A 🧵abt frmer Imperial German Navy gunboat SMS Vaterland that fought on Yangtze River, turned Chinese Navy ship Li Sui 利绥 that fought in the Allied Intervention of Russian Civil War and then the only Sino-Soviet Naval Battle of 1929
The disastrous defeat of China in the 1st Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95 triggered new round of Imperialists scramble to carve up China.
Imperial Germany as a late comer was eager to get its own slice of China. As early as 1871, Germany Navy scouted Jiaozhou Bay as navy base
Imperial Germany as a late comer was eager to get its own slice of China. As early as 1871, Germany Navy scouted Jiaozhou Bay as navy base
Seizing Big Swords Society killing 2 German missionaries in 1897 as pretext, German Navy seized Jiaozhou Bay (Kiauchau Bucht) and Qingdao (Tsingtau) as its Far Eastern Fleet HQ and forcibly leased it in 1898 for 99 yrs til 1997 under the same term as British HK's New territory
Germany then set out to expand its influence in China by commission 2 Tsingtau class gunboats SMS Tsingtau and SMS Vaterland to navigate Yangtze River.
The name Vaterland chosen by Kaiser Wilhelm II as show of power to German residents in China
The name Vaterland chosen by Kaiser Wilhelm II as show of power to German residents in China
SMS Vaterland was launched in 1903, the dismantled ship was re-assembled in Shanghai and starting patrolling Yangtze River in 1904.
In 1905 SMS Vaterland helped put down anti-foreign riots around Shanghai
In 1905 SMS Vaterland helped put down anti-foreign riots around Shanghai
In 1890, Britain forced China to open my hometown Chongqing 2500 km up the Yangtze River as a treaty port in the amendment to Chefoo Convention
SMS Vaterland sailed to Chongqing in 1907 and helped put down anti-foreign riots in Wanxian (Wanhsien) with British and French gunboats
SMS Vaterland sailed to Chongqing in 1907 and helped put down anti-foreign riots in Wanxian (Wanhsien) with British and French gunboats
SMS Vaterland sailed in 1910 to Yichang to deal w anti-foreign riot. Then moored at Hankou (Wuhan) in 1911 as Chinese Revolution broke out across the river in Wuchang (Wuhan).
SMS Vaterland in Hankou (Wuhan) by the water front of foreign Concessions
SMS Vaterland in Hankou (Wuhan) by the water front of foreign Concessions
As WW1 broke out, SMS Vaterland was in Nanjing. Its crew went to Tsingtao by land to board SMS Cormoran which was a captured Russian merchant ship Ryazan.
Germany sold Vaterland to a shell company to avoid Allied capture and renamed it Landesvater
Germany sold Vaterland to a shell company to avoid Allied capture and renamed it Landesvater
In 1917, US convinced China to join WW1 on Allied side w promise that German colony Tsingtao would be returned to China. 140,000 Chinese Labor Corp sent to France to dig trenches and collect bodies.
China confiscated Landesvater, rebuild ship's armaments, renamed it Li Sui 利绥
China confiscated Landesvater, rebuild ship's armaments, renamed it Li Sui 利绥
As October Revolution broke out, China participated in the Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War by sending 1600 troops to Vladivostok to protect Chinese residents. Li Sui modified in Shanghai shipyard together w ex-German gunboat SMS Otter/Li-Tsieh set sail 2 Vladivostok
Decision made to sail gunboats Li Sui and Li Tsieh into Amur River to form Amur river flotilla. They departed Vladivostok on Aug 24, 1918 to Sakhalin island. They were trapped for 10 days there bc White Russian forces disabled markers and ban navigators to guide ship to harbor
Mid Sept, 1918, Chinese gunboats sailed into Amur River at Nikolayevsk-on-Amur and continue uptream to Khabarovsk. But came under bombardment by White Russian forces in Khabarovsk. They sail back to Nikolayevsk-on-Amur for the winter just in time for the Nikolayevsk incident
Chinese gunboat sailed in *1919, Japanese troops had occupied Nikolayevsk-on-Amur at the mouth of Amur river since 1918. Then Soviet partisan leader Yakov Tryapitsyn led 4000 troops surrounded the town in Feb 1920. Japanese garrison forced to maintain neutrality and let in Reds
Tryapitsyn liquidated White elements and demanded Japanese to disarm. Japanese refused and launched a surprise attack w help of local Japanese population seriously injured Tryapitsyn and killed his aide.
Red commander Yakov Tryapitsyn and his gf and chief of staff Nina Lebedeva
Red commander Yakov Tryapitsyn and his gf and chief of staff Nina Lebedeva
Reds organized counter-attack but lacked firepower, they turn to the Chinese commander Chen Ji-liang of Amur Flotilla anchored in Nikolayevsk. Chen send Reds 2 artillery pieces that allowed the Reds to break down Japanese defense.
Reds killed all but 122 Japanese civilian
Reds killed all but 122 Japanese civilian
Japan lodged a protest to Bolshevik gov. Soviet arrested and executed Red commander Yakov Tryapitsyn. Japan still use it as excuse to occupy N Sakhalin Island and seize Vladivostok. Japanese Fleet surrounded Chinese Amur Flotilla but Soviet advance forced Japanese to fall back
Soviet took control Russian Far East by late 1920. Chinese Amur Flotilla finally sailed upstream into Amur River passing Khabarovsk.
But war soon broke out btw Chinese warlords in Beijing. Amur Flotilla fell under control of Manchurian warlord Zhang Zuo-lin
But war soon broke out btw Chinese warlords in Beijing. Amur Flotilla fell under control of Manchurian warlord Zhang Zuo-lin
Fast forward to 1929, Warlord Zhang Xueliang who inherited Manchuria frm his father decided to forcibly take back China Eastern Railway frm Soviets triggering 1929 Sino-Soviet War. I told the story in detail in another thread👇🏼
The only Sino-Soviet naval in history battle happened at the trijunction of Amur River, Ussuri River and Songhua River near Russian city of Khabarovsk on Oct 1929
Soviet gunboats Amurets, Mongol, shkval, Sun Yat-sen among 9 Soviet gunboats participated in the 1929 battle of Amur River agst Chinese Amur Flotilla
Soviet gunboats have overwhelming firepower. Soviet also has air superiority. Besides land based aircraft, Soviet also launched seaplanes frm seaplane carrier Amur.
20 Soviet aircraft took part in the 1929 battle of Amur River
20 Soviet aircraft took part in the 1929 battle of Amur River
Soviet seaplanes sunk Li Sui 利绥, Li Jie 利捷, Jiang Heng 江亨. Entire Chinese Amur flotilla was wiped out. The Amur River battle became the only battle in history that Soviet ship launched planes successfully sunk enemy warships.
Li Sui was later salvaged and repaired
Li Sui was later salvaged and repaired
1929 Sino-Soviet War ended w signing of Khabarovsk Protocol. Li Sui after salvaged and repaired continued its patrol.
when Japan took over Manchuria aft 1931, Amur flotilla couldn’t escape because of frozen river and forced to surrender. JPN pronounce 利绥 as Ri Sui
when Japan took over Manchuria aft 1931, Amur flotilla couldn’t escape because of frozen river and forced to surrender. JPN pronounce 利绥 as Ri Sui
Soviet invasion of Manchuria in Aug 1945 captured ships of Amur Flotilla including Li Sui. Soviet planned to upgrade it but it was too old and eventually scrapped
Judging by the engagement, I can see very few people gaf abt this history. Lol
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