This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory in World War II and the 88th anniversary of the Battle of Shanghai. To commemorate these significant events, the RAS History, Book, and Film clubs will host two events featuring "Eight Hundred Heroes" in October.

The Battle of Shanghai began in August 1937 following the clashes between the Chinese troops and the Imperial Japanese Army at the Marco Polo Bridge on July 7, 1937. Generalissimo Jiang Kai-Shek deployed some of his best-equipped units including the German-trained 88th division to open a new front in Shanghai against Japanese aggression. In October 1937, a battalion of approximately 420 Chinese soldiers, led by 32-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Xie Jinyuan, defended Sihang Warehouse against an overwhelming Japanese force. The men repulsed waves of Japanese attacks as thousands of spectators looked on from the relative safety of Shanghai's International Settlement. Western journalists observed the battles on the rooftops across Suzhou Creek and spread the story across the globe. Many historians consider the Battle of Shanghai to be the beginning of World War II.

Stephen Robinson's book "Eight Hundred Heroes" is an in-depth account, resulting from extensive research that for the first time comprehensively utilises first-hand accounts of the Chinese participants and the observations of Westerners who witnessed the battle at close range. In addition to describing the battle itself, it also introduces the aftermath, the propaganda values on both sides of the straits, and examines how this incredible feat of heroism became an enduring myth that helped define modern China.

While reading the book is not mandatory to participate in the event, it would be very beneficial if you could read Chapters 2-8 for a more in-depth discussion. We will explore talking points such as:

1, what makes the Battle of Shanghai and Eight Hundred Heroes unique in military history?

2, Generalissimo Jiang Kai-Shek's overall strategy

3, the responses and reactions of the Western powers especially Germany, the Great Britain and the United States

We encourage RAS members and friends to join this event to gain a better understanding of an important episode of Shanghai's history.