70th Anniversary of the Rape of Nanjing

13 Dec 2007

70 years ago today, Chinese forces lost hold of their capital city, Nanjing, to the invading Japanese forces. What ensued was an orgy of plunder, rape, arson, and murder that lasted for six weeks. Journalist Edgar Snow provided the following eyewitness account:

Thousands of men were led out of the [Nanjing International Safety] Zone, ostensibly for labour battalions, and lined up and machine-gunned. Sometimes groups were used for bayonet exercises. When the victors grew bored with such mild sport they tied their victims, poured kerosene over their heads, and cremated them alive. Others were taken out to empty trenches, and told to simulate Chinese soldiers. Japanese officers then led their men in assaults to capture these 'enemy positions' and bayoneted the unarmed defenders.

Shi Xiuqin, a survivor, told reporters of Agence-France Presse that "I saw [Japanese soldiers] use knives to slit people open from head to waist". There were over 20,000 cases of rape, and a decapitation competition was held by some Japanese troops. Depending on the source, somewhere between 50,000 to 300,000 Chinese were killed.

Air sirens were sounded in Nanjing today to mark the anniversary, and a ceremony was held at the memorial hall built for the very purpose of remembrance.

The Nanjing Massacre, or more recently the Rape of Nanjing, has been a sore spot in the relationship between Communist China and Japan. Many Chinese continue to demand official Japanese recognition and apology of the atrocities, while expressing anger that Japanese history textbooks still gloss only lightly over the topic. "They should not cover up their crimes anymore", said Chen Fubao, whose father was killed during the massacre. The younger Japanese are growing increasingly frustrated for the demands to apologize for crimes committed by a previous generation, while small groups of the older Japanese continue to deny systematic atrocities took place.

For more information:

WW2DB: The Battle of Nanjing/the Rape of Nanjing
BBC: China remembers dead of Nanjing
AFP: China looks ahead on 70th anniversary of Nanjing Massacre



Back to Main | Back to 2007 News Index




Você gostou deste artigo ou achou este artigo útil? Se sim, considere nos apoiar no Patreon. Qualquer valor já vai ajudar! Obrigado.

Por favor, ajude-nos a divulgar o site:

 Reddit
 Bluesky
 Mastodon

Fique atualizado com WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds


Posting Your Comments on this Topic

Your Name 
Your Webite 
Your Email 
 Your email will not be published
Comment Type 
Your Comments 
 

Notes:

1. We hope that visitor conversations at WW2DB will be constructive and thought-provoking. Please refrain from using strong language. HTML tags are not allowed. Your IP address will be tracked even if you remain anonymous. WW2DB site administrators reserve the right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment. All comment submissions will become the property of WW2DB.

2. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ.
Pesquisar WW2DB


Notícias

Foto Aleatória

US Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson, General Douglas MacArthur, and General Omar Bradley during a review at the Palace Plaza, Tokyo, Japan, 19 Jun 1950

Estatísticas Atuais do Site

Citação Famosa da 2ª GM
"Goddam it, you'll never get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole! Follow me!"

Captain Henry P. Jim Crowe, Guadalcanal, 13 Jan 1943


Apoie-nos

Por favor, considere nos apoiar no Patreon. Mesmo R$1 por mês já faz uma grande diferença. Obrigado!

Ou, por favor, nos apoie adquirindo alguns produtos do WW2DB na TeeSpring. Obrigado!