A Japanese attack before Pearl Harbor [audio 7min]

This bit of history may sound familiar: Japanese warplanes stage a surprise attack in December on the U.S. Navy. But this incident occurred four years before Pearl Harbor. The sinking of the USS Panay is pretty much forgotten now. But it was one of the biggest news stories of 1937. In the 1930s, the United States had something that would be unthinkable today -- a treaty with China allowing American gunboats to travel deep up the Yangtze River. It was a major trade route for U.S. commerce in China, and it was notorious for pirate attacks. American ships patrolled the river to keep it free of bandits and to protect Standard Oil Co. tankers, says Nick Sparks, a filmmaker and writer. By 1937, the Yangtze faced a much bigger threat than pirates: The Japanese army had launched an invasion of China, and by December, the Japanese were fighting for the city of Nanking. The fight became known as the Rape of Nanking. The Panay, with 55 men aboard, was sent to rescue any Americans left, including embassy staff and journalists -- most notably a newsreel photographer who recorded what was to come....