In 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army invade Shanghai in what became known as the Battle of Shanghai. After holding back the Japanese for over three months, and suffering heavy losses, the Chinese army was forced to retreat due to the danger of being encircled. Lieutenant Colonel Xie Jinyuan led 452 young officers and soldiers to defend Sihang Warehouse against the Third Imperial Japanese Division, consisting of around 20,000 troops on a heroic suicidal last stand against the Japanese.