In December of 1937, the Japanese Imperial Army overtook China’s capital, Nanking and slaughtered 300,000 Chinese civilians. The Japanese army raped and looted hundred of thousands of people using inhumane and barbaric methods. This event is referred to today as one of the worst atrocities during WWII in the Asian theatre. The actions led by the Japanese exemplified China’s weak military as well as their insufficient government, allowing for other countries to take advantage of later opening China into spheres of influence.
Due to the Nanking Massacre, China culturally became more ethnocentric, politically decimated any friendly relationships with the Japanese, and became economically isolated. The invasion of Nanking began when the Japanese Imperial Army marched into Shanghai; the Japanese expected the battle of Shanghai to be quick and effortless, even stating it would take less than three months. However, the battle at Shanghai took much longer than expected, reaching from early summer into late fall. This further angered the Japanese, fueling them with ambitions of revenge and anger.
The Japanese eventually defeated Shanghai and began to march to their final destination of Nanking. Although the army at Shanghai outnumbered the Japanese by 90,000 to 50,000 they were disorganized and uncoordinated and quickly fell unlike the troops at Shanghai. On December 13th 1937 during the invasion of Nanking large groups of immigrants attempted to escape Japanese violence by crossing the Yangtze River. However due to a lack of transportation a majority of these immigrants were trapped.
As the Japanese arrived crowds of these immigrants were all shot down a. Along the entire river coast dead bodies of women, men, and babies laid everywhere ranging from all ages. This event alone resulted in more than 50,00 casualties. When the Japanese Imperial Army first entered the city of Nanking streets, the streets were filled with more than 100,000 of refugees; all the troops were relentlessly fired down by the Japanese killing as many people as possible. Tanks were shortly rolled in crushing any one in the way.
The days following this they tried killing as many people as possible shooting anyone on sight regardless of gender or age. At this point most of the people of Nanking already knew they were no match against the Japanese which resulted in soldiers changing into civilian clothing in an attempt to blend in, not getting captured. This however backfired on the people because anyone who was suspicious of being a soldier was held on trial and executed; due to this many unjust trials took place killing innocent people that otherwise wouldn’t have been killed.
Thousands of people would be held on trial, many of which were just civilians; a majority of the people on trial were only accused of being soldiers because the Japanese intentionally wanted to kill as much as possible. Although the Chinese army no longer were a threat all 90,00 of the soldiers were killed, Japanese went out of their way to cause as much pain and suffering as possible before killing them, inhumane tactics such as being burnt alive, used as targets, usage of poison gas, castration and being bayoneted alive were all way the Japanese used to torture the Chinese.
This was due to the fact that from childhood the Japanese were taught surrendering is not acceptable, and only a form of cowardness making them believe that Chinese were less than human and unworthy of life. In the Japaneses eyes this was only a small step to toughen them up for futuring battles, as killing was only a sport to them they held competitions of most kills per day, decapitated heads using them as souvenirs, and stood on piles of corpses happily. Much of these atrocities were recorded directly by the Japanese.
After the prisoners of war were dealt with they began patrolling the streets Nanking and moved closer to the outskirts of the city. An estimation of over 20,000 females were victims to the atrocities taken place. Women over the age of seventy to girls under the age of eight were sexually abused, and afterwards killed never being able to bear witness. No one was spared, even pregnant women were victim to the Japanese; they were raped and had their uterus cut open ripping out the fetus and used as a trophy.
Thousands homes were raided and burnt down without much reason; families were forced to rape each other in front of the troops for entertainment. All throughout the city of Nanking random acts of savagery occurred. Soldiers took immense pleasure in the pain and suffering inflicted to the Chinese from firing into crowds of innocent civilians to locking hundred of people in a shop before setting it on fire, sparing no one. As people would hop off the roofs of building, to climbing up flaming fences as the Japanese only watched them scream with agony.
They laughed and and were amusement. The streets were said to have been bathed in blood covered corpses and were littered were the victims of the violent acts of the Japanese. These acts of carnage were city wide burnings, stabbings, drownings, strangulations, rapes, thefts, and mass destruction of property and uses of poison gas which continued for the duration of six weeks, spanning from mid December 1937 to the beginning of February 1938. People of any age and gender were victims, streets were covered in corpses, blood ran down the streets and buildings laid in ruins.
Those who were not immediately killed were dragged to the outskirts of the city and forced to dig large graves and were often told to bury each other alive. These graves were filled of decapitated corpses from the killing competitions held by the Japanese. Shortly after disposing of all the troops and raping all the women they settled down for the duration of the war. The Japanese began distributing opium to the people of Nanking to pacify the city that was causing them to become lazy and careless. An estimate of 50,000 became addicted due to this and as a result opium dens.
Which were small rooms operated by Chinese immigrants that were used to smoke large amounts of opium. This was an issue because it made everyone less productive, not wanting to do anything. This re surfaced the opium epidemic that China had recently dealt with during the opium wars with the British. In addition to the narcotics, the women comfort system was introduced which forced young Chinese women to become sex slaves having the only purpose of pleasuring the Japanese. The Japanese army believed that sex was good morale and would give the troops something to work harder for.
However this had the opposite effect and often held the Japanese back, they became too relaxed and no longer needed to work for anything. There was often more relaxing than actual work and production got slower. Although most Westerners decided to ignore the violence completely a group of about twenty American and European missionaries, doctors, and business remained in Nanking risking their lives to help out the people. They established the International Safety Zone which composed of seven Americans, four British, one Dane, and three Germans.
A 2. 5 mile square area in the center of the city was set up to prevent the Japanese from entering. A number of different large flags of their countries were set up outside the perimeter of the zones letting the Japanese know what was off limits. John Rabe was the elected chairman of the comittee due to his status of a Natzi, which was allied to Japan at the time sent a telegram to Hitler and General Counsel Kriebel for the access of building a neutral zone for those who were not fighting in Nanking.
A direct reply was never sent however the aerial bombing of the Japanese did change in pattern. As the invasion of Nanking continued around 250,000 refugees filled the space. The International Safety Committee would continue to save thousands of lives by providing shelter and even risking their own life by intervening in the executions and rapings of the people of Nanking. available. Most of the people slept in lawns, trenches, and bomb dugouts. Those who were fortunate were allowed to sleep in building hardly anyone ever slept on the streets in fear of the Japanese finding them.
Although in most cases, the Japanese respected the International Zone, some soldiers continued to kill and rape in the zone in the absence of the committee members. As a result Rabe and two other Germans began to increase their involvement now personally putting themselves at risk to save people. They exploited the alliance between the German Japan relationship and wore party symbols and swastikas on arm bands. Driving through the city Rabe would help anyone he saw getting raped, or hurt yelling phrases that would scare off the Japanese soldiers.
