This week, seventy years ago, the Japanese Empire tightened its blockade of China one more notch, with the Swatow Operation.  At the time, Swatow, or Shantou, was a Port on the China Sea with a population of about 100,000.  Today it is a City of 5,000,000 and together with the Cities of Jieyang and Chaozhou, it is a part of a metropolitan region with a population in excess of 13,200,000.  Before the war with Japan, it was the third busiest Port in China.
    The Japanese wanted to choke-off all trade between China and the outside world.  In order to accomplish this they would have to control the Port of Swatow.  On June 21,1939, forces under the command of Admiral Nobutke Kondo landed near the airfield east of Swatow.  This group included a part of the Sasebo SNLF - Special Naval Landing Force - and part of the Goto Detachment.  
    Special Naval Landing Forces were the rough Japanese equivalent of the Marines.  Sasebo refers to one of the four large Japanese Naval Bases where these forces were raised, trained and based. It is located near Nagasaki, on the southernmost Japanese island. It now serves as a U.S. Naval Base.
    The Goto Detachment were soldiers under the command of Major General Juro Goto.  The forces under General Goto’s command included the 132 Infantry Brigade, the 7th Independent Infantry Battalion, two mountain gun batteries, two engineer companies, a tankette platoon and a river-crossing materiel company. General Goto had commanded the 132nd for less than a year. It was a part of the 104th Division, which was a part of the 21st Army.
     In addition to the Special Naval Landing Force, Admiral Kondo’s 5th Fleet provided the naval support and included the 5th Destroyer Unit, the aircraft carrier Chiyoda, the 3rd Combined Air Unit, and the Canton Air Unit.  
    The Chiyoda was commanded by Captain Tomeo Kaku. The Chiyoda  had been at sea for less than a year. It was named for a city near Tokyo. The ship had a crew of 800 and carried 30 aircraft. It was sunk, with all hands, in the Battle of Engaño during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, in October 1944. It was the largest ship to go down, with all hands, in World War II.  Captain Kaku went on to command the carrier Hiryu, which took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor and was sunk at the Battle of Midway, in June 1942. Before the order to “Abandon Ship!” was given, Captain Kaku addressed the crew and accepted all of the blame. Then he and Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi, during a ceremonial meal of naval biscuits and water, shared the following conversation: Admiral - “Let us enjoy the beauty of the moon.” Captain - “How bright it shines! It must be the 21st day.” Captain Kaku went down with his ship, and was posthumously promoted to vice-admiral.
    In the grand hierarchy of the Imperial Japanese Navy, Admiral Kondo was second only to Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto.  A native of Osaka, he had graduated first in his class from the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy in 1907.  In addition to sea duty, he had also, before the Great War, served as a naval attaché to the Japanese Embassy in the United Kingdom.  After that war, he was stationed for three years in Germany.  Upon his return from Germany, he had served as an aid-de-camp to the future Emperor.  He assumed the rank of Vice-Admiral in 1937.  In 1943, he was promoted to Admiral, and was appointed to the Supreme War Council in May of 1945. In addition to his service in the war with China, he participated in the invasions of Malaya, Philippines, Dutch East Asia, and the Battles of Midway, Eastern Solomons, Santa Cruz Islands, Savo Island and Guadalcanal.
    The invaders were opposed by 2nd, 4th and 5th Peace Preservation Regiments, Training Regiments and some local militia under the command of Hua Chen-Chung.
    On June 22nd the Japanese also landed on the island of Jiao Yu located south of Swatow. By June 24th the entire island of Jiao Yu had been occupied.  The Chinese retreated to the small city of Fui Yang on June 24th to block the approaches to Chau-chow.  The Japanese also sent forces up the Han River, in ten motor boats, and landed in the Chinese rear.  With that, the Chinese fell back into the City, while some moved into the mountains northwest of the City.  The next day, the Chinese abandoned Swatow and fell back to the Yenfu-Meihsi Line.  On June 27th, after heavy fighting, the Japanese captured Chau-chow.  Eventually, the Fifth Reserve Division and the First Advance Column arrived to reinforce the Chinese defenders and to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Japanese.

Mr. Wimbrow writes from Ocean City, Maryland, where he practices law representing those persons accused of criminal and traffic offenses, and those persons who have suffered a personal injury through no fault of their own.