The Second Sino-Japanese War Flashcards
What initiated the Second War? When?
July 1937- skirmish between Japanese and Chinese forces on Marco Polo Bridge in Beiping
This lead to Japan launching a full-scale invasion
When did Beiping fall?
28th July 1937
When did Tianjin fall?
30th July 1937
When was the Second Front opened in Shanghai by Chiang? What did it result in?
12th August 1937
Deaths of some of the best Nationalist soldiers
When did the Nanjing Government declare war on Japan?
15th August 1937
What was Chiang’s plan to save China?
Trade space for time- outlast the enemy
When was Shanghai taken by Japanese?
November 1937
When was Nanjing taken by Japanese?
December 1937
What was the Rape of Nanjing? (3 pt)
The Japanese unleashed brutal terror on the Nanjing civilians.
People were set alight, buried alive, beheaded and gunned down.
People were used as live targets for bayonet practise.
Thousands of women and girl were raped.
How many people died in the Rape of Nanjing?
300,000
How did Chiang keep the Japanese at bay while his government resided at Wuhan? Why was this such a tragedy? (6 pt)
Chiang ordered the dykes of the Yellow River to be blown up on the 7th June 1938.
Crops in 3 provinces were ruined
11 cities and 4,000 villages flooded
2 million people were made homeless
Thousands drowned
In the end, the Japanese took Wuhan anyway in December 1938
Why did Chiang not surrender to the Japanese?
He was a staunch patriot- set on no surrender
When did the Nationalist Government move to Chongqing?
November 1937
How many businesses relocated to Chongqing?
2,000
What was the Nationalist Government’s solution to a reduced income form customs tariffs and income tax? What did this cause? Example?
Printing more banknotes
Hyperinflation
1942-1944= rise of prices of 237% 1944-1945= another rise of prices of 251%
How much of the aid from foreign governments was misused in Chongqing?
30%
What percentage of crops did the Nationalists take as tax in Chongqing?
70-90%
How did Dai Li prevent outcry from rebellious groups in Chongqing?
Kept up a campaign alongside secret police to quash subversive groups or criticism of Chiang
What did Chiang do with the substantial foreign aid from the US?
Stockpiled it and also kept back his best troops from fighting in order to initiate future attacks against the communists
Why did Stilwell (Chiang’s chief American advisor) disapprove of Chiang’s resistance against the Japanese? (2 pt)
There basically was no resistance. He disapproved of the stalemate because it would not bring quick victory. He also thought that the stockpiling of weapons and supplies was distasteful
How did Chiang’s lack of resistance appear to the people and how did it affect his soldiers?
He appeared weak and it ruined the morale of his soldiers
How many of the Nationalist conscripts died of mistreatment or disease?
1.5 million
When did the Second United Front end?
January 4th 1941- Nationalist troops launched an attack on the communists as they had not completed an order
How did the 2nd Sino-Japanese War benefit the communists in their fight against the GMD?
The GMD bore the brunt of Japanese invasion- the communists were left alone because their land was undesirable to the Japanese
