British Pathe

Various footage relating to the Sino-Japanese war. First section has no identifying marks so mostly guesswork as to where it was shot.

i) Unedited material - British (?) troops arrive by truck in Shanghai? M/S of traffic passing through street - possibly Shanghai. High angle shot of a port...

Various footage relating to the Sino-Japanese war. First section has no identifying marks so mostly guesswork as to where it was shot.

i) Unedited material - British (?) troops arrive by truck in Shanghai? M/S of traffic passing through street - possibly Shanghai. High angle shot of a port with buildings on fire. Low angle shot of aircraft.

High angle shot of large crowd of people on a bridge over a river. They seem to be refugees fleeing the port. Closer shot of the crowd shows how an official is controlling the crowd by means of a baton - he hits and pushes several of the refugees. M/S of women and children struggling with their belongings as they make their way off the bridge. Some are roughly pushed to hurry them along by British (?) officials. M/S of crowds of Chinese fleeing the port. C/U showing worried faces of refugees. M/S of Chinese (?) troops lying on the ground with guns. Various shots of troops under fire, running across a road and following tanks. Aircraft in the sky. M/S of large crowd of people in the streets running towards camera and riding bicycles. An official closes a gate to prevent some of the crowd from getting through. This section is a print.

ii) American Pathe News item entitled "China's Fate in Balance as Japanese Force Drive." Introductory intertitle reads: "Editor's Note: While the world looks on aghast at the conflict raging in the Far East, China and Japan have massed new troops and engines of bloodshed for the greatest struggle of 'war', a struggle which will decide the fate of Shanghai, and perhaps the fate of China."

This section is a neg. Train with covered trucks passes the camera. Narrator states: "Chinese reinforcements are being sent to the scene of action." M/S of soldiers climbing out of the railway trucks. Panning shot of large number of soldiers standing beside the railway tracks. Refugees are seen making their way through Shanghai streets with their belongings. Various shots of troops in the streets, behind barricades, guns drawn. C/U of bullet damage to buildings, damaged walls, a city street strewn with dead bodies, buildings on fire etc. Refugees are seen aboard trains, walking and running through the streets. Children and adults beg for food beside a stationary train.

Children dressed in rags are handed blankets by members of a relief society or charity. M/S of children being given bowls of rice at a "rice kitchen". M/S of children carrying bowls of rice they have been given. M/S of starving children eating their rice. C/U of small boy eating a piece of bread "These poor kiddies probably haven't eaten anything in days." states the narrator.

Various shots of combat - troops fire machine guns and rifles. Army moving forward, climbing from the trenches. Stretcher bearers carry the wounded. Two shots of injured soldiers. C/U of machine gun operator. Artillery is fired. Narrator ends by saying: "It's the story of a war that's technically not a war."

iii) American Pathe News item entitled: "China Strife Puts World On Guard". Introductory intertitle reads: "Editor's Note: Further fighting around Shanghai and on the Yangtse River leads great powers to take joint action for protection of nationals in danger zones while they seek to end conflict in the Far East."

Shanghai, China. High angle of Japanese (?) troops herding back a crowd of Chinese refugees. Soldier uses his gun to hit the refugees. Marines are seen in the streets - they are doing a "house to house" search for snipers. British troops arrive from Hong Kong - they are seen marching through the streets and working to extend the barriers of the International Settlement to check surprise attacks and halt Chinese refugees.

Various shots of British troops at work carrying wood to make barriers and putting up barbed wire fences. They man machine guns and stop cars and perform searches. High angle shot of boats passing through the American patrol area.

Chinese troops in trench and marching through a barren landscape. Walled city of Nanking - troops on guard. Soldiers marching through the streets and artillery men preparing their field guns.

Chinese (?) warships seen moving through water as narrator describes a Japanese attack on a Chinese port south of Shanghai. L/S of Japanese (?) warship. M/S of men on deck of ship with Japanese ensign flag flying. Gun on board ship is fired. L/S of warships. Ends.