Source 5: Anon (1938) Changsha Fire

Source 5: Anon (1938) Changsha Fire

Changsha Fire

In November 1938, several cities having been besieged by the Japanese army, the Nationalist party leader Chiang Kai-Shek decided to deliberately set the city of Changsha ablaze. This meant the Japanese army made no tangible gains from its occupation. Prior to this decision, thousands of refugees from Wuhan had entered Changsha, swelling its population to over 500,000 people. Circa 30,000 Chinese perished due to the largest man-made fire in Chinese history. This fire would alienate many ordinary Chinese citizens from the Nationalist cause.

Anon

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