This historic newsreel, shot by Fox Movietone cameraman Eric Mayell, shows the so-called “Panay Incident” of December 12, 1937. The USS Panay was a U.S. Navy ship operating in Chinese waters to protect American interests including the Standard Oil concessions. During the Japanese assault on Nanking (now Nanjing), Panay was attacked by Japanese aircraft while she was anchored in the Yangtze River. Japan and the United States were not at war at the time. The Japanese claimed that they did not see the American flags painted on the deck of the gunboat, apologized, and paid an indemnity. Nevertheless, the attack and the subsequent Allison incident in Nanking caused U.S. opinion to turn against the Japanese. Fon Huffman, the last survivor of the incident, died in 2008.
Two newsreel cameramen were on board the ship at the time of the attack: Universal News cameraman Norman Alley, and Movietone News’ Eric Mayell. Both men were covering the on-going Japanese invasion of China in the mid-1930’s, and found themselves in the thick of things in early December of 1937 as Japanese forces moved on Nanking. The version of the newsreel which was released in the United States was censored by President Franklin Roosevelt, who felt that images of low-flying Japanese aircraft might further inflame the public. This version, which was apparently only seen by British audiences, includes footage of low level aircraft at 1:27, 1:54 and elsewhere, and shows what appears to be a Japanese army vessel at 3:00. After the incident, Mayell continued to work in Japanese-occupied China, and for a short time was imprisoned by the Japanese after allegedly photographing Japanese positions near the blockaded British and French concessions in Tientsin.
Shots of advancing Japanese troops marching along roads, close shot into and past camera also with vehicles. Shots of bombs bursting over Shanghai – fighting in streets – entering buildings, firing guns etc. Refugees standing watching. Bombing of the Cathay Hotel. Japanese soldiers entering the warehouse in Chapei. Shot of Eric Mayell filming. Shots of the Yangtze and warships on same. ‘Panay’ and refugees boarding her. Map of China and spot where Panay was sunk. Jap planes flying. Panay and other warships anchored. Shots of the attack on the gun-boat and scenes of anti-aircraft guns in action from the deck of the ship. Shots of the injured men from the Panay leaving in small boats. Small boat approaching shore. One long shot of man swimming. Shots of the boat sinking and a shot of Eric Mayell continuing to shoot the sinking. Shots of the survivors and wounded going through high reeds. Other shots of the wounded lying down. Long shot of burning Oil Tanker and smoke pouring from same. Shots of the wounded and survivors in Hohsien. Lt Anders lies wounded and lights a cigarette. Elevated shots of the Chinese junks and the wounded. Elevated shot of river at Shanghai. Aboard the ‘Augusta’ Admiral. Yarnell and Eric Mayell. USS Oahu and Gunboat Ladybird to the rescue. Shots of the ‘Ladybird’ past camera. Coffin draped with US flag brought aboard American cruiser.
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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
