This 1939 black and white documentary film “The Tragedy of the Siege of Shanghai” provides on-the-scene reporting of the first Japanese invasion of China. It was produced by E.W. Hammons, founder of Educational Pictures, filmed with Leon Britton and Charles Hugo in Shanghai. Actual footage shows Japanese military aircraft flying over Shanghai and the first bomb hitting. Additional bombs follow and smoke fills the skies (1:00-1:35). People run in panic as more bombs strike. The city streets are wall-to-wall people heading for the French International Settlement, which is declared safe from bombing. Some travel in rickshaws (1:36-2:40). An official state of emergency declaration is posted in English and Chinese on January 28, 1932 (2:42-2:52). Japanese men work to fill sandbags. Japanese Marines establish control. The reporters are allowed to enter with a British escort. Japanese sailors stand against barricades. They frisk a Chinese citizen. Soldiers wait with guns ready to fire (2:55-4:05). Firemen attempt to put out a new blaze caused by bombing (4:06-4:18). Another individual is frisked by the Japanese. Japanese trucks spray bullets down the street (4:19-4:41). The refugees crowded in the International Settlement board river steamers. U.S. Marines patrol the Suzhou (Soochow) Creek area (4:43-5:36). A tank patrols the streets in the Shanghai French Concession area. French troops block the streets with barbed wire fences (5:37-6:03). The Italian troops wait with guns at a sandbag barrier (6:04-6:20). The Japanese flagship JDS Izumo (DDH-183) is moored in the harbor. Additional warships are shown in the harbor with Japanese reinforcements, who march on the street in full military uniform. Japanese citizens wave flags in support (6:21-7:25). The Chinese leader and troops also march (7:26-8:10). The Chinese troops trench along the railroad (8:11-8:22). Japanese troops move to the front on trucks (8:27-8:52). Chinese trucks bearing wounded return from the front bearing a large Red Cross banner. Wounded are on stretchers (8:53-9:18). A boat ride on the river passes the wreckage of a bombed out village (9:19-9:43). Chinese cannons wait for the Japanese fleet to arrive near the destroyed fort at Woosong (9:44-10:44). Goats are loaded into a truck by Scottish troops, which are then shown marching in the streets of Shanghai (10:45-11:22). U.S. troops guard a factory. An American transport ship USS Chaumont (AP-5) arrives. Japanese planes fly overhead as the troops of the 31st disembark under a Nanking Road Pontoon No. 13 banner and board trucks (11:23-12:40). The French build a double barricade (12:41-13:20). The USS Houston waits with a group of destroyers (13:21-13:48). The Chinese build sandbag barricades (13:49-14:13). A Japanese bomber lies downed. Others return to the landing field (14:14-15:03). Truckloads of Chinese wounded return from the front (15:04-15:15). The cotton mill was bombed, as was a Chinese train. Tracks, the Shanghai-Nanjing Railroad station, and surrounding area are destroyed (15:16-16:33). A child and dog, ride on a cart. The streets are full of cars and rickshaws. People pick through the ruins (16:34-17:33). Additional Japanese soldiers arrive (17:34-18:00). A woman pours water on smoldering flames (18:03-18:33).

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com