Meanwhile, tension between China and Japan continued to worsen, particularly in North China. These long-simmering antagonisms erupted in open fighting near Peking on 7 July 1937, which soon became an all-out war in the vicinity. Two weeks later, a small squadron of Asiatic Fleet units, including "Whipple", sailed from Chefoo on 24 July. The destroyer, in company with , "Barker", and , rendezvoused with on the 25th, en route to the coast of Siberia. The five ships arrived at Vladivostok, USSR, on the 28th.