Monument to the Victims of the August 19 Japanese Air Raid on Leshan

Monument to the Victims of the August 19 Japanese Air Raid on Leshan

The Monument to the Victims of the August 19 Japanese Air Raid on Leshan is located at Gaobeimen in the downtown area of Leshan City.

At 11:40 a.m. on August 19, 1939, the air raid siren in downtown Leshan suddenly blared urgently and continuously, throwing the entire city into panic. A few minutes later, 36 Japanese planes, initially flying in three groups in a V-formation, arrived over the skies of Leshan City and then changed into a straight-line formation to carry out a frenzied bombing raid. Flames raged, black smoke darkened the sky, and the sounds of collapsing buildings and the cries of the wounded never ceased. After the bombing, a reconnaissance plane remained over the city, taking photos and videos before flying away. This air raid resulted in 2,050 households in downtown Leshan being bombed, 3,500 houses destroyed, 49 families suffering "complete annihilation," and more than 5,000 people killed or seriously injured, leaving over 10,000 homeless.

On December 14, 2001, the 35th executive meeting of the Leshan Municipal Government decided to build the “August 19” Monument to the Victims of the Japanese Air Raid on Leshan to commemorate those who perished in the attack. On May 8, 2002, the monument was completed. The “August 19” Monument features a series of relief rubbings with strong visual impact, simple yet powerful designs, profound symbolism, serving as a warning to future generations not to forget national humiliation.

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