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• Chiang Kaishek rejected Tang Shengzhi's request to negotiate with the Japanese for an evacuation of Nanjing, China. Having received no response to the ultimatum issued on the previous day that expired at noon, the Japanese began the assault at 1300 hours. General Iwane Matsui's order to attack included the wording "[y]ou are to observe military regulations to the letter, to set an example for the future.... Anyone who loots or starts a fire, even accidentally, will be severely punished." ww2dbase [Battle of Nanjing and the Rape of Nanjing | Nanjing | CPC]

• Kaga departed Sasebo, Japan. ww2dbase [Kaga | Sasebo, Nagasaki | CPC]
• Japanese transport Shinsho Maru disembarked troops of No. 1 Yokosuka Special Naval Landing Force near Nagoya, Japan on an amphibious assault exercise. ww2dbase [Nagoya, Aichi | CPC]

• USS Permit transited the Panama Canal. ww2dbase [Panama Canal | Permit | CPC]

10 Dec 1937 Interactive Map