The fall of Nanjing in December 1937 led directly to the Nanjing Massacre and showed that Japanese victory would not force Chinese surrender.
Key Facts
- Date of city's fall
- December 13, 1937
- Duration of march from Shanghai
- Five weeks (Nov 11 – Dec 9, 1937)
- Japanese commander
- General Iwane Matsui
- Chinese garrison commander
- Tang Shengzhi
- War continued after fall
- Eight more years
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
After a brutal three-month Battle of Shanghai, Japanese forces defeated the Chinese National Revolutionary Army and forced a withdrawal. Capitalizing on this victory, Japan authorized a campaign to capture Nanjing, the capital of the Republic of China, believing its fall would compel China to surrender and end the war.
Between November 11 and December 13, 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army advanced rapidly from Shanghai to Nanjing, overcoming Chinese defensive lines in five weeks. After intense fighting around the city's fortified walls beginning December 10, Chinese command ordered a chaotic retreat. The city's defenses collapsed into a disorganized rout, and Nanjing fell to Japanese forces on December 13.
Following the capture, Japanese troops committed the Nanjing Massacre, killing prisoners of war and civilians and perpetrating widespread atrocities that damaged Japan's international reputation. Contrary to Japanese expectations, China did not surrender; the Second Sino-Japanese War continued for eight more years, ultimately ending with Japan's surrender in 1945.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Tang Shengzhi, Chiang Kai-shek.
Side B
1 belligerent
Iwane Matsui.