by Anna Costa During the Second World War, Imperial Japan sought to increase its influence over greater Asia in an effort to expand its empire’s borders. Attacks and invasions in places like the Philippines and Hong Kong were deemed as successful exploits and resulted in the capture of thousands of prisoners of war (POWs). In many cases, the Japanese military did not know what to do with all of the POWs. One of their “solutions” was to implement methods of forced labor onto their prisoners in what would become known as Japan’s Hell Ships. The majority of these ships were originally former Japanese luxury passenger ships. The ships quickly transformed from lavish forms of transportation to floating military zones that regularly inflicted forms of terror, humiliation, forced labor, and torture.
0 Comments
by Iris Ong Amidst the chaos of World War II, women in Indonesia shared a wide variety of experiences. With a difficult war, brutal Japanese occupation, and an independence movement not long after, many Indonesian women were forced into difficult positions and roles. Indonesian women’s roles during this period were extremely vital in ensuring Indonesia’s survival during this time of uncertainty and ultimately shaping Indonesia into what it is today. Their stories and contributions during this time should be acknowledged and remembered. This blog post will examine the experiences and contributions of Indonesian women during the war, including forced labor and their roles in the independence movement.
The Forgotten Sanctuary- Life in the Shanghai International Settlement During the Battle of Shanghai7/9/2024 by M. Stock The International Zone, an often forgotten neutral zone that existed in Shanghai, played a unique role during the Battle of Shanghai (Aug 13, 1937 – Nov 26, 1937). It became a refuge for all kinds of citizens, including Chinese and foreigners fleeing battle-entrenched zones in the region. The intense fighting lasted months in the rest of the city while daily life went on inside the International Zone, though not without challenges.
by Quin Cho 2nd Army's Offensive Through the Dabie MountainsWhile the 11th Army advanced up the Yangtze River, the 2nd Army concentrated its forces (the 3rd, 10th, 13th, and 16th Infantry Divisions) near Hefei. The initial objectives were the towns of Lu'an and Heshan, with the eventual goal of advancing to the northern foothills of the Dabie Mountains (JM 179, 60-61). However, due to the Chinese destroying the roads west of Lu'an, 2nd Army commander Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni adjusted his plans. Instead of advancing to a line stretching from Lu'an-Heshan and concentrating forces in this area, the 2nd Army would advance to the Huangchuan-Shangcheng line further west to control intact roads (JM 179, 61). The Chinese withdrawal of forces to stem the 11th Army's advance along the Yangtze River facilitated the 2nd Army's initial advance.
by Quin Cho In August, the 6th Infantry Division resumed its advance north of the Yangtze River, coordinating with elements of the 11th Army advancing south of the river. Their objective was to capture Guangji, followed by the strategically significant fortress of Tianjiazhen (Peattie et al., 213). The 6th Infantry Division encountered stiff resistance from the Chinese 4th Army Corps, which had established in-depth defenses in the hilly terrain south of the Dabie Mountains (Hsu and Chang, 244). Starting in late August, the Chinese 21st and 27th Army Groups launched flank attacks on the 6th Infantry Division near Taihu and Jianshan from the Dabie Mountains (Hsu and Chang, 244). These forces captured Taihu and Jianshan, pressing on to Huangmei.
by Quin Cho In July, the Japanese continued their advance up the Yangtze River, targeting the towns of Huangmei and Xiaochikou. On July 23rd, the Hata Detachment landed at Gutang and seized Xiaochikou on July 26th (JM 179, 49). Simultaneously, the 6th Infantry Division advanced north of the Yangtze and captured Huangmei on August 2nd (Peattie et al., 212). Following these successes, the 106th and 101st Infantry Divisions moved in, with the 106th advancing south of Chili Hu and the Sato Detachment of the 101st Infantry Division landing east of Xiaochikou in mid-August, subsequently seizing Xingzu (JM 179, 49).
Despite initial successes, the 106th and 101st Infantry Divisions encountered significant resistance. The 106th Infantry Division became embroiled in positional fighting near Maanshan for a month. At the same time, the 101st Infantry Division, even after reinforcement, struggled for two months to capture the base of Lushan Mountain due to solid Chinese resistance (JM 179, 49). Heavy casualties were reported for both divisions (Peattie et al., 212). Recognizing the need for more manpower, the Central China Expeditionary Army dispatched the 9th and 27th Infantry Divisions to Xiaochikou in August 1938 (JM 179, 50). by Quin Cho The Flooding of the Yellow River and the Strategic Importance of Wuhan The flooding of the Yellow River, combined with the strategic importance of Wuhan, led the Imperial General Headquarters (IGHQ) to target Wuhan instead of Zhengzhou for its next major offensive. To capture Wuhan, IGHQ deployed two armies, the 2nd and 11th, each initially comprising three divisions. The 2nd Army commanded the 10th, 13th, and 16th Infantry Divisions, while the 11th Army commanded the 6th, 101st, and 106th Infantry Divisions (JM 179, 44-45, Chart No. 1). The Central China Expeditionary Army, to which the 2nd and 11th Armies belonged, initially had the 3rd, 9th, 18th, and 116th Infantry Divisions in reserve. The 3rd Infantry Division was transferred to the 2nd Army on August 1st, and the 9th Infantry Division was placed under the command of the 11th Army on the same date (JM 179 44-45, Chart No. 1).
The IGHQ planned for the 2nd Army to attack through the Dabie Mountains north of the Yangtze River, while the 11th Army would advance along both sides of the Yangtze (JM 179, 34-35). The primary goal was to converge on Wuhan and seize it, with the annihilation of Chinese forces as a secondary objective (JM 179, 35). by Quin Cho The Strategic Importance of the Yangtze River Area
The Yangtze River area, including Wuhan, has been the cradle of Chinese civilization and one of China's most important agricultural regions for thousands of years. The river provided a vital line of communication for the movement of people and goods, comparable only to the Yellow River to the north. Due to the strategic importance of this region, the approaches to Wuhan became the site of a large-scale, protracted campaign between the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) and China’s National Revolutionary Army (NRA) during World War II. The campaign involved 400,000 Japanese and 800,000 Chinese troops (Peattie et al., 196). Despite its significance, the Battle of Wuhan remains one of the most under-researched campaigns in twentieth-century warfare, with only one book in English dedicated to the subject, focusing more on refugees than the campaign itself. This blog series aims to inform an English-speaking audience about the significant campaign that took place in central China throughout 1938, documenting an often-overlooked chapter of World War II. The Dutch East Indies during World War 2: From Colonial Rule to the Birth of Modern Indonesia5/20/2024 by Jenny Chan World War II was a transformative period for the Dutch East Indies, a vast archipelago of over 17,000 islands that today form modern Indonesia. The impacts of the war, the subsequent Japanese occupation, and the rise of Indonesian nationalism reshaped the region's history and laid the groundwork for its emergence as a sovereign nation. This narrative of the Dutch East Indies during World War II highlights the complex interplay of war, colonialism, and nationalism that led to the establishment of modern Indonesia. The resilience and determination of the Indonesian people during these times paved the way for their ultimate sovereignty and independence.
by Jenny Chan Introduction Operation Ichi-Go, which took place from April 19 to December 31, 1944, during the Second Sino-Japanese War, represents one of the largest military endeavors of the conflict. This comprehensive operation involved multiple major battles across China, aimed primarily at securing railways and creating a land route for resources to counteract Allied advances in the Pacific (Hsu and Chang). |