‘China’s Alamo’ Restored

 

sihang9

In late October 1937, when the battle of Shanghai was pretty much decided, and the Chinese were preparing to withdraw west, Chiang Kai-shek and his commanders decided for a dramatic last stand at the Sihang Warehouse on Suzhou Creek (see below). The job of defending the building was handed to a battalion of soldiers from the legendary 88th Division. Although they numbered little more than 400 officers and men, they became known as the “800 heroes” as they fought tenaciously for four days before finally retreating. Suzhou Creek formed the northern boundary of the city’s international area and allowed the soldiers setting up positions in the building to attract full foreign media attention as they carried out their fight against the advancing Japanese. The battle, although strategically insignificant, attained huge moral significance, and is remembered to this day. The building remains and has recently been restored and turned into a museum. In this post please find a number of photos from the site, taken by Yi Lee. The captions are also Yi Lee’s.

sihang12

sihang8

sihang6

sihang7

sihang10

sihang5

 

sihang13

They removed the patches, revealing the damage

 

Apparently the warehouse is framed in concrete, filled with brick, and then an outer layer of concrete was added

Apparently the warehouse is framed in concrete, filled with brick, and then an outer layer of concrete was added

 

sihang15

Reproduction gates. These were probably barricaded during the battle

sihang4

sihang2

The only picture of Chiang Kai-shek. Can barely see him

sihang3

Tag Photo Options ShareSendLike. Photos from Yi Lee’s post . Yi Lee‎WWII Chinese Reenactors 11 hrs · . Red Cross ID? Note the emblem being crossed out, probably during the cultural revolution

 

Categories: Aftermath, War

4 Comments

  • James Myers says:

    China was a great defender of Freedom long before Pearl Harbor, this includes the Communist side.
    Why the other allied powers did not support China more at the time is a mystery to me.

    • Allen says:

      Why the allied powers did not support china more at the time, was because all the other allied powers including the USA, england, france etc. were actually part of the colonial powers carving out their own concessions in various parts of china at the time of the japonese invasion. appeared they did not really want to get in the way of the invading japonese. the USA only got involved somewhat after Pearl Harbor was surprised attacked by the Jops. there may be other reasons too, but these are the reasons i could think of at this time.

    • Jay R. says:

      The western allies had a policy of “Germany First.”

  • Lahn says:

    The water bottle is wrong. They are using the wrong reproduction bottle. Those green ones were used by the communist forces. The nationalists never issued this version.

Leave a Reply