Description

1937(Dec 6) Stampless printed Japanese Military Star card to Shiogama town, Miyagi Prefecture from Yuji Shimada, Otuka Party, Tanigawa Unit, Shanghai Despatch with boxed censor chop of Tokihiro Otuka & with unframed “Mail Charged to Water Supply Car of Kodai (Shanghai Kanebo)” h/s in violet………..Kanebo is a large civilian Ltd company who apparently sent civilian specialists with the troops when they entered Shanghai to assist in providing a water supply……..The Japanese at this time were surrounding the city of Nanking & the Panay incident occured a few days later on 12 December when Japanese aircraft attacked & sank the USS Panay which was the prelude to the slaughter known as  “The Rape of Nanking”………………..Although this was 4 years prior to Pearl Harbour it was indicitive of Japanese intentions