In late October 1937, when the battle of Shanghai was pretty much decided, and the Chinese were preparing to withdraw west, Chiang Kai-shek and his commanders decided for a dramatic last stand at the Sihang Warehouse on Suzhou Creek (see below). The job of defending the building was handed to a battalion of soldiers from the legendary 88th Division. Although they numbered little more than 400 officers and men, they became known as the “800 heroes” as they fought tenaciously for four days before finally retreating. Suzhou Creek formed the northern boundary of the city’s international area and allowed the soldiers setting up positions in the building to attract full foreign media attention as they carried out their fight against the advancing Japanese. The battle, although strategically insignificant, attained huge moral significance, and is remembered to this day. The building remains and has recently been restored and turned into a museum. In this post please find a number of photos from the site, taken by Yi Lee. The captions are also Yi Lee’s.
They removed the patches, revealing the damage
Apparently the warehouse is framed in concrete, filled with brick, and then an outer layer of concrete was added
Reproduction gates. These were probably barricaded during the battle
The only picture of Chiang Kai-shek. Can barely see him
Tag Photo Options ShareSendLike. Photos from Yi Lee’s post . Yi LeeWWII Chinese Reenactors 11 hrs · . Red Cross ID? Note the emblem being crossed out, probably during the cultural revolution