An American's perspective on Nanjing Massacre

Source:CCTV.com 28-08-20 02:28 Updated BJT
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By Tom McGregor

I’m a US citizen but was unfamiliar with the grisly details of the Nanjing Massacre in 1937 until I was an adult and living in Seoul, South Korea at the time. I was in my late 20s or early 30s when a book about the incident was published.

I read the book and was shocked to learn about the criminal atrocities committed by the Japanese army when they invaded China. The book is The Rape of Nanking authored by Taiwanese-American journalist Iris Chang. Chang had written a gripping tale, but it was all the more shocking to discover a few years later after the book was hailed as a best-seller that she had committed suicide.

A few people speculated she was feeling political pressure from Japanese right-wing extremists. But by reviewing her life history: She was a woman with depression, raising an autistic son as a single mother and the glories of her fame and fortune failed to provide happiness and solace to her. She like a number of other famous book authors ended her life at her own hands.

Anyway, Iris Chang had conducted rigorous research on the Nanjing Massacre, which meant she was reading documents and interviewing survivors. She likely was shocked by the historic incidents and her books also printed disturbing photos. I will never forget the image of one photo showing Japanese soldiers smiling as they hold up severed heads of their Chinese victims.

The haunting details of the Nanjing Massacre should disturb all of us. Although I’m not Asian, when reflecting on the historic event, the Japanese actions are inexcusable and they deserve much blame for it.

The Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders held a flag-raising ceremony on the morning of September 3, 2019, the 74th anniversary of the victory of Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931–1945).

The Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders held a flag-raising ceremony on the morning of September 3, 2019, the 74th anniversary of the victory of Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931–1945).

War is not a picnic and troops often engage in brutal acts to score victories on the battlefields. The pillaging, looting and torturing of innocent civilians have long been part and parcel of the sad casualties of warfare.

We should learn from history and strive to do better. The Japanese troops deployed to Nanjing were beasts, not humans. They slaughtered babies and children, mass raped women and destroyed the city. Such actions resulted in the ultimate demise of the Japanese Army.

The Chinese learning of the Nanjing Massacre were outraged and that had emboldened them to defend their homeland with more zealous patriotic fervor. That’s because when people felt cornered, they would fight the invaders because they had no other option and that made them so much more courageous and heroic to fight back until the aggressors were totally defeated.

Yet, few Westerners know about the Nanjing Massacre and it’s important to promote more public awareness over the incident. We can learn basic background from the History Channel.

“In late 1937, over a period of six weeks, Imperial Japanese Army forces brutally murdered hundreds of thousands of people–including both soldiers and civilians–in the Chinese city of Nanking (or Nanjing). The horrific events are known as the Nanking Massacre or the Rape of Nanking, as between 20,000 and 80,000 women were sexually assaulted. Nanking was left in ruins and it would take decades for the city and its citizens to recover from the savage attacks.”

By creating more public awareness on the Nanjing Massacre, we can see that peace is so important. We should never enter wars lightly and journey on the path to peace and prosperity as global citizens.

(The views don’t necessarily represent those of the CCTV.com.)

Editor: Zhang Jianfeng
28-08-20 02:28 BJT
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