In case you missed it, I authored an article that was in the May 2023 edition of the Marine Corps Association Leatherneck.
The article focuses on the lead-up to World War II with Japan, comparing it to the current situation in the Pacific.https://mca-marines.org/search-archive/?magezine=leatherneck_issues#lnk-may-2023/60/
Similar story. Different characters.
Key paragraphs were edited, but the article provides good content about the Battle of Shanghai, which began in August 1937.
Why was our grandfather in China during this time?
Our grandfather and the 4th Marines were stationed in Shanghai to protect the American sector of the Shanghai International Settlement. The settlement was approximately 6.5 square kilometers along the Huangpu River. It accommodated both foreign nationals and Chinese residents.
The Marines stationed in China were known as the China Marines.
A brief history of International Settlements in China
The First Opium War between China and Britain concluded with a loss for China. The resulting Treaty of Nanking, signed in 1842, allowed foreign nationals to engage in business within China.
They would be allowed to live and work within self-governing island enclaves in Shanghai, Peking, and Tientsin.
Apart from the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 (for more information, visit: https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1999/winter/boxer-rebellion-1.html), the foreigner’s duty in China remained relatively peaceful until the 1930s.
In the 1930s, Japan pursued territory and resources in China, leading to the outbreak of war in 1937.
In my article, you will discover what our grandfather and others stationed in Shanghai witnessed during the Battle of Shanghai 1937, and why many predicted this would escalate and come to the US. Here’s a snapshot: https://youtu.be/Yb5IuPkEYeA.
Amazing history.
