Battle of Shanghai – 1937

This image is a Chinese propaganda poster depicting scenes from the Battle of Shanghai in 1937, a pivotal conflict at the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War.The poster is titled “8-13 Songhu Battle of Resistance Map”, referring to the date the fighting broke out (August 13th). It features two distinct combat scenarios:

Top Scene: Shows Chinese National Revolutionary Army (NRA) soldiers in entrenched positions, firing heavy artillery and machine guns toward enemy forces. A traditional Chinese building stands in the background amidst explosions.

Bottom Scene: Illustrates a tactical river crossing. Soldiers are seen disembarking from small wooden boats while under fire from biplanes circling above, highlighting the intense land-and-air nature of the defense.

These posters were widely distributed to boost national morale and depict the bravery of Chinese forces against the Imperial Japanese Army. Today, they serve as significant historical artifacts of the era’s military history and visual culture.

Credit: The Claremont Colleges