Source 5: Harrison Forman (1938) China, Men and Boys Digging Ditches China Yellow River Flood

Source 5: Harrison Forman (1938) China, Men and Boys Digging Ditches China Yellow River Flood

Yellow River dam burst

In 1938 Chiang Kai-shek decided to break the dams of the Yellow River in order to halt the rapid advance of Japanese forces. Scientist Steven Dutch dubbed the event “the largest act of environmental warfare in history.” Many surrounding areas were destroyed with estimates ranging from between 400,000 to 1.5 million deaths. Here, war photographer Harrison Forman depicts a small community of Chinese Jews in the city of Kaifeng digging ditches in an attempt to protect themselves from the expected floodwaters. Notice the rudimentary nature of the tools used and the lack of any official presence to support this community.

Harrison Forman

American Geographical Society Library University of Milwaukee