The Battle of Nanjing, also known as the Nanjing Battle, Battle of Nanking, Nanjing conflict, Siege of Nanjing, Nanking Massacre battle, or Battle of 1937, was a devastating episode in the Second Sino-Japanese War. Fought from December 1 to December 13, 1937, this Nanjing 1937 engagement saw Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist Chinese forces under Tang Shengzhi face the Imperial Japanese Army led by Iwane Matsui. As the Chinese capital 1937, Nanjing, China, fell, the battle triggered the Nanjing Massacre, a dark chapter in Chinese military history and World War II Asia. This article explores the timeline, locations, causes, course, casualties, and outcome of the Battle of Nanjing, highlighting the Nanjing defense and Japanese military strategy.
Time and Date of the Battle
The Battle of Nanjing began on December 1, 1937, following the fall of Shanghai, China, and concluded on December 13, 1937, when the Imperial Japanese Army captured the city. Spanning just 13 days, the Nanjing city siege was part of the broader Second Sino-Japanese War, initiated by the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in July 1937. The rapid Japanese advance and the subsequent Nanjing atrocities marked it as a critical turning point in the Sino-Japanese conflict and Japanese occupation of China.
Location of the Battle
The Battle of Nanjing took place in Nanjing, China, the capital of the Republic of China, located in the Yangtze River Delta. The city, surrounded by walls and bisected by the Yangtze River, featured key defensive points like Zhongshan Gate and the Purple Mountain. The Nanjing Safety Zone, established by John Rabe and international volunteers, offered a refuge amid the chaos. The surrounding plains and rivers shaped Chinese urban warfare, while the Imperial Japanese advance exploited the terrain for rapid maneuvers, making Nanjing, China, a strategic hub in the Japanese invasion of China.
Causes of the Conflict
The Battle of Nanjing arose from escalating tensions in the Second Sino-Japanese War, driven by Japanese military aggression and Chinese resistance. Key causes include:
- Fall of Shanghai: The Battle of Shanghai (August–November 1937) exhausted Nationalist Chinese forces, paving the way for the Imperial Japanese Army to target Nanjing, China, the Chinese capital 1937, to crush Chinese Nationalist resistance.
- Japanese Military Strategy: Iwane Matsui’s forces aimed to capture Nanjing to force Chiang Kai-shek into submission, viewing it as a psychological blow to the Anti-Japanese resistance and a step toward dominating the Yangtze River Delta.
- Chinese Defensive Campaign: Chiang Kai-shek fortified Nanjing under Tang Shengzhi to delay the Japanese advance, hoping to gain time for government evacuation and international support in World War II Pacific.
- Marco Polo Bridge Incident: The war’s start on July 7, 1937, escalated tensions, with the Japanese invasion of China gaining momentum after early victories, leading to the Nanjing defense as a last stand.
- Global Context: Japan’s rejection of League of Nations mediation and its imperial ambitions fueled Japanese war crimes, while Chinese military history sought to rally global sympathy through a heroic stand.
These factors made the Battle of Nanjing a focal point of the Sino-Japanese conflict.
Course of the Battle
The Battle of Nanjing was a brief but brutal Nanjing city siege, marked by urban warfare, Japanese military strategy, and a desperate Chinese defensive campaign. It involved approximately 100,000 Nationalist Chinese Army troops against 50,000–70,000 Imperial Japanese Army soldiers, ending in a swift Japanese victory.
Phase 1: Initial Assault and Defensive Line (December 1–6, 1937)
On December 1, 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army, advancing from Shanghai, reached Nanjing, China’s outskirts. Tang Shengzhi, commanding the Nationalist Chinese forces, established three defensive lines around the city, including Zhongshan Gate and the Purple Mountain. The Chinese urban warfare relied on fortified walls and trenches, but Japanese artillery and air support quickly breached outer defenses. By December 6, the first line collapsed, forcing a retreat to the inner city.
Phase 2: Siege and Breakthrough (December 7–12, 1937)
On December 7, Japanese troops intensified the Nanjing city siege, using tanks and infantry to storm Zhongshan Gate. Iwane Matsui’s Japanese military strategy employed flanking maneuvers along the Yangtze River, cutting off retreat routes. Tang Shengzhi ordered a defense-in-depth, but communication breakdowns and desertions weakened the Nanjing defense. On December 9, Japanese forces captured the Purple Mountain, and by December 12, the inner city walls were breached after fierce hand-to-hand combat.
Phase 3: Fall of Nanjing and Evacuation (December 13, 1937)
On December 13, the Imperial Japanese Army entered Nanjing, China, as Tang Shengzhi ordered a Nanjing evacuation, abandoning the city. Chiang Kai-shek had relocated the government to Wuhan, leaving the Nationalist Chinese Army to disintegrate. The fall triggered the Nanjing Massacre, with Japanese war crimes including mass executions and looting. The Nanjing Safety Zone, managed by John Rabe, sheltered about 200,000 civilians, offering a rare haven amid the Nanjing atrocities.
Key Dynamics
The Nationalist Chinese forces used Chinese urban warfare to delay the Imperial Japanese advance, but lacked coordination and heavy weaponry. Japanese military strategy capitalized on superior logistics and air power, though the rapid victory led to uncontrolled atrocities, tarnishing Japan’s image in World War II Asia.
Casualties
The Battle of Nanjing and its aftermath were catastrophic, with estimates from historical records:
- Nationalist Chinese Army: Approximately 50,000–70,000 killed, wounded, or captured, with many dying during the Nanjing evacuation or executed post-battle. Desertions further depleted ranks.
- Imperial Japanese Army: Around 1,500–3,000 casualties, a minor loss compared to their strategic gain, though some died in urban combat.
- Civilians: The Nanjing Massacre claimed 40,000–300,000 lives, with widespread rape, looting, and destruction in the Yangtze River Delta, as documented by John Rabe and the Nanjing Safety Zone.
The staggering civilian toll underscored the Nanjing atrocities, shaping Chinese military history.
Who Won the Battle of Nanjing?
The Imperial Japanese Army, under Iwane Matsui, won the Battle of Nanjing, capturing the city on December 13, 1937. Despite fierce Chinese Nationalist resistance, Japanese military strategy overwhelmed Tang Shengzhi’s defenses, securing a swift victory in the Siege of Nanjing. However, the triumph was marred by the Nanjing Massacre, which alienated international opinion and strengthened Anti-Japanese resistance. The Nationalist Chinese forces’ Nanjing evacuation preserved their leadership, setting the stage for future battles like the Battle of Wuhan.
Conclusion
The Battle of Nanjing (December 1–13, 1937) in Nanjing, China, was a tragic milestone in the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II Asia, marking the fall of the Chinese capital 1937. Driven by the Japanese invasion of China post-Battle of Shanghai, Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist Chinese forces under Tang Shengzhi mounted a valiant Nanjing defense against Iwane Matsui’s Imperial Japanese Army. The Nanjing city siege ended with a Japanese victory, but the subsequent Nanjing Massacre—killing 40,000–300,000—defined its legacy as a symbol of Japanese war crimes. With 50,000–70,000 Chinese and 1,500–3,000 Japanese casualties, the Nanjing conflict galvanized Chinese resistance and influenced the Anti-Japanese war effort, shaping Chinese military history and the broader Sino-Japanese conflict in World War II Pacific.
Sources: Chang, The Rape of Nanking; Harmsen, Nanjing 1937: Battle for a Doomed City; Mitter, Forgotten Ally: China’s World War II; Rabe, The Good Man of Nanking; National WWII Museum
