Bloody Saturday (Shanghai)
Bloody Saturday,[1] also known as Black Saturday[2] and the Great World bombing,[3] was a misdirected attack on civilians by the Republic of China Air Force on 14 August 1937 during the Battle of Shanghai of the Second Sino-Japanese War. On the day, the Chinese Air Force, in an unsuccessful attempt to attack the Japanese cruiser Idzumo moored next to the Japanese Consulate in Shanghai, accidentally bombed the city centre, resulting in the deaths of some thousand civilians.[1]
Background
The war beginning on 13 August caused a severe refugee crisis to the International Settlement and the French Concession, from Zhabei, Hongkou, and Yangshupu. Between 26 July and 5 August 1937, more than 50,000 civilians left Zhabei, who crowded into the foreign settlements of Shanghai through the Garden Bridge over the Suzhou Creek. Local institutions and associations began offering shelters and food for these refugees, which included the iconic Great World entertainment complex.[3]
Bombing
Since the war in Shanghai, under orders from Chiang Kai-shek, the primary battlefield for the Chinese Air Force shifted from North China to the Shanghai region. The 2nd Bomb Group, 4th Pursuit Group, and 5th Pursuit Group were instructed to relocate to Jining, Qianqiu, and Yangzhou by noon on August 14. Additionally, the Central Aviation School near Hangzhou was directed to form new provisional squadrons. Rather than adopting a defensive stance, the Chinese command immediately ordered all air units stationed at Eastern China bases to carry out attacks on Japanese positions in Shanghai.[3]
Despite the adverse weather conditions, the Chinese Air Force launched its attacks. Approximately 40 planes arrived over Shanghai, which was shrouded in thick clouds. The first raid took place midmorning when 21 Northrop Gamma bombers targeted Japanese ships at Wusong. Eight Curtiss Hawk III biplanes from the 5th Pursuit Group, each carrying a 500-pound bomb, took off from Yangzhou for a second wave of attacks against Japanese ships near Nantong on the northern bank of the Yangtze River. Few in Shanghai realised the scale of the operations that had commenced. Chinese planes aimed to bomb the Japanese cruiser Izumo in Shanghai but missed their target due to poor visibility and pilot inexperience. The bombs instead exploded in the Huangpu River, creating waves and raining shrapnel on spectators. Panic ensued, but many remained to watch. Refugees who had fled from northern districts crowded the Bund and nearby areas, unaware of the risk.[3]
At 4:27 pm, a group of planes appeared, and anti-aircraft fire from the Izumo filled the sky with smoke. Six planes escaped, but four trailing aircraft dropped bombs. While some fell into the river, others hit Nanking Road, damaging buildings like the Cathay and Palace Hotels and killing and injuring civilians. Shrapnel and debris were scattered widely, and vehicles were incinerated. Soon after, two bombs hit the intersection near the Great World amusement centre, crowded with thousands of refugees. One bomb exploded above ground, spreading destruction. Buildings were damaged, windows shattered, and many were killed instantly. The blasts left over 1,200 dead and approximately 1,400 injured. The Chinese air raids, intended to target Japanese forces, inadvertently caused devastation among Shanghai's residents, highlighting the chaotic and tragic nature of the war.[3]
References
- ^ a b "Victims of 'Bloody Saturday' bombing, Ave Edward VII, Shanghai, 14 August 1937". Historical Photographs of China. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
- ^ Harmsen, Peter (2013-05-03). Shanghai 1937: Stalingrad on the Yangtze. Casemate. ISBN 978-1-61200-167-8.
- ^ a b c d e Henriot, Christian. "August 1937: War and the death en masse of civilians". War in History and Memory.