The National Revolutionary Army approached Nanjing on 23 March 1927 after the defending warlord withdrew his troops. Violence and looting followed, directed in part against foreigners and foreign interests. Emerald, the destroyer Woolsey, and American ships answered with high-explosive shells and machine-gun fire, while the Italian gunboat Carlotto joined the multinational presence. Fourteen British ships, reinforced by other navies, brought more firepower to the scene than the forces ashore could answer.
Chapter · 12:38-16:07
Nanjing shows what cruiser presence could do
British, American, and Italian warships confronted violence at Nanjing with enough concentrated firepower to overmatch the forces ashore.