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Days of Infamy
Days of Infamy
The front by December 30
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"From a purely miliary perspective, the attacks on Dec 1 were completly successful, achieving, if not surpassing operational objectives. Hainan was seized after bitter fighting by December 8. The only ray of sunshine in this bleak picture would be successfully holding Beiping, although Field Marshall Bai Chonxi would later write in his memoirs 'in hindsight, holding Beiping was probably a mistake.' Although the National Revolutionary Assault Army Group "A" managed to beat back the Japanese attacks on Beiping, the severing of the Beiping - Tsinan rail line meant that supplies, especially fuel was limited. This meant that Army Group A could not succesfully thwart the encirclement attempts of the Kwantung Army. By December 18, Army Group A was encircled around Beiping. They were to face a harsh and bitter winter with limited supplies, low food and the difficult task of having to feed millions of civilians who had become trapped by the quick action of the Japanese Army...
From a diplomatic perspective, the attacks were a disaster. In seeking to 'strike a decisive blow' by 'terror bombing' key cities and infrastructure, Japan had caused a major humanitarian crisis through their bombing of Chinese civilians and also the massive flooding of the Yellow River. Japan was immediately condemned by several nations. However the League of Nations - owing to British and French pressure did not formally condemn Japan, althoug most League members did. Germany declared war on Japan the day after Hainan fell on December 9 with Hitler announcing that "Germany will stand by China through the final victory..." and condemned the League of Nations as being a "fig-leaf on Anglo-French Imperialism" for their failure to condemn Japan.
Crucially, there was a massive outpouring of sympathy from the United States of America with a resolution condemning Japan for their 'barbaric actions' - Madame Chiang had struck an unlikely friendship with the First Lady Elanore Roosevelt and her near-death at the hands of Japanese bombers was felt personally by the Roosevelt family. In December 7 the United States announced that they would not be complying with the "unlawful blockade" of China and explicitly pointed out that an attack on US Merchant ships en-route to or in Chinese Territorial Waters or in Chinese ports would be seen as an "attack on the United States" and would lead to "serious consequences."
Although publically standing by Japan, Britain and France were disturbed by what Japan had done and was doing. Although they did provide the bases and staging ground for the invasion and were informed of the sneak attack, they had no idea that Japan would attack civilians with such ferocious gusto. Nonetheless, they could do nothing but try and urge restraint from behind the scenes. By not doing anything however, Britain and France was losing prestige, particularly among neutral nations. By the end of the year, the League of Nations had effectively become discredited in the eyes of many for what was seen as hypocrisy, particularly as the League of Nations had forcefully condemned the Italian invasion of Ethiopia and the Chinese invasion of North China/Manchuria.
... Domestically, the war was massively popular in Japan. They had finally struck a massive blow against China and reversed "years of humiliation and concession" at the hands of the Chinese. The encirclement of the Assault Army "A" in the Beiping pocket was celebrated around the streets of Japan...
For China, this would be the beginning of a long and gruelling war. They would reach the limits of endurance to survive the coming winter. Nonetheless, they were united around their "Generalissimo" and united to defeat Japan. "
- The Second Great War in China: Days of Infamy
Next Update: Limits of Endurance
The front by December 30
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
"From a purely miliary perspective, the attacks on Dec 1 were completly successful, achieving, if not surpassing operational objectives. Hainan was seized after bitter fighting by December 8. The only ray of sunshine in this bleak picture would be successfully holding Beiping, although Field Marshall Bai Chonxi would later write in his memoirs 'in hindsight, holding Beiping was probably a mistake.' Although the National Revolutionary Assault Army Group "A" managed to beat back the Japanese attacks on Beiping, the severing of the Beiping - Tsinan rail line meant that supplies, especially fuel was limited. This meant that Army Group A could not succesfully thwart the encirclement attempts of the Kwantung Army. By December 18, Army Group A was encircled around Beiping. They were to face a harsh and bitter winter with limited supplies, low food and the difficult task of having to feed millions of civilians who had become trapped by the quick action of the Japanese Army...
From a diplomatic perspective, the attacks were a disaster. In seeking to 'strike a decisive blow' by 'terror bombing' key cities and infrastructure, Japan had caused a major humanitarian crisis through their bombing of Chinese civilians and also the massive flooding of the Yellow River. Japan was immediately condemned by several nations. However the League of Nations - owing to British and French pressure did not formally condemn Japan, althoug most League members did. Germany declared war on Japan the day after Hainan fell on December 9 with Hitler announcing that "Germany will stand by China through the final victory..." and condemned the League of Nations as being a "fig-leaf on Anglo-French Imperialism" for their failure to condemn Japan.
Crucially, there was a massive outpouring of sympathy from the United States of America with a resolution condemning Japan for their 'barbaric actions' - Madame Chiang had struck an unlikely friendship with the First Lady Elanore Roosevelt and her near-death at the hands of Japanese bombers was felt personally by the Roosevelt family. In December 7 the United States announced that they would not be complying with the "unlawful blockade" of China and explicitly pointed out that an attack on US Merchant ships en-route to or in Chinese Territorial Waters or in Chinese ports would be seen as an "attack on the United States" and would lead to "serious consequences."
Although publically standing by Japan, Britain and France were disturbed by what Japan had done and was doing. Although they did provide the bases and staging ground for the invasion and were informed of the sneak attack, they had no idea that Japan would attack civilians with such ferocious gusto. Nonetheless, they could do nothing but try and urge restraint from behind the scenes. By not doing anything however, Britain and France was losing prestige, particularly among neutral nations. By the end of the year, the League of Nations had effectively become discredited in the eyes of many for what was seen as hypocrisy, particularly as the League of Nations had forcefully condemned the Italian invasion of Ethiopia and the Chinese invasion of North China/Manchuria.
... Domestically, the war was massively popular in Japan. They had finally struck a massive blow against China and reversed "years of humiliation and concession" at the hands of the Chinese. The encirclement of the Assault Army "A" in the Beiping pocket was celebrated around the streets of Japan...
For China, this would be the beginning of a long and gruelling war. They would reach the limits of endurance to survive the coming winter. Nonetheless, they were united around their "Generalissimo" and united to defeat Japan. "
- The Second Great War in China: Days of Infamy
Next Update: Limits of Endurance
- CCA
- Word Count: 630