What Happened in Nanjing
On December 13, 1937, Japanese troops marched into the Nationalist capital of Nanjing. The troops were rebounding from a bloodbath of a victory in Shanghai. Despite the victorious outcome at the Battle of Shanghai, the fight shook the troops' morale. To regain morale, troops were given free rein as they marched out of Shanghai to Nanjing. There was no control on how much they could rape, loot and kill. Sadly, as part of his war tactic, Chiang Kai-Shek had withdrawn a substantial amount of the troops he had left. He was hoping this would lure the Japanese Army deeper in to then use the Chinese landscape to their advantage. The troops left to safeguard the city were instructed to employ scorched earth tactics. Chiang explicitly said he would prefer the land turn into ash than have it be turned over to the Japanese. Sadly, he had not counted on the Japanese Army to pillage the capital as hard as they did.
One of the most infamous and nefarious crimes committed in Nanjing was rape. Estimates say as many as 20,000 women--including infants, children and the elderly--were raped. Pregnant women were not excluded. Their fetuses were left for dead afterwards. Many of the rape victims were brutally killed afterwards. Some were killed by bayonet or other sharp objects, while others were killed by mutilation. The rape was systematic and methodical. Soldiers purposely sought out women to violate; they went door-to-door and kidnapped girls from schools. Monks were forced to rape despite vows of leading a celibate life. Fathers were forced to rape daughters; sons were forced to rape mothers. Anyone who tried to stop the soldiers were shot.
One of the most infamous and nefarious crimes committed in Nanjing was rape. Estimates say as many as 20,000 women--including infants, children and the elderly--were raped. Pregnant women were not excluded. Their fetuses were left for dead afterwards. Many of the rape victims were brutally killed afterwards. Some were killed by bayonet or other sharp objects, while others were killed by mutilation. The rape was systematic and methodical. Soldiers purposely sought out women to violate; they went door-to-door and kidnapped girls from schools. Monks were forced to rape despite vows of leading a celibate life. Fathers were forced to rape daughters; sons were forced to rape mothers. Anyone who tried to stop the soldiers were shot.
Japanese students celebrate the fall of Nanjing
Japanese soliders also murdered civilians and unarmed soldiers mercilessly. Civilians were immolated, buried alive, beheaded, bayoneted or machine-gunned. There are accounts of Japanese troops taking joy in watching as 200 prisoners get gunned down in ten minutes (BBC). It is estimated that as many as 250,000 people died during the six weeks of occupation, and that doesn't count the civilians killed on the way from Shanghai to Nanjing.
Time Magazine recently published a gallery of photos in remembrance of what happened in Nanjing 75 years ago.
The pictures are graphic.
http://world.time.com/2012/12/13/the-nanjing-massacre-scenes-from-a-hideous-slaughter-75-years-ago/
Time Magazine recently published a gallery of photos in remembrance of what happened in Nanjing 75 years ago.
The pictures are graphic.
http://world.time.com/2012/12/13/the-nanjing-massacre-scenes-from-a-hideous-slaughter-75-years-ago/