The Battle of Shanghai (January-March 1932): A Study in the Space-time of War
by Christian Henriot
Abstract: The 1932 Battle of Shanghai was the first instance of a modern war waged in a large city. This paper examines how the conflict unfolded from one urban district—Zhabei—to a large area north of the city, all the way to Wusong, from a densely populated and built-up urban area to the countryside; and how the conflict’s nature and the balance of power shifted drastically. The Japanese army was not prepared to wage a war that, in its first phase, amounted to an urban guerrilla campaign by the Chinese, while the displacement into rural areas played to the advantage of the Chinese troops. This paper looks at the crucial role spatial factors played in the successes and failures of the contending armies.
The main content of this article appears in the January 2021 issue of JMH. Due to space considerations, the supporting data is presented below, rather than in the pages of the Journal.
Figures
Map 1: Chinese defense lines
Direct Link: https://www.smh-hq.org/docs/Shanghai1932/Map1.png
Map 2: The distribution of Japanese troops
Direct Link: https://www.smh-hq.org/docs/Shanghai1932/Map2.png
Map 3: The movement of Japanese troops
Direct Link: https://www.smh-hq.org/docs/Shanghai1932/Map3.png
Map 4: Distribution of the bullets and shells fired by the Japanese
Direct Link: https://www.smh-hq.org/docs/Shanghai1932/Map4.png
Map 5: Shooting range of the Japanese and Chinese artillery (third attack)
Direct Link: https://www.smh-hq.org/docs/Shanghai1932/Map5.png
Map 6A: Distribution of the Chinese casualties
Direct Link: https://www.smh-hq.org/docs/Shanghai1932/Map6A.png
Map 6B: Distribution of the Japanese casualties
Direct Link: https://www.smh-hq.org/docs/Shanghai1932/Map6B.png
Table 1: Military units and manpower involved in the battle
Direct Link: https://www.smh-hq.org/docs/Shanghai1932/Table1.pdf
Graph 1: Total amount of ammunition used during the Shanghai battle
Direct Link: https://www.smh-hq.org/docs/Shanghai1932/Graph1.pdf
