The eighth part of an archive series on the Anti-Japanese War on Monday covered the Battle of Nanking, in which Japanese troops overcame Chinese defense and started the world-shaking massacre.
Starting on Aug. 25, the archive series is being released on the website of China's State Archives Administration, one battle per day, in a drive to raise awareness of the war.
Following the occupation of Shanghai, the Japanese military issued an order on Dec. 1 for the army and navy to jointly attack Nanking, then China's capital. Meanwhile, military commander Tang Shengzhi was entrusted by the Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek to defend the city and began mustering forces, many of whom were remnants from the Shanghai battle.
Sweeping nearby cities and towns, the Japanese troops arrived at the gate of Nanking and tried to persuade Tang to surrender. Despite a huge disadvantage, Tang dismissed the proposal and ordered his troops to "resist with the determination to live or die together with the city and never give up an inch of land," according to the synopsis.
Suffering huge losses, Tang and his troops retreated on Dec. 12 at the order of Chiang. However, management disorder left many soldiers stranded in the city and were consequently killed by enemy forces.
On Dec. 13, Nanking fell, and the Japanese troops began the world-shaking massacre that lasted for weeks.
