First U.S Navy Ship Sunk by Japan December, 1937

I seem to have a glimmer of a memory of the USS Panay, but nothing as detailed as this article about the sinking and American sentiment at the time, four years before the attack on Pearl Harbor. I'm sure Ben is very familiar with the story. The article presents an interesting read.

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On December 12, 1937, the US Navy river gunboat USS Panay and three Standard Oil Company tankers were evacuating American citizens trapped by Japan’s invasion of Nanjing when they were targeted from above in an attack that, like Pearl Harbor, stood out both for its mercilessness and the fact that the US and Japan were not at that time at war.

Nine Nakajima fighters strafed the convoy with machine gun fire, shooting even on its lifeboats, while three Japanese Yokosuka rained down at least 20 132-pound bombs. Four people died – two US sailors, an oil tank captain, and an Italian journalist. More than 40 servicemen and civilians were injured.

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CNN Article

Excellent read---thank you :bowdown: I did know about that but haven't seen anything for years.

One of the things I quickly learned when I got to Korea is that the Korean people have a deep seated hatred of the Japanese. I was to learn that hatred of the Japanese spreads across much of Asia----and it is well founded. The Japanese were brutal bastards to the people of every country they captured---and they have not forgotten. :redmad:

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Originally Posted by Dave Grubb

One of the things I quickly learned when I got to Korea is that the Korean people have a deep seated hatred of the Japanese. I was to learn that hatred of the Japanese spreads across much of Asia----and it is well founded. The Japanese were brutal bastards to the people of every country they captured---and they have not forgotten. :redmad:

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If you would like an excellent treatise on that subject, read John Toland's two volume study, "The Rising Sun - The Rise and Fall of the Japanese Empire"...:read:...Ben

I have read that, it is an excellent work.

I have my own issues with the Japanese, partly due to my admiration of the Korean people and partly for being beaten up because of our perceived second class manufacturing in the 80s.