Bombing of Chongqing
The first Japanese air raid on Chongqing struck the city on the 18th of February 1938, marking the start of a campaign that would last until December 1944. This attack was not an isolated incident but part of a calculated strategy by the Empire of Japan's Imperial General Headquarters to terrorize China into submission. The provisional wartime capital of Chongqing sat deep in Sichuan province, far from the coastal front lines where most fighting had occurred since 1937. Japanese planners hoped that sustained bombing would break Chinese morale and force the government to surrender without further resistance. They also viewed the raids as preparation for a potential invasion of Sichuan, though that ground offensive never materialized. By early 1938, the Republic of China Air Force had lost most of its modern aircraft during earlier battles at Shanghai, Nanjing, Taiyuan, and Wuhan. What remained were scattered warlord planes and foreign volunteers who struggled to maintain operational readiness. The centralized command integrated these disparate units under the Nationalist Air Force of China, yet resources were critically thin. Foreign aid arrived slowly through the Sino-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact signed in 1937, bringing Soviet-made Polikarpov I-15 and I-16 fighters. These aircraft became the backbone of Chinese defense despite their limitations. Meanwhile, Japan began establishing forward airbases in Hubei province after capturing territory there. From these new staging grounds, they launched coordinated strikes using both Army and Navy air services. The goal was clear: use overwhelming aerial power to crush civilian will and military capacity alike.
By mid-1940, the introduction of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter shifted the balance of air superiority decisively toward Japan. This aircraft, equipped with powerful engines and superior maneuverability, outclassed nearly every Chinese fighter then in service. On the 13th of September 1940, thirteen Zeros led by Lieutenant Saburo Shindo engaged thirty-four Chinese fighters over Chongqing. The battle lasted about half an hour before Chinese pilots ran low on fuel and broke contact. Many Polikarpovs were shot down or damaged, with ten Chinese pilots killed and eight wounded. Only four Japanese Zeros suffered minor damage, all returning safely to base. The Chinese Air Force had been burning low-grade 65, 75 octane fuel while Japanese planes used high-octane 90+ grade fuel that allowed greater speed and altitude performance. Even when Chinese pilots like Major Zheng Shaoyu and Captain Cen Zeliu managed to shoot down individual bombers, their own losses mounted steadily. In another engagement on the 14th of March 1941 near Chengdu, eight more Chinese airmen died including top ace Maj. John Huang Xinrui and Capt. Cen Zeliu. Their younger brother Lt. Lin Heng also perished during the same period. Despite these setbacks, some pilots continued to engage despite knowing they faced overwhelming odds. Fighter ace Xu Jixiang survived multiple encounters with the Zero before later claiming revenge by shooting one down over Hainan island in March 1944. Yet overall, technological disparity made sustained air combat increasingly futile for China.
Over three thousand tons of bombs rained down on Chongqing between 1939 and 1942 according to records kept by photographer Carl Mydans who called the spring 1941 attacks "the most destructive shelling ever made on a city." A total of 268 air raids were conducted against the city involving anywhere from dozens to over 150 bombers per attack. On the 4th of May 1939 alone, over three thousand residents died while nearly two thousand more were injured leaving about 200,000 homeless. Another raid on the 5th of June 1941 resulted in four thousand people asphyxiated inside a tunnel meant to protect them. Mass casualties became routine as entire neighborhoods were flattened or burned beyond recognition. Refugees fled daily into mountainous terrain where shelters offered little protection from falling debris or firestorms. Monks at Ciyun Temple worked tirelessly to rescue survivors during these campaigns spanning five years. The psychological toll was equally devastating with families separated and communities shattered repeatedly. Even foreign delegations were not spared; a large Nazi flag painted on the German embassy roof failed to prevent it from being hit during one raid. Civilian infrastructure including factories government facilities and radio stations had been moved underground but manual labor required to dig such shelters proved exhausting and dangerous. Many citizens lived under constant threat knowing that death could come without warning at any hour.
Chinese forces developed innovative methods to counter Japanese bombing despite severe technological disadvantages. Nighttime interceptions began in summer 1939 when pilots like Liu Zhesheng used "lone wolf" tactics similar to later Luftwaffe strategies. These involved single fighters guided by ground-based searchlights illuminating incoming bombers for targeting purposes. On the 3rd of August 1939, Liu shot down a bomber flying an I-15bis during such an operation. Capt. Cen Zeliu claimed another nighttime kill shortly afterward using the same method. By August 1940, Major Zheng Shaoyu led experiments dropping air-burst bombs developed by combat flight instructor Yan Lei. These devices descended under parachutes detonating hundreds of meters ahead of lead bombers causing formations to break apart before Chinese fighters attacked. Five bombers were confirmed destroyed while many others damaged during this tactic's first use. Anti-aircraft artillery played a crucial role too with eighteen primary batteries positioned around Chongqing from 1939 to 1942. Though often ineffective against high-altitude raids they forced some bombers off course or caused them to miss targets entirely. When British closed the Burma Road in July 1940 cutting off vital supplies China struggled further but still managed limited successes through ingenuity and sacrifice.
Foreign aid flowed into China via two critical routes: the Burma Road and The Hump airlift across the Himalayas. After France fell to Germany in June 1940, Vichy authorities allowed Japanese troops to conduct cross-border raids into Yunnan province stationing air units at Lạng Sơn among other locations. This move threatened to close the Burma Road permanently which had been China's main lifeline for fuel and materials needed to defend Chongqing and Chengdu. In response the United States began sending barrels of 100-octane avgas through "The Hump" starting in 1942 mostly destined for USAAF operations though some reached Chinese Air Force units. New American Republic P-43 Lancer pursuit planes arrived hoping to upgrade capabilities but proved unreliable killing more pilots than enemies including Major Zheng Shaoyu himself who died crashing after his plane caught fire mid-flight. Despite these challenges new interceptor aircraft supported by radar equipment and Allied training improved Chinese defenses significantly by August 1943. General Joseph Stilwell facilitated transfers of North American B-25 Mitchell bomber support equipment radio-homing navigational aids and high-octane fuel essential for planning future counterattacks like the Doolittle Raid against Japan itself.
In March 2006 forty Chinese survivors wounded or who lost family members during the bombings sued the Japanese government demanding ten million yen each plus official apologies. Eighteen thousand eight hundred survivors filed a group lawsuit seeking compensation acknowledging damages caused yet denying plaintiffs' right to receive monetary reparations according to Tokyo High Court rulings upheld in 2015. Victims stated their motivation was not financial gain but rather ensuring Japanese people understood what happened during those years of terror bombing. One victim declared "By filing a lawsuit we want the Japanese people to know about Chongqing bombings." The legal battle highlighted unresolved historical grievances stemming from events that occurred over sixty-five years earlier. While courts recognized harm done no financial redress was granted leaving many families without closure decades after the war ended. These lawsuits represented one final attempt to hold perpetrators accountable long after active hostilities ceased.
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Common questions
When did the first Japanese air raid on Chongqing occur?
The first Japanese air raid on Chongqing struck the city on the 18th of February 1938. This attack marked the start of a bombing campaign that continued until December 1944.
What aircraft did Japan use to gain air superiority over Chongqing in 1940?
Japan introduced the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter which shifted the balance of air superiority decisively toward them by mid-1940. The Zero was equipped with powerful engines and superior maneuverability that outclassed nearly every Chinese fighter then in service.
How many people died during the major air raids on Chongqing between 1939 and 1942?
Over three thousand tons of bombs rained down on Chongqing between 1939 and 1942 according to records kept by photographer Carl Mydans. On the 4th of May 1939 alone over three thousand residents died while another raid on the 5th of June 1941 resulted in four thousand people asphyxiated inside a tunnel meant to protect them.
Who were some notable Chinese pilots who fought against Japanese bombers in Chongqing?
Notable Chinese pilots included Major Zheng Shaoyu Captain Cen Zeliu and ace Xu Jixiang who engaged Japanese forces despite severe technological disadvantages. Other pilots such as Liu Zhesheng developed nighttime interception tactics using ground-based searchlights to guide single fighters against incoming bombers.
Why did the United States begin sending fuel through The Hump airlift starting in 1942?
The United States began sending barrels of 100-octane avgas through The Hump airlift after France fell to Germany in June 1940 and Vichy authorities allowed Japanese troops to conduct cross-border raids into Yunnan province. This move threatened to close the Burma Road permanently which had been China's main lifeline for fuel and materials needed to defend Chongqing and Chengdu.