The Nanjing Massacre (dec 1, 1937 – jan 1, 1938)

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The Nanjing Massacre occurred from December 1937 to January 1938 and was during the Second Sino-Japanese War. After the Japanese Imperial County captured Nanjing, China, at that time the capital of China, they killed thousands of Chinese civilians and soldiers.

After fighting the Japanese army, China’s leader was afraid of losing the battle, so he ordered the troops out of Nanjing but commanded civilians to stay in the city, though many left. Their motive was to assert dominance over China and take revenge for those they lost in Shanghai. They looted the city, burning down the buildings. Thousands of women were raped, many of whom were killed afterward. There were an estimated range of 20,000 to 80,000 sexual violence cases. When destroying the city, the Japanese also destroyed Chinese cultural artifacts and historical treasures.

To assert their dominance over the area even more, Japanese soldiers would use mass executions and burn people alive. There was an estimated amount of around 250,000 Chinese civilians and soldiers that were killed.

News spread globally about these horrid killings, and the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone, led by John Rabe, appealed to Japanese authorities to stop the chaos and destruction. The Japanese government tried to suppress the spreading news but failed to stop the growing awareness of the situation. The Nanking Safety Zone helped shelter and protect 200,000 Chinese civilians and intervened with Japanese officers.

After a complete capture of Nanjing, the Japanese continued to go to other parts of China to assert their dominance, diminishing the violence in Nanjing.

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