THE MARCO POLO INCIDENT HAPPENED ON JULY 7-9, 1937 ON THE MARCO POLO BRIDGE IN FENGTAI DISTRICT, BEIJING. BUT BEFORE THE INCIDENT, JAPAN OCCUPIED FENGTAI WHICH WAS CLOSE TO THE BRIDGE. AND THE INCIDENT WAS BETWEEN JAPANESE AND CHINESE TROOPS, WHEN SOME JAPANESE TROOPS WANTED TO ENTER A SMALL TOWN CALLED WANPING TO FIND ONE OF THEIR TROOPS. THEIR ENTRY WAS DENIED AND THEN SHOTS WERE FIRED FROM BOTH SIDES. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT REFUSED ANY COMPROMISES FROM THE NEGOTIATION OF THE CONFLICT, SO JAPAN KEPT THEIR STANCE, AND THE CONFLICT GREW. IN WHICH, THIS INCIDENT WAS THE LAST EVENT THAT LED TO BUT BEGAN THE SECOND SINO-JAPANESE WAR.
Marco Polo Bridge Incident
Japanese Soldiers crossing the Marco Polo Bridge
From the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, “Marco Polo Bridge Incident happened, and the Sino-Japanese War began. In order to impulse the invasion to China, Japanese sent garrison in Northern China. On July 7 1937, one Japanese soldier missed, and the Japanese Government doubted he was captured by Chinese Government and began the unreasonable search Wan-ping city wall. In the early morning on 8th, the Japanese army launched attack to Wan-ping city wall, and the defending army counterattack immediately. It is the so-called ‘Marco Polo Bridge’.”
Location of Marco Polo Bridge
The China Guide, a traveling agency, stated “The Marco Polo Bridge is located 9 miles (14 km) southwest of the city centre.” This map shows an idea where the incident took place in the Fengtai District in Beijing, China.