The Battle of Shanghai: How China Lost its Defense to Japan

Abstract

This article on the Second Battle of Shanghai explains what caused a Chinese defeat in the face of Imperial Japan in 1937. The study of the battle is to examine how it is the Chinese lost while having greater manpower, the advantage of defense, and the backing of most of the West. The battle at Shanghai would unfold in front of the Shanghai International Settlement, allowing Western powers to witness the conflict unfold in front of their cameras and reporters. Despite this, this battle is mostly overlooked by most Western studies of the Second World War. This study examines how the lack of unity, poor leadership, inferior arms, and the lack of a long-term defensive plan undercut any advantages the Chinese held over the Japanese. This battle is the first major clash during the Second Sino-Japanese War, and arguably the first major battle of the Second World War.