Siege of Tsingtao

to the IJN. The British warships were integrated into the Second Squadron with few problems. According to a German press report following the siege, the "Triumph" was damaged by German land batteries. The Japanese squadron consisted of mostly obsolete warships, though did briefly engage a number of more modern vessels. These included the dreadnoughts and the seaplane carrier of the British have used this incident as an example of inciting Japanese imperial ambitions which resulted with the actions of the Japanese Empire during World War II.

The Germans were only able to field a single aircraft during the Siege - commanded by Lieutenant von Pluschow. This aircraft was involved in two attacks on the vessels of the blockading squadron, neither of which was successful. Von Pluschow escaped with his aircraft on the 6th November carrying the Governor's last dispatches and was interned by the Chinese.

On the 17th October the Japanese lost the "Takachiho", an old cruiser of some 3,000 tons, to a mine, with the loss of two hundred and seventy one officers and men.

The Allies took formal possession of the colony on November 16th.

The Japanese casualties numbered 236 killed and 1,282 wounded; the British, 12 killed and 53 wounded.

ee also

*Japan during World War I

References

* Burdick, Charles B. "The Japanese Siege of Tsingtao" (1976)
* Falls, Cyril "The Great War", (1960). pgs. 98-99.
* Hoyt, Edwin P. "The Fall of Tsingtao" (1975)
* Keegan, John "The First World War", (1998). pg 206.
* Reynolds, Francis "World's War Events, Vol. I", (1919). pgs 198-220.

External links

* [http://www.gwpda.org/naval/tsingtao.htm Tsingtao Campaign]
* [http://www.jaduland.de/kolonien/landkarten/pages/verteidigungsanlagen.html Tsingtao map of city with its siege works 1914]
* [http://www.greatwardifferent.com/Great_War/Tsing_Tao/Tsing_Tao_00.htm The siege of Tsingtao]
* [http://www.germancolonialuniforms.co.uk/ German Colonial Uniforms]
* [http://www.landships.freeservers.com/jap_uniforms1914.htm Japanese Army uniforms in 1914, and during WW1]