On August 13, 1937, the Japanese launched an attack on Shanghai, a cosmopolitan city with a population of over 3 million.
At that time, our grandfather, then Major Rupertus, held the position of a commanding officer of the 4th Marines (also known as China Marines) stationed in the American sector of the Shanghai International Settlement. War erupted abruptly around them, causing a flood of refugees into the settlement and turning the city into a realm of complete chaos and violence.
The Shanghai International Settlement
The Shanghai settlement was one of the island enclaves in China from which foreign countries could conduct business in China. Each country in the settlement brought their nations military guards to protect their sector. The United States brought in the Marines. (Important and interesting Marine Corps history many do not know.).
On August 17, the US Congress secured funding for the evacuation of Americans and their dependents, and an order was issued for them to leave the city. Rupertus’s wife, Sleepy (our grandmother), along with other Marine and Navy wives, were evacuated to the Philippines. All while facing the looming threats of Japanese bombing the ships and an approaching tsunami off the coast.
For weeks, Rupertus and the 4th Marines maintained guard over 50 strategic points along the American perimeter. Despite their observations, they received strict orders from the highest echelon to “hold fire” and “prevent belligerents” from entering the American sector.
The constant bombardments, violence, sporadic gunfire, shrapnel, and taunting took a toll both emotionally and physically. The situation was so intense that the 6th Marines were brought in to support the 4th in September until tensions subsided.
Unlike previous instances, there was no cessation of hostilities or withdrawal, despite international pressures. Shanghai fell under Japanese control by November.
The Japanese offense into China started early.
This journey into the WWII Pacific theater with Japan commenced in the 1930s and extended until 1945.
On a quest for land and resources, Japan had sought Pacific domination and initiated smaller-scale attacks on Shanghai and Manchuria in 1931 but had withdrawn due to international pressure.
However, tensions escalated once again in the summer of 1937 as Japan assumed an offensive stance. Chinese and Japanese troops clashed at the Marco Polo Bridge, and despite a declared cease-fire, incidents of conflict persisted, leading up to the Battle of Shanghai in August 1937.
By December, the Japanese targeted Nanking. They not only assaulted the city but also bombed the USS Panay and Standard Oil Tankers, which were involved in evacuating Americans from Nanking.
Then, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.
On December 7, 1941, as anticipated by Marines and naval officers stationed in Shanghai between 1937 and 1940, Japan attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor, as well as our naval bases in Guam and the Philippines, thrusting the nation into World War II.
In a 1991 article titled “Japanese Naval Preparations for World War II” by Japanese Rear Admiral Hirama, you can discern that Japan embarked on this trajectory at least a decade prior:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/44638027
My original manuscript contained two extensive chapters on Shanghai, which unfortunately did not find their way into “Old Breed General.” Nevertheless, delving into the past to uncover the Marine Corps history has illuminated this fascinating story we should all know about.
The Marines stood firm, held their fire, and prevented an escalation of hostilities and a potential war with Japan in 1937.
S/F
