1937 Map of Shanghai Zhabei w/ January 27, 1932 Shanghai Incident Notes

A rare and historically significant 1932 field commander's map of Zhabei District, Shanghai, with manuscript strategy annotations relating to the January 28th Incident of Shanghai Incident of 1932. The map covers the Zhabei district from the sharp bend in the Wusong (Suzhou) River to the Hongkou District. The map covers the district in incredible detail with individual buildings identified. The most interesting features are the detailed manuscript annotations associated with the conflict between Nationalistic forces and Japanese forces in neighboring Hongkou district. Chinese nationalist forces are highlighted in red pencil, while Japanese forces are defined in blue.

The conflict of January 28th, 1932, also known as the Shanghai Incident was a precursor to the Second Sino-Japanese War, which would begin a few years later. Following several alleged attackes on Japanese nationals, the Japanese launched a Blitzkrieg style attack on Chinese Nationalist forces with the supposed intent of protecting Japanese civilians residing in Hongkou. The Chinese Nationalist troops concentrated in Zhabei in order protect the strategically important Shanghai Railway Station, through which supplies and reinforcements could be readily delivered. The Chinese resistance proved stubborn and both sides established perimeters along the Hongkou River. A similar perimeter was stabled to the south, along the Wusong River, to protect the British and French Concessions. The Japanese nonetheless pursued their attack, using gunboats on the Wusong River and Hongkou River to harry the Chinese. Ultimatley the two sides fought to a near standstill. In late February the League of Nations forced both the Japanese to sign a ceasefire, the Shanghai Ceasefire Agreement, with china, turning Shanghai into a demilitarized zone.

Over the years, the Zhabei district felt the brunt of almost all military action in Shanghai. According to history Christian Henriot, in his essay A Neighborhood under the Storm, from 1911 on, ' Zhabei became engulfed into war at successive and increasingly destructive intervals.' It was pressured by revolutionary forces in 1911, in 1927 it againt became the battleground between revolutionaries and nationalists. In 1932, as above, the Japanese attacked. In 1937, they attacked again, leveling the district almost entirely. It was not until the late 1940s that it fully recovered. Today Zhabei is a vibrant affluent part of modern Shanghai.

This is map is rare. It is the first time we have encountered it. There are no known examples in any collection public or private.