Question

select the correct answer.

why was the city of nanjing extremely vulnerable to japanese attack?

the city had been barricaded by the japanese before the attack.

the chinese armed forces had been removed from the city.

the food supply to the city had been cut off, leaving the citizens in poor health.

the citizens were not allowed to keep any weaponry for their defense.

Explanation:

Analyze the historical context of Nanjing

The question asks why the city of Nanjing was extremely vulnerable to Japanese attack in late 1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Following the Battle of Shanghai, Chinese Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek decided to withdraw the main, elite Chinese army forces from Nanjing to preserve them for future fighting deep in the interior, leaving the capital city with poorly trained, disorganized, and vastly outnumbered defensive units.

Evaluate the given options

• Option 1: "The city had been barricaded by the Japanese before the attack." This is historically incorrect; the Japanese forces advanced on the city and besieged it, rather than barricading it beforehand.
• Option 2: "The Chinese armed forces had been removed from the city." This is historically accurate. The main, well-trained Chinese Nationalist forces were ordered to retreat, leaving the city highly vulnerable and undefended by any cohesive military force.
• Option 3: "The food supply to the city had been cut off, leaving the citizens in poor health." While supply lines were disrupted, this was not the primary reason for the immediate military vulnerability of the city.
• Option 4: "The citizens were not allowed to keep any weaponry for their defense." This does not address the strategic military vulnerability caused by the withdrawal of the official armed forces.

Formulate the final conclusion

The withdrawal of the main Chinese military forces left Nanjing without a strong, organized defense, making it highly vulnerable to the rapid Japanese advance. Therefore, the second option is the correct choice.

Answer:

• (A) The city had been barricaded by the Japanese before the attack.
• (B) The Chinese armed forces had been removed from the city. (Correct answer)
• (C) The food supply to the city had been cut off, leaving the citizens in poor health.
• (D) The citizens were not allowed to keep any weaponry for their defense.