Broadcast Schedule
Shanghai 1937: Where World War II Began is scheduled to be fed via satellite to American Public TV stations in early November. Each station is responsible for creating its own local broadcast schedule. That means the program will air on different days, at different times, in different cities. Still, we’re already seeing strong interest.
The program is slated to air during November in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Orlando and Salt Lake City. In some cities, it will air more than once.
To find out when Shanghai 1937: Where World War II Began will air in your community, contact your local Public TV station. If they haven’t scheduled it yet, let the station know how much you and other area viewers are looking forward to seeing it.
When did World War II begin? Shanghai 1937: Where World War II Began answers that question in a way most audiences will find surprising. Americans might say December 7, 1941… The day the Japanese Imperial Navy attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. For Europeans, it was September 1, 1939… When Nazi Germany invaded Poland.
But in China, people will tell you a different date. August 13, 1937. That day, after a century of humiliation, and six years of repeated “Incidents” initiated by the Japanese military, China at last “stood up.” This act of defiance took place in Shanghai, the most international city in Asia. It was headline news around the world. Today, the story is largely forgotten… except in China. The Battle of Shanghai has been described as the last battle of World War I, and the first battle of World War II. It was a warning to the world, a warning that was ignored. And it was the place where the destiny of modern China was set in motion. Still, at its heart, this is a story of shattered lives, and enduring dreams. For four long years, the people of China would stand-alone against Japanese militarism.
Produced by Emmy Award winning international Producer/Director Bill Einreinhofer, Shanghai 1937: Where World War II Began is the culmination of three years of production. It incorporates little-seen footage located in film libraries around the world, as well as original interviews and scenic footage shot specifically for this documentary. Shanghai 1937: Where World War II Began includes two of the leading Chinese experts on this subject: Su Zhiliang, Ph.D. of Shanghai Normal University and Ma Zhendu, Director of the Second Historical Archives of China. In addition, Hans van de Ven, Ph.D. of Cambridge University in England, American military historian Edward Drea, Ph.D. as well as Danish historian and author Peter Harmsen also participate. Additionally, it includes the vivid recollections of men and women who experienced these events firsthand, as children. Shanghai 1937: Where World War II Began incorporates the latest scholarship, making it different from every documentary previously produced on this subject. Everyone knows when World War II ended. But it all began in Shanghai 1937.
