“The Battle of China,” Chapter VI of Frank Capra’s “Why We Fight” series, explains why the Empire of Japan possessed such a strong interest in ruling the disparate lands of China. In an attempt to break the will of the Chinese people in one massive assault, Japan invades Nanking and massacres forty thousand civilians. The attack results in an opposite effect, galvanizing the Chinese resistance and unifying the separate lands into a single Chinese identity. While the Japanese take control of all Chinese ports, hoping to cut off all resources from its victim, China’s allies effectuate an engineering miracle. They construct the seven hundred mile long Burma Road over the mountains of Myanmar, and set up a constant caravan of trucks to ship food and materiel to the Chinese armies, keeping them alive. Frustrated by their inability to conquer China, the Japanese turn their attention to the islands of the Pacific, and the United States.

0:09 – 0:53: Describes the transformation of ancient Chinese cities into modern hubs in the free western mountains, focusing on Chungking (Chongqing) where the government reestablished itself. The city is fortified against Japanese air raids with cave shelters.

1:02 – 2:59: Discusses the Japanese strategy to bomb Chungking from the air due to inability to conquer it by land, met with resistance from China’s outdated air force in a suicide defense.

3:37 – 4:41: Despite bombings, the industrial and civilian life of Chungking moves underground, symbolizing the indomitable Chinese spirit.

4:41 – 6:51: Highlights the mobilization of the Chinese populace into a People’s Army, including volunteers from abroad like American Colonel Chennault’s Flying Tigers, who offer significant aerial support.

6:51 – 8:58: Details Japan’s strategy to cut off China’s supply lines, leading to the necessity of new routes for supplies. Introduces the concept of the Burma Road as a vital lifeline, built under extreme conditions.

9:25 – 10:50: Describes the rapid construction of the Burma Road by Chinese labor, completed in less than a year, becoming a symbol of the new China’s resilience.

11:13 – 13:09: Discusses the Chinese strategy of trading space for time, including the drastic measure of flooding by destroying the Yellow River’s dyke to halt Japanese advance.

13:12 – 15:36: Explains the effectiveness of Chinese guerrilla warfare, with farmers turning into fighters, disrupting Japanese control and supply lines.

15:40 – 17:23: The Japanese, realizing the stalling of their plans in China, decide to move forward with phases three and four of the Tanaka plan, attacking the United States and other allies despite incomplete control over China.

17:23 – 18:59: Despite gaining allies in the war against Japan, China faces setbacks like the loss of the Burma Road, but the Chinese spirit remains unbroken.

18:59 – 20:44: Describes the Battle of Changsha, where the Chinese forces cleverly trap and defeat the Japanese, showcasing their strategic resilience.

20:44 – 23:57: Notes the shift in the war with the Allies on the offensive in the Pacific and the establishment of supply lines via air over “The Hump” to support Chinese forces, alongside the training and equipping of Chinese troops with modern American weapons.

23:57 – 25:09: Concludes with the ongoing struggle of China against Japanese aggression, emphasizing the fight for freedom and civilization, with the hope for a better world for all mankind.

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