Shanghai Diary (Part 5)

In the fall of 1937, the young American sailor Earl Jackson Clanton was in Shanghai on board the USS Augusta, which was keeping a vigil in the port while Chinese and Japanese troops were engulfed in vicious fighting over the fate of the city. Clanton completed a fascinating journal, providing a day-by-day account of the dramatic events, brought to you here courtesy of Clanton’s grandson, Adam Clanton. In this installment, he describes Japanese bombing as the battle approaches an end. The photo above of the bombing is also kindly provided by Adam Clanton.

Nov 4, 1937:

Japanese planes fly over Nantao (above and over the Chinese Whangpoo river blockade – just above Augusta), drops bombs and scatter hand bills which say that all Chinese non-combatants are to clear out of Nantao as that area is to be bombed and burned and all Chinese soldiers killed. Before the day is over, Chinese refugees commence coming across the Whangpoo river in sampans with all their household effects trying to get into the International Settlement which has already over a million people as refugees.

Nov 5, 1937:

Japanese drive Chinese on up river and away from the river blockade in order to open the river up for their ships to get to inland points. The Chinese have sunk about five large ships in the river and have at least three hundred large sea going junks anchored and tied up over the sunken ones. A very efficient blockade.

Nov 6, 1937:

Japanese clear blockade and take Pootung, bomb and burn Pootung and Nantao. One shell strikes very close to Augusta, too close!  Twenty-five planes drop over a hundred bombs in one hour. Three planes drop nine large (1000 lb) bombs on one spot at one time. I took pictures of these nine bombs as they struck and of the debris as it flew hundreds of feet in all directions and wondered before the bombs struck how many people would be killed in the next instant when they struck amidst hundreds of refugees and Chinese soldiers.

Nov 7, 1937:

Hundreds are killed during the bombing raid and dead bodies, junks, and all kinds of debris float downriver for several days after. Many bodies and junks float down and lodge against the Augusta and have to be dislodged.

(To be continued)

Categories: War, Witnesses

Leave a Reply