The Japanese threat, 1931-41- The impact of war, 1937–39

Question 1

how were Chiang’s fears that China had not had sufficient time to prepare for war made clear

Answer 1

Japan seized the port of Tianjin (apart from the foreign concessions) and also occupied Xiamen- Shantou was also bombed and captured

Question 2

what was the only port left in the GMD’s possesion

Answer 2

Guangzhou

Question 3

when did Guangzhou port fall into Japanese possession

Answer 3

1938– japan had naval supremacy

Question 4

what did the defeat in Shanghai end in?

Answer 4

a frenzied retreat

Question 5

what did the retreat from shanghai leave for Japan

Answer 5

an easy road to Nanjing (capital)

Question 6

what happened when the Japanese entered Nanjing

Answer 6

a series of atrocities ensued ‘rape of Nanjing’, some Chinese soldiers even killed civilians to steal their clothing.

Question 7

what were some of the atrocities that occurred in Nanjing?

Answer 7

24,000 surrendered Chinese troops were massacred, inhabitants were murdered indiscriminately, women children and senior citizens were raped, thousands were burned or buried alive/ disemboweled / mutilated

Question 8

what did Japanese troops use live people as?

Answer 8

Targets for bayonet practice

Question 9

what did two blood thirsty Japanese lieutenants race for?

Answer 9

the first to behead 100 Chinese, not clear who won so it was extended to 150

Question 10

where did nationalist forces fall back to after the fall of Nanjing

Answer 10

Wuhan

Question 11

where did Japanese forces suffer a severe defeat

Answer 11

The battle of Tai’erzhuang- GMD forces inflicted upwards of 10,000 casualties- japan still took Xuzhou

Question 12

what did Chiang do to attempt to slow the Japanese advancement to Wuhan

Answer 12

destroyed dikes to flood the yellow river

Question 13

how many square miles flooded thanks to Chiang’s rash action

Answer 13

30,000, thousands of villages flooded

Question 14

how many people drowned due to the flooding

Answer 14

half a million, 3 million left homeless

Question 15

how did the Soviet union offer support

Answer 15

formed a volunteer airforce to help the nationalists, wuhan still fell

Question 16

where did Chiang choose as his next seat of government

Answer 16

Chongqing - sufficiently inland to not be under threat from japan

Question 17

what was a consistent strategy that Chiang had been implementing in regards to the retreat to Chongqing

Answer 17

where ever possible, industries and facilities would be relocated westwards to chongqing out of captured areas

Question 18

how many enterprises were moved down river

Answer 18

2000

Question 19

what did the surge of refugees to Chongqing mean

Answer 19

stretched food supplies, food shortages , economy creaked under pressure

Question 20

what Soviet aid did Chiang manage to secure

Answer 20

50,000 rifles, 10,000 machine guns and 100 tanks, 900 aircraft along with instructors and pilots

Question 21

what did Chiang introduce in 1938 to make up for huge losses in the military

Answer 21

conscription

Question 22

when did Japan launch an aerial bombardment on Chongqing

Answer 22

may 1939

Question 23

why did the USA become the likely saviour of China

Answer 23

they had been growing increasingly suspicious of the expansionist nature of Japan– put US interests in the Philippines at risk, us bases in Hawaii

Question 24

what did USA give China

Answer 24

war credits, loans from $25 million-$50 million to stabilise the economy

Question 25

what was wrong with the Chinese airforce

Answer 25

had been damaged during the war, less than 70 planes and half couldn’t fly at night

Question 26

who was Claire Chennault?

Answer 26

US adviser to Chiang, used by Chiang to negotiate the purchase of the latest P-40 fighter planes, also he was allowed to recruit a volunteer service to fly in combat and train chinese

Question 27

what did the new Chinese planes become known as

Answer 27

the flying tigers – teeth painted on them

Question 28

what was the incentive given to Chinese pilots for every Japanese plane that was shot down?

Answer 28

$500 bonus

Question 29

what did the USA impose on Japan

Answer 29

economic sanctions

Question 30

what did the usa do when Japan invaded french indochina in 1940

Answer 30

froze Japanese assets in US banks- stopped exporting oil, iron and technology to japan this showed the dependence that Japan had on the US

Question 31

when did Japan launch an attack on pearl harbour

Answer 31

7th december 1941

Question 32

what were the losses at pearl harbour

Answer 32

five battle ships sunk, 12 ships sunk, 100 planes destroyed and 2,400 servicemen were killed

Question 33

how did the USA respond to pearl harbour

Answer 33

declared war on Japan

Question 34

what did the USA being at war with japan mean for china

Answer 34

they were now allies

Question 35

what financial aid did china receive from USA now they were allies

Answer 35

$500 million loan and a $630 million ‘lend-lease’ package to provide china with military supplies

Question 36

how did the USA provide china with supplies

Answer 36

flying over the Himalayas

Question 37

how was the nationalist army bolstered

Answer 37

had a US chief of staff, flying tigers were reorganised and expanded

Question 38

when had Soviet aid been withdrawn from China

Answer 38

1939 (Nazi-soviet pact) - china had stood alone against Japan for 2 years!!