Battle of Nanking

1937-12-01 - 1937-12-13

The Battle of Nanking was fought in early December 1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese War between the Chinese National Revolutionary Army and the Imperial Japanese Army for control of Nanjing, then the capital of the Republic of China. After Japan and China went to war in July 1937, the Japanese won the vicious three-month Battle of Shanghai and authorized a campaign to capture Nanjing. The task of occupying Nanjing was given to General Iwane Matsui's Central China Area Army, who believed capturing the national capital would force China to surrender; Chinese leader Chiang Kai-shek decided to defend the city and appointed Tang Shengzhi to command the Nanjing Garrison Force.