Battles of December 13 including descriptions of the battles, geographic locations, associated artwork, and museums where a person can find associated artifacts and artwork.
1. The Battle of Nanking (Fall of Nanking)
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Date: November 11 – December 13, 1937
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War: Second Sino-Japanese War
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General Location: Nanjing (Nanking), Jiangsu Province, China
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Geographic Coordinates: 32°02′38″N 118°46′43″E
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Cause: The Imperial Japanese Army advanced upon Nanking (Nanjing), the capital of the Republic of China, intending to force a Chinese surrender after the bloody Battle of Shanghai.
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Result: Japanese victory. The city fell on December 13, leading immediately to the Nanking Massacre (Rape of Nanking), where hundreds of thousands of civilians and disarmed soldiers were murdered by Japanese troops.
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Recommended Book: The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II by Iris Chang
Paintings & Artwork
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Painting: Deliverance
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Artist: Christian Poirot
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Year: 2015 (A massive oil painting donated to the Memorial Hall to mark the 70th anniversary).
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Painting: Flower Market (Nanjing 1936) #2
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Artist: John Young
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Year: 2010 (Part of the “Safety Zone” series reflecting on the tragedy).
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Museums with Artifacts
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Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders (Nanjing, China)
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Collections: Built on a site where thousands were buried, this museum houses bones of victims, historical documents, photographs, and artifacts detailing the battle and subsequent massacre.
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Nanjing Museum (Nanjing, China)
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Collections: While a general history museum, it holds significant artifacts from the Republican era and the 1937 defense of the city.
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2. The Battle of the River Plate
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Date: December 13, 1939
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War: World War II
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General Location: South Atlantic Ocean, off the estuary of the River Plate (near Uruguay and Argentina)
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Geographic Coordinates: 34°34′00″S 48°17′00″W
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Cause: Allied hunting groups were searching the South Atlantic for the German “pocket battleship” Admiral Graf Spee, which had been raiding merchant shipping.
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Result: A tactical stalemate but a strategic British victory. The Graf Spee was damaged and forced to dock in Montevideo, Uruguay. Believing he faced a superior force, the German captain scuttled his ship days later.
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Recommended Book: The Battle of the River Plate by Dudley Pope
Paintings & Artwork
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Painting: HMS Achilles in the Battle of the River Plate
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Artist: Frank Norton
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Year: 1940
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Painting: The Battle of the River Plate
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Artist: Norman Wilkinson
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Year: c. 1940
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Museums with Artifacts
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National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy (Auckland, New Zealand)
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Collections: Houses the primary 6-inch gun director and other artifacts from HMNZS Achilles, one of the cruisers that fought the Graf Spee.
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Falkland Islands Museum (Stanley, Falkland Islands)
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Collections: Holds items related to HMS Exeter, which retreated to the Falklands after being heavily damaged in the battle.
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Museo Naval de Montevideo (Montevideo, Uruguay)
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Collections: Displays the massive anchor and rangefinder salvaged from the wreck of the Admiral Graf Spee.
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3. The Battle of St. Pierre (Battle of the Nive)
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Date: December 13, 1813
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War: Peninsular War (Napoleonic Wars)
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General Location: Saint-Pierre-d’Irube, near Bayonne, France
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Geographic Coordinates: 43°29′00″N 1°28′00″W
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Cause: Following Wellington’s crossing of the Nive River, the French Marshal Soult launched a counter-offensive to crush the isolated British wing commanded by General Rowland Hill.
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Result: Anglo-Portuguese victory. General Hill’s troops, though outnumbered, held off Soult’s attacks until reinforcements arrived, ending the French threat in the immediate area.
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Recommended Book: The Peninsular War: A New History by Charles Esdaile
Paintings & Artwork
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Painting/Print: The Battle of St. Pierre (Watercolour/Print)
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Artist: William Heath
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Year: c. 1815–1820 (Heath produced a famous series of martial achievements of the British Army).
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Painting: The Battle of the Nive
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Artist: Thomas Jones Barker
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Year: c. 1870s
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Museums with Artifacts
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Wellington Museum (Apsley House) (London, United Kingdom)
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Collections: Contains the Duke of Wellington’s personal effects, batons, and art collection, including pieces related to his Peninsular campaigns.
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Musée de l’Armée (Les Invalides) (Paris, France)
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Collections: Holds extensive Napoleonic era uniforms, weapons, and personal items belonging to Marshal Soult and other French commanders of the campaign.
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Books for sale
Contact Information
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Tags: military museum, military artwork, battles, Civil War, American History, Virginia History, WWII, Naval History, Napoleonic Wars, Military Art
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