternoon the Japanese intensified their attacks, shelling the warehouse with a barrage of four rounds from their field guns at 3 PM. At around 4 PM one Japanese troop rushed into the open and fired a number of shots into the corner of the warehouse, causing the defenders to take cover. Although wounded from the returning Chinese fire, the Japanese attacker escaped. Overall, no major changes to the situation had occurred.

The North China Herald reported the fiercest fighting yet on October 31. From dusk the Japanese attackers, having announced their intentions to do so earlier in the day, launched an attack on the Warehouse with heavy machine guns, hand grenades, and artillery—scoring direct hits on the lost battalion's stronghold. Heavy fighting was reported in the early hours with shots flying all over the district. Several shells fell into the Central district around 1:45 AM, one hitting the North-China Daily News building and injuring three Chinese. At 2 AM it was reported that the warehouse was on fire and a number of the Chinese had already crossed the river where they surrendered to British troops. About 370 Chinese troops were taken in by the British troops while ambulances were rush in for another 50 wounded. The Japanese were subsequently reported to be in possession of the building. Similarly the American Consul General at Shanghai reported that during the night of the 30th the Japanese succeeded in dislodging the Chinese soldiers holding out in Zhabei with the use of their artillery. Further noting 300 Chinese survivors had crossed to the British lines and laid down their arms and that several buildings in the downtown district were hit by Japanese shells during the fighting.

Chinese account of events

October 27

The Shanghai North Railway Station, after months of fighting and bombing.

The various companies of the battalion were spread out across the front lines that night. Yang Ruifu sent the 1st Company to Sihang Warehouse and personally led the 2nd Company. The 3rd Company, Machine Gun Company and part of the 1st Company could not be contacted. What initially seemed a disastrous start to the defense was averted at nine in the morning, when these companies turned up at the warehouse, having heard the orders through word of mouth from other forces that had retreated from Zhabei. That these men essentially volunteered for this suicidal mission was later noted by Chiang Kai-shek as exemplary soldierly conduct.[13]

In early morning, news circulated throughout Shanghai that there were still Chinese forces defending Zhabei at Sihang Warehouse. This piqued the interest of Girl Guide Yang Huimin, who later played a large part in this battle. At around 4 a.m. she walked to the British guard post at the Chinese end of New Lese Bridge, where she noticed a British soldier throwing a pack of cigarettes into the warehouse.[20]

Yang asked the soldier what he was doing, and he answered that there were Chinese soldiers inside. She wrote a message and asked the British soldier to stuff it in a pack of cigarettes and throw it over. After a while a message was thrown back saying that the soldiers in the warehouse wanted food, ammunition and lubricant for their firearms. She left the bridge and pleaded with the head of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce, who initially did not believe her story, much to her frustration.[20]

Xie deployed the 1st Company on the right side of the warehouse along Tibet Road, the 3rd Company on the left across from the Bank of Communications building, and the 2nd Company on the other sides. Two heavy machine guns were installed on the roof, and the other machine guns were spread out to each company.[15]

At 1 p.m. a column of Japanese soldiers were ambushed when trying to secure the outlying fortifications, which had been rigged with explosive booby traps; Chinese gunfire and grenade traps killed eight to ten Japanese soldiers.[21] At 2 p.m. a group of Chinese reconnaissance troops, led by platoon leader Yin Qiucheng (尹求成), exchanged fire with around fifty Japanese soldiers. Chinese defenders continued developing defenses by sealing the warehouse's doors, windows and entry points, as well as constructing makeshift dummy positions on the perimeter to draw Japanese fire and waste ammunition.[22] A short while after, a Japanese company consisting of 194 infantry with machine gun and light artillery support[23] attacked the warehouse from the west, eventually forcing the defenders to retreat inside the warehouse. 3rd Company commander Shi Meihao was shot in the face but continued to command the defense until he was shot again in the leg. About seventy Japanese soldiers had taken cover in a blind spot at the south-west of the warehouse. Chinese troops climbed on the roof and threw mortar rounds and grenades down at the Japanese, killing seven Japanese and wounding between twenty and thirty.[24][25][15][26] A witnessing journalist estimated that around sixty Japanese were killed in total during the assault by machine gun fire and grenades.[27][28]

October 28

Yang Huimin with the ROC flag.

The defenders rushed to construct fortifications during the night; nobody was given any sleep. In the morning Xie contacted the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce, whose telephone number was provided by Yang Huimin.[20]

At 7 a.m. a flight of Japanese bombers circled the warehouse but did not drop any bombs, for fear of hitting the concessions. They were driven away from the warehouse by anti-aircraft fire. At 8 a.m. Xie gave a pep talk to the defenders and inspected the defenses constructed by the soldiers. While on the roof, he noticed a group of Japanese soldiers along the Suzhou River, which according to Yang Ruifu's memoirs was some 1 km (1,100 yd) away. Xie grabbed a rifle and shot; one of them promptly fell.[15]

Meanwhile, the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce was overjoyed at the news of Chinese defenders left in Zhabei, and news of this spread quickly through radio. Crowds numbering around thirty thousand gathered on the southern bank of the Suzhou River in the rain, cheering the defenders on. More than ten truckloads of aid were donated by Shanghai's citizens.[20]

The same night, the Chamber of Commerce decided to send the soldiers a flag of the Republic of China.[20][29] Regiment-sized Chinese units did not carry army or national flags during the war, so when Yang Huimin delivered the flag to the warehouse, Xie had to personally accept the flag as the highest-ranking officer present. Yang Huimin asked for the soldiers' plans, to which the answer "Defend to the death!" was given. Yang Huimin, moved, asked for a list of all the soldiers' names to announce to the entire country.[20]

As doing so would inform the Japanese of their real strength, Xie did not want to release this information. However, he did not want to disappoint Yang Huimin either. Instead, he asked someone to write down around 800 names from the original roster of the 524th Regiment, and this fake name list was given to her. According to Yang Ruifu, the wounded soldiers sent out earlier that night were also ordered to say 800 if questioned about their strength. Thus the story of the "800 Heroes" spread.[15]

October 29

Chinese light machine gun position

In the early morning of 29 October, residents of Shanghai found a 4-metre-wide (13 ft) flag of the Republic of China flying atop Sihang warehouse. Yang Huimin had only brought the flag, and the defenders did not have a flag pole in the warehouse. Therefore, the flag was hoisted on a makeshift pole made of two bamboo culms tied together. Only a small group of soldiers attended the flag-raising ceremony.[20]

The crowd gathered across the river, reportedly thirty thousand strong,[30] was jubilant, shouting "Long live the Republic of China!" (Chinese: 中華民國萬歲！; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó wànsuì！), while the Japanese were furious and sent aircraft to attack the flag.[15] Because of heavy anti-aircraft fire and fear of hitting the foreign concessions, the planes soon left without destroying the flag. Meanwhile, two days of fighting had damaged or destroyed many field fortifications around the warehouse, and the warehouse itself was also damaged.

Sihang Warehouse burns during the battle (Taken by Royal Welsh Fusilier John Montgomery)

At noon the Japanese mounted the largest assault thus far. Hundreds of Japanese infantry attacked the warehouse from all directions with artillery fire and support from Type 94 Te-Ke tankettes.[31] Warned of the attack by spectators, Chinese soldiers resisted the assault from all three sides under intense artillery fire. The Japanese assault pushed the 3rd Company out of their defensive line at the base of the warehouse and forced them into the warehouse itself. The west side of the warehouse originally lacked windows, but the Japanese artillery attacks conveniently opened up firing holes for the defenders. Groups of Japanese soldiers tried to scale the warehouse's walls to the second floor with ladders, but Chinese defenders pushed them over and returned fire with rifles and machine guns.[32] Xie just happened to be at the window where one of the ladders appeared from. He grabbed the first Japanese soldier's rifle, choked him with the other hand, pushed him off, and finally shot another Japanese soldier on the ladder before pushing the ladder off.[26]

During the height of the battle, a group of Japanese soldiers attempted to plant explosives at the base of the West Wall to breach it. Upon noticing this, 21-year old Chinese private Chen Shusheng, strapped grenades to himself and jumped off the building into the group of Japanese soldiers, killing twenty Japanese soldiers in a suicide attack.[15][33][34][35] The fighting lasted until dark, with Japanese waves now frequently supported by armoured fighting vehicles and artillery fire against the fortified Chinese positions, but to no progress and with heavy casualties.[25]

Japanese troops attempted to flank the warehouse from the river, but were stopped by a makeshift boom fashioned out of Chinese junks at the Zhejiang Road Bridge. British troops in the Settlement refused to move the boom due to the violation of the British Settlement sector, and escorted the Japanese sailors back.[36]

Finally, after all else had failed, the Japanese used an excavator and tried to dig a tunnel towards the warehouse. in conjunction with tank assaults. During this day's battle, Chinese citizens across the river helped the soldiers by writing on large posters, warning of the Japanese army's movements.[15]

October 30 to November 1

The Japanese launched a new wave of attack at 7 a.m. on the 30th. There were fewer infantry assaults at the warehouse this time; the Japanese attack was mainly concentrated artillery fire. Because of the sturdy construction and the abundance of sandbags and materials with which to fortify and mend the warehouse, the defenders simply repaired the warehouse while the Japanese tried to destroy it. Artillery fire was so rapid, recalled Yang Ruifu, that there was approximately one shell every second.[15]

The foreigners in the concessions in Shanghai did not want the site of combat to be so close to them. With that consideration in mind, and faced with pressure from the Japanese, they agreed to try to convince the Chinese to cease resisting. On the 29th the foreigners submitted a petition to the Nationalist Government to stop the fighting "for humanitarian concerns". To Chiang, the battle was already won as most of the Chinese forces in Shanghai had successfully been redeployed to defend more favourable positions, and the defense of the warehouse now had the attention of the western world, so he gave the go-ahead for the regiment to retreat on 31 October. A meeting was arranged with the British general Telfer-Smollett through the commandant of Shanghai Auxiliary Police (上海警備), Yang Hu (楊虎),[14] and it was decided the 524th would retreat to the foreign concessions and then rejoin the rest of the 88th Division, which had been fighting in west Shanghai. The Japanese commander Matsui Iwane also agreed and promised to let the defenders retreat, but later reneged on the deal. Xie, on the other hand, wanted to remain in the warehouse and fight to the last man. Zhang Boting finally convinced Xie to retreat.[14][37]

At midnight, 1 November, Xie led 376 men in small groups toward the British concession across New Lese Bridge. At least ten defenders had died during the battle, and another 27 were too heavily wounded to be moved. Consequently, these men agreed to stay behind to man the machine guns and cover the retreat of the remaining forces.[15] During the crossing, two to six soldiers were killed, and ten were wounded by Japanese machine gun and artillery fire.[38] By 2 a.m. the retreat was complete.

Japanese Account of Events

Troops of the Shanghai SNLF 10th Battalion "Haji Unit" celebrate outside of the Shanghai North Railway Station in Zhabei.

At 0505 hours on October 27, 1937, the Imperial Japanese Navy's Shanghai Special Naval Landing Force (Shanghai SNLF) ordered their forces to launch a general assault on Zhabei. With few of Chiang's defenders left in the Zhabei, the Shanghai SNLF moved through the district and captured former enemy strongholds with relative ease. By around 1800 hours Zhabei had largely fallen to the Japanese, with the exception of the Four Banks' Joint Warehouse (Sihang Warehouse), where the Shanghai SNLF reported approximately 800 enemy troops to still be held up at.[8]

The Japanese initially advised the troops held up in Sihang Warehouse to surrender, but by the early hours of October 31 with their demands still unmet and signs of the defenders making an escape into the British defense sector of the International Settlement, the Japanese decided to attack the warehouse. On October 31 at 0115 hours the Imperial Japanese Navy confirmed sightings of Chinese troops evacuating into the International Settlement and began to bombard the warehouse with artillery fire from the Shanghai SNLF's 8th and 9th Companies thirty minutes later. At 0300 hours, troops from the Shanghai SNLF's 10th Battalion stormed the Sihang Warehouse and within ten minutes had completely cleaned the warehouse of enemy troops and occupied the building.[8][1][7]

After securing the warehouse, the Imperial Japanese Navy reported roughly 80 corpses of fallen Chinese troops and a number of weapons to be inside. The Imperial Japanese Navy's advance on Zhabei from October 27 to 31 resulted in a total of 42 wounded, four of which were directly injured during the assault on Sihang Warehouse on October 31. Of the total wounded in the advance on Zhabei, two would later succumb from their injuries, including Warrant Officer Tanaka—a platoon leader from the Shanghai SNLF 10th Battalion—who was shot while skirmishing around the warehouse on October 30 and later died on November 2, 1937.[7][8][9]

Aftermath

The Chinese casualties from the battle were disputed; immediate newspapers and reporters claimed between 100 and 200 Chinese soldiers had been killed in the fighting.[39][40] Xie Jinyuan stated in an interview on November 2 that of the 410 defenders, 10 had been killed and 30 wounded,[41] but later revised this figure to 420 defenders present with 10 killed and 37 wounded.[42] The Imperial Japanese Navy reported finding around 80 dead Chinese soldiers in the warehouse.[7] A 2022 strength data analysis found that since 377 defenders had retreated (along with the 10 wounded men evacuated earlier), and 420 defenders had been present, the Chinese "death toll was likely higher [than 10] though probably fewer than 50 men," with some 33 men killed or missing from the battalion roster following the retreat.[43]

On the day of the retreat, Chinese newspaper Zhonghua Ribao reported over 100 Japanese troops had been killed by the defenders.[44] 88th division commander Sun Yuanliang estimated that "Enemy corpses in the vicinity of Sihang Warehouse totalled over two hundred approximately."[45] with Xie Jimin giving the same figure, "more than 200 enemy troops were killed and countless ones were wounded. Two enemy tanks were also destroyed and two more were damaged. The number of enemies was the sum of the daily counts obtained by observation posts."[28]

Formerly classified records from Imperial Japanese Navy reported a total of 42 wounded during the advance on Zhabei from October 27 to 31. Within this figure, four of the wounded sustained their injuries during the final assault on Sihang Warehouse on October 31. Two of those wounded in the advance on Zhabei later died of their injuries, including one officer shot outside of the warehouse on October 30 who eventually died on November 2, 1937. The use of tanks—let alone the loss of them—during the assault on the warehouse is absent from Japanese military records.[7][8][9] Chinese defenders observed dogs dragging away Japanese troops during nighttime.[46]

Chiang Kai-shek promoted every defender by a rank and awarded Xie Jinyuan and Yang Ruifu the Order of Blue Sky and White Sun.[47][full citation needed][48][full citation needed]

Legacy

Three different portrayals of Yang Huimin: 1938 film, 1976 film, and c. 1940 "gum card" ephemera.

There was a discrepancy between Japanese combat reports and testimonies of Chinese troops and western journalists present during the defense. Both the Chinese and Japanese have alleged claims which contradict with each other, particularly in regards to losses. Cao Juren, a prominent Chinese war correspondent attached to the Chinese 88th Division during the Defense of Sihang Warehouse, would state postwar "the news in the papers at the time, including my reports, were all bravado and exaggerations, and did not reflect the real situation."[49][need quotation to verify][improper synthesis?]

  • Sihang Warehouse from the other side of the Suzhou River. October 2006
    Sihang Warehouse from the other side of the Suzhou River. October 2006
  • The entrance. October 2007
    The entrance. October 2007
  • A bust of Army Lieutenant Colonel Xie Jinyuan inside the entrance. October 2007
    A bust of Army Lieutenant Colonel Xie Jinyuan inside the entrance. October 2007

References

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  27. ^ Robinson, Stephen (2022). 800 Hundred Heroes. Chatswood, Australia: Exisle Publishing. p. 274. ISBN 978-1-922539-20-5.
  28. ^ a b Zhu, Xie (2010). My Father, General Xie Jinyuan. United press. p. 138. ISBN 978-7512600522.
  29. ^ Xie, Jimin. "A Few Explanations Regarding Xie Jinyuan and the Eight Hundred Heroes". Shi Lin Xie Ying (Shanghai Historical Archive vol.88) Shanghai: Shanghai Committee of Chinese Political Consultative Conference, 1998. pp. 210–211
  30. ^ "Our Determined Lone Army Makes Final Stand". Lihpao Daily 29 October 1937
  31. ^ Niderost. Chinese Alamo.
  32. ^ Niderost, Eric (2007). "Chinese Alamo: Last Stand at Sihang Warehouse". Warfare History Network. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  33. ^ Kubacki. . On The Precipice of Change. p. 54.
  34. ^ Yang, Yi (19 August 2015). "Ba Bai Zhuang Shi" (in Chinese). Baike. Beijing Daily. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  35. ^ "Lest we forget the sacrifice of battle heroes". shanghai.gov.cn. Shanghai Municipal People's Government. 2 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
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  37. ^ Sun, Yuanliang. "A Moment In A Billion Years". 8/13 Battle of Songhu. Shanghai: Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, 2002. p. 120
  38. ^ Su, Hua. "We Are Praying For You". Lihpao Daily, 2 November 1937
  39. ^ ""Lost Battalion" Saved in Shanghai: Will be Interned". The New York Times. 1937.
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  46. ^ Robinson, Stephen (2022). Eight Hundred Heroes: China's lost battalion and the fall of Shanghai. Australia: Exisle Publishing. p. 134. ISBN 978-1-922539-20-5.
  47. ^ "Japanese Mop Up in Chapei." 1937.
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  49. ^ Cao, Juren (1983). Wanli Xingji (Chinese: 万里行记). Fujian People's Publishing House. p. 83.
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