1938 Changsha fire

The Changsha fire of 1938 (Chinese: 长沙大火), also known as Wenxi fire (Chinese: 文夕大火), was the greatest human-caused citywide fire in Chinese history. Kuomintang officials ordered the city be set on fire in 1938 during the Second Sino-Japanese War to keep its wealth removed from the Japanese. The result of this fire made Changsha one of the most damaged cities during World War II, alongside Stalingrad, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Tokyo, Dresden and others.

1938 Changsha fire

The Changsha fire of 1938 (Chinese: 长沙大火), also known as Wenxi fire (Chinese: 文夕大火), was the greatest human-caused citywide fire in Chinese history. Kuomintang officials ordered the city be set on fire in 1938 during the Second Sino-Japanese War to keep its wealth removed from the Japanese. The result of this fire made Changsha one of the most damaged cities during World War II, alongside Stalingrad, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Tokyo, Dresden and others.