Pacific Seaplanes WW-II Historical Background : 1930's Japanese attack "Panay Incident" and the U.S. at War by December 7, 1941

The 1937 Panay gunboat attack near China.

If any incident came close to starting a Pacific War before Pearl Harbor, it was the intentional sinking of the U.S. gunboat Panay in international waters by Japanese planes on December 11, 1937. The well marked white U.S. Navy boat was repeatedly bombed and strafed, and then machine gunned by Japanese surface boats.

Japan then claimed that they had made a "mistake" and apologized, preventing a war.

The film was rushed back to Washington, D.C. by the M-130 "China Clipper" where it was viewed by President Roosevelt and subsequently released for worldwide viewing as a Newsreel.

The evidence clearly showed it was not an "accident" and it embarrassed the Japanese.

Historical Background : How the 1930's led up to Japan and the U.S. at War

The interesting "China Clipper" link to this incident is that popular 1930's Movie Newsreel cameramen were on board the Panay and captured the entire event on film, including the "meatballs" on the attacking Japanese aircraft. The film was rushed back to Washington, D.C. by the M-130 "China Clipper" where it was viewed by President Roosevelt and subsequently released for worldwide viewing as a Newsreel. The evidence clearly showed it was not an "accident" and it embarrassed the Japanese.

Historical Background : How the 1930's led up to Japan and the U.S. at War The 1937 Panay gunboat attack near China.