RISING STORM - THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY AND CHINA
1931-1941

City of Canton in 1910 showing Shameen Island at lower left

© 2012 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Anthony Tully
Revision 4

Canton (now Guangzhou), for over 1,000 years the great trading port of South China, lies on the delta of the Pearl River, 75 miles north-northwest of Hong Kong. Canton was the third largest city in China and the largest in southern China. The Portuguese are the first Europeans to arrive in Canton in 1514. By 1517, they establish a monopoly on external trade from the port, until the Chinese expel them.

By the 1690s, the French and English began trading in the port. In the 1700s, they are followed by Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Prussian, Italian, American and Australia companies. Between 1757 and 1842, the Qing government officially opens Canton to foreign trade including Portuguese, Spanish, Arab and Indians and it becomes one of the world's great trading ports. In 1841, during the First Opium War the British capture Canton. In 1842, the Treaty of Nanking ends the First Opium War and Cantou's monopoly on trade between Britain and China by opening four new treaty ports in Fuzhou, Amoy (Xiamen), Ningbo and Shanghai. The Treaty also cedes Hong Kong to Britain.

Sometime after the end of the Second Opium War (Arrow War) in 1858, British and French traders create Foreign Concessions on tiny Shameen (Shamian) Island. European traders then reside there in colonial style buildings and work under European laws.

By the 1930s, one-third of the city's 1,000,000 Chinese live on water-logged sampans, jam-packed along the river fronts.

Southern China showing Canton (Guangzhou), Macau and Hong Kong

1932:
The United States Asiatic Fleet (USAF) South China Patrol continues to operate in the Canton-West River area to protect United States nationals and other interests in the area. Old gunboat USS HELENA is withdrawn and decommissioned, leaving only river gunboat MINDANAO (PR-8), flagship of the South China Patrol, in the Canton area.

7 July 1937: The Marco Polo Bridge Incident ("First China Incident"):
Hun River, Lukuokiao, China. Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) troops on night maneuvers at the Marco Polo Bridge fire blank cartridges. Chinese troops across the river think they are under attack. They fire live rounds back, but do not cause injuries. At morning roll call, the Japanese discover a soldier missing and assume the Chinese have captured him. The Japanese demand entry to the Peiping (Beijing) suburb of Wanping to look for the soldier, but the Chinese refuse. The Japanese then shell the city. An undeclared war on China begins.

15 August 1937:
Japanese residents in South China are under the protection of Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) Okuma Masakichi's (37)(former CO of YAMASHIRO) DesRon 5. DesDiv 13's SANAE is responsible for Canton. After the clash in Shanghai, Japanese residents in Canton start evacuation. All reach Formosa safely.

31 August 1937:
Taipei, Formosa (Taiwan). The IJN Kanoya Kokutai (Naval Air Group) launches nine (Type 96 Mitsubishi G3M2 "Nell" bombers to cross the East China Sea and attack Canton. The Chinese 29th Independent Pursuit Squadron (PS) scrambles eight Curtiss "Hawk III" fighters to intercept. The Chinese shoot down one G3M. Two of the Hawks are slightly damaged.

Chinese "Hawk III" and IJN G3M2 "Nells"

5 September 1937:
CarDiv 1's RYUJO and HOSHO depart Sasebo.

21 September 1937:
South China coast. CarDiv 1's HOSHO and RYUJO begin operations against Chinese forces near Canton despite bad weather. The Chinese 29th PS scrambles seven Curtiss "Hawk III " bi-plane fighters to intercept an attack on the Teinho and Peiyun airfields by 12Type 94 dive-bombers, three torpedo bombers and 15 Type 90 fighters. A 30-minute dogfight ensues in which two "Hawk IIIs" are shot down. The Japanese also shoot down two Chinese observation planes. Five of HOSHO's fighters run out of fuel and are forced ditch short of the carrier. IJN destroyers and other vessels rescue the pilots. This is the largest single loss of IJN fighters during the Sino-Japanese War, 1937-1941.

That afternoon, RYUJO launches six carrier bombers, three atttack planes and nine fighters to attack Canton. They are engaged by CAF "Hawk III" fighters. RYUJO's pilots claim five "Hawk IIIs" shot down.

22~30 September 1937:
CarDiv 1's aircraft fly almost daily attack missions in the vicinity of Canton.

3 October 1937:
CarDiv 1 departs Cantonese waters for the Shanghai area.

4 October 1937:
KAGA departs Sasebo.

E 7 October 1937:
KAGA arrives off Canton.

E 8-23 October 1937:
KAGA’s aircraft engage in missions against Chinese positions in the vicinity of Canton.

E 24 October 1937:
KAGA departs Chinese waters.

21 November 1937:
KAGA departs Sasebo.

E 24 November 1937:
Arrives in the vicinity of Canton.

29 October 1938:
Canton. The first IJN units arrive in the harbor and raise the Rising Sun flag on the Customs buoy. By this time, most Europeans have left Shameen for Hong Kong.

River gunboats HMS MOTH (later IJN SUMA), HMS CICADA and USS MINDANAO remain on station in Canton exercising their countries' treaty rights. The IJN does not allow Chinese or British merchant ships to leave Canton, but does not stop the gunboats which ferry mail, medical supplies and official visitors between their Consulates in Canton and Hong Kong.

Btitish river gunboat HMS MOTH

E November 1938:
IJN CarDiv 2 departs Cantonese waters.

11 December 1938:
KAGA arrives at Sasebo.

15 December 1938:
Prior to her conversion to a seaplane tender, transport KAMIKAWA MARU is attached to the 5th Fleet's newly formed 16th Seaplane Tender Division with the 14th NAG’s assets. She operates from off Hainan Island in support of operations in the Canton area.

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Authors' Notes:
[1] The authors could not find any extant data on the IJN OOB at Sanzao. Readers who have such info are requested topost it on the Questions and Discussions Board and/or on the J-Air message board.

[2] Post war, the Chinese erect a memorial at Liantang in remembrance of those murdered in the cause of Japan creating a "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere".

Thanks go to David Aiken of Hawaii and Rev. Sidnei Maneta of Sao Paulo, Brazil for additional IJN aircraft info in Rev 1.Thanks also go to Allan Alsleben of Oregon for additional info about the Liantang Sanzao OOB in Rev 2.

-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Anthony Tully

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