View of Nanking road commercial district, in Shanghai, China. Smoke billows from Treasury building on fire, in the distance. Camera moves to the scene of fire, where firemen raise mobile ladders against the building, and carry hoses up to fight the fire at higher levels. Scene shifts to distant view with smoke engulfing the area. Local people, who gather to watch the firefighters, are controlled by policemen. View of fireman climbing from a hook and ladder truck, carrying hose upward. More views of crowd and policemen. A fireman reaching an open porch area of the building, carrying hose. He is followed by another fireman. View of hose connected to hydrant, leaking somewhat at the connection. Two firemen on ground directing a strong stream of water from their hose. Smoke pouring from the burning building, and drifting across the street.
Bombing by Japanese forces in Shanghai as part of the so-called "January 28 Incident" or "Shanghai Incident." Chinese civilians rush on streets of the Bund during time of attacks by aircraft from Japan. A streetcar goes by and pedestrians quickly cross streets. Japanese Major Harada talks to Japanese pilots of 8th Japanese flying squadron at Japanese airfield. Japanese swift aircraft drops bombs on North Station and destroy ancient native Chapei section of Shanghai, China. Views of wrecked city, dead bodies on road. Civilians leaving in hand carts and trucks. Civilians crossing garden bridge. Chinese troops take up defensive positions behind sandbags in bombed area of city. Bagpipes announce arrival of Argyll and Sutherland Highland Regiments from the United Kingdom. United States Marines present and on patrol at American Concession, guarding the lives of nationals in Shanghai.
Japanese 9th Division regular army troops marching outside a compound in Shanghai, China. Soldiers with bayonets sit on top of a moving truck. Soldiers hold a Japanese flag while sitting on top of supplies from a moving truck. Japanese soldiers cross the Huangpu Creek bridge. Soldiers with bayonets marching in the International Settlement of Shanghai. Kenkichi Ueda, Commander in Chief of the Japanese Imperial Army standing in front of a barracks. General Ueda and soldiers enter the barracks together. Soldiers firing artillery at Shanghai. Shanghai being bombarded. Japanese gunners pull artillery back into place with ropes after recoil drives cannon backwards. An artillery fires more shells. A burning house. Japanese soldier riding a motorcycle with sidecar. A Japanese soldier uses a pair of binoculars. Thick smoke forms over Shanghai. Japanese soldiers running in Shanghai. Soldiers running past a tank. Type 87 Model 25 Vickers Crossley "Dowa" armored car equipped with two Vickers 303 machine guns moving down street. Inside view of Type 87 Model 25 armored car. Japanese soldiers firing with machine guns next Type 87 Model 25. A dead Chinese man lying on the snow. Japanese soldiers firing with machine guns beside a tank. Japanese soldiers standing on a bridge. Japanese soldiers capture Chinese spies dressed as women and farmers. Two Japanese soldiers support an injured comrade. Chinese captives kneeling beside Japanese soldiers at train depot. Chinese refugees leaving Shanghai on foot. Chinese locals stand on boats sailing out of Shanghai. Panicking crowds leaving Shanghai en masse.
Several Chinese families are made homeless. The squatter huts built in unauthorized centers are torn down. The helpless families stand by as the public work crew under the supervision of law enforcement officers move their belongings into the open.
Opening scene shows a book entitled, "The Tanaka Memorial, Japan's dream of world empire." Next, a hand checks off "Conquest of Manchuria" as Phase 1 of the plan being completed. Next is Phase II, the conquest of China. Animated map shows Japanese warships bombarding the city of Shanghai in 1932. Scenes of Japanese naval guns firing. A shell striking at the waterfront. Japanese Naval officer observing with binoculars from deck of ship close to the city. Shells or aerial bombs exploding and smoke rising in the city itself. Residents of the city running in panic seeking shelter from the bombardment. Japanese Type 13-1 carrier-borne attack biplane aircraft (B1M1) from the aircraft carriers Kaga and Hosho are seen in flight overhead. Bombs exploding in the heart of Shanghai. Local people jamming a bridge with vehicles and rickshaws evacuating the city. More views of Naval guns firing and bombers overhead. A large building in flames. People fleeing near the port. Two Japanese Navy Type 90 Carrier-based bi-wing aircraft (Nakajima A2N) maneuver above fleeing Chinese who look up at them. Next bomb explosions fill the screen. More naval guns firing and explosions on street in which victims lie where they fell. Dead civilians in the streets. A Chinese woman mourning in the midst of rubble. Bombs falling and explosions. A sign reading "Shanghai South." Two Mitsubishi B2M aircraft fly overhead. Scenes of dead and wounded Chinese victims, including and children. Japanese aircraft flying low over burning buildings, with smoke rising above its flight altitude. Japanese marines charge a Shanghai beach in an amphibious assault and enter the city. Several hit the ground in a defensive posture. Gunfire directed at a building window. Combat along the waterfront. Republic of China flag flying from a large building. Japanese forces firing at that building with field artillery. Truckloads of Japanese marines deploying in the city. A marine searching a Chinese man. Animated map shows Japanese shifting their offensive to the North in 1933 and annexing the province of Jehol as part of Manchuria. Japanese cavalry advancing along a road. Closeup of the Chinese national flag fluttering. Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek leading a contingent of Chinese military and officials. A large group of Chinese men volunteering to join in defense. Chinese soldiers marching en masse along the Great Wall of China.
Fu Tan University students gather and select a group representing them for journey to Nanking and lay their objective before President Chiang. Crowd gathered outside a railroad station. Police guards keep a watch. The selected people move ahead to board a train for the capitol without paying fares followed by police guards. Steam locomotive railroad train underway on tracks pulling passenger cars with student delegation on board.