World War II Database

In celebration of the 70th anniversary of the end of WW2, the Communist Chinese government had approved a ¥100,000,000 RMB project (approximately $16,000,000 USD, $494,000,000 TWD, or $125,000,000 HKD) to renovate the Sihang Warehouse in the city of Shanghai to commemorate the 1937 battle during which Nationalist Chinese troops stubbornly defended the 6-story warehouse from fierce Japanese assaults for 5 days. This decision was a reversal from a 1994 decision in which the Communist leadership suppressed all efforts to memorialize the Sihang battle because the battle was fought by Nationalist troops. The Nationalists, bested by the Communists in the post-WW2 civil war, relocated the Republic of China to Taiwan, where the ROC government is still sovereign today; the Communists' inability to achieve a total victory in 1949 is still a sensitive matter among Communist leaders to this date despite improved relations between the two Chinas. While some lauded Communist China for its recent liberal decisions to recognize all Chinese war efforts without regard to politics, critics showed concern that these steps were yet another campaign for the Communist government to be seen as the legitimate successor of the pre-1949 ROC, rather than simply the more dominant of the two Chinese nations.

The funding would be used to restore the damaged appearance on the western and southern exterior walls, to build a garden on the west side of the grounds, to commission a sculpture representing the "800 Heroes", and to establish a 5,000-square-meter museum space. Nationalist emblems and flags were expected to be displayed despite the political implications.

For more information:
UDN News (in Chinese)
WW2DB: The Second Battle of Shanghai