Japan invaded China on all fronts in 1937, marking the start of China’s Total War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression for the following eight years. Despite the Macao Portuguese government’s neutrality during the War of Resistance and the Pacific War, the Macao (Macau) people supported the anti-Japanese war in mainland China by different relief operations and salvation movements.
Japan invaded China on all fronts in 1937, marking the start of China’s Total War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression for the following eight years. Despite the Macao Portuguese government’s neutrality during the War of Resistance and the Pacific War, the Macao (Macau) people supported the anti-Japanese war in mainland China by different relief operations and salvation movements.
After the September 18th Incident in 1931, the Macao (Macau) people were enthusiastic about national salvation movements. While some donated to support the war effort, others even left for Shanghai to enlist.
Japan commenced a full-scale invasion of China after the 1937 Marco Polo Bridge Incident. However, Macao (Macau) was one of the few areas in Asia immune from war when it spread wide from 1941.
Macao’s (Macau) neutrality made it an oasis for refugees from mainland China and Hong Kong. However, the influx of people overwhelmed the small city, creating a deformed phenomenon.
After the Total War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression broke out, different sectors in Macao (Macau) formed disaster-relief groups raising funds to support the war effort in mainland China. Some Macao people even fought on the front line.