Nanjing Massacre

Beginning

In 1928, the capital of China was moved from Beijing to Nanjing .It had a population explosion in mid-1930s. Many who have migrated to china were refugees, fleeing from the Japanese troops. After capturing Shanghai, the Japanese proceeded to capture Nanjing from all sides. They reached the outskirts of Nanjing in early December.

Atrocities committed

THE TRAGEDY AT YANGTZE RIVER

When many people wanted to escape from the Japanese troops via the Yangtze River, they found that they were stuck at the riverbank, as there was no transportation for them to go across the river. Many tried to swim but the Japanese arrived just in time and shot the people who were both at shore and in the water. As a result, many people were killed in this incident.

ANNIHILATION IN THE CITY

When the troops entered the city on the 13^th, there were many injured soldiers and refugees on the streets. The Japanese started to fire at this people and continued until there was almost no one left. Next morning, the Japanese came back with more arms and continued to kill many more people. There were many dead bodies everywhere and the covered the two major streets. These two streets were known as street of blood.

MASS EXECUTION

The Japanese captured many Chinese soldiers. The remaining of the Chinese soldiers entered the city in civilian clothes. The Japanese had a grand entering ceremony but after that they captured any one who looked like a Chinese soldier to them and killed them. They were brought out of the city in big groups and massacred. Machine guns but those who managed to stay alive despite the hit was bayoneted individually killed some. Some were even burned alive or poisoned with poisonous gas.

SCATTERED ATROCITIES WITH EXTREME CRUELTY

Civilians were mostly the victims of the atrocities. The Japanese used various barbaric and inhumane ways of killing the Chinese. The brutalities included shooting, stabbing, cutting open the abdomen, excavating the heart, decapitation (beheading), drowning, burning, punching the body and the eyes with an awl, and even castration or punching through the vagina. Not one person was spared, even women and children were killed.

RAPING

Many women were raped and then killed brutally. Women of all ages, pregnant women and nuns were raped. During the day, continuous raping was done on the streets or religious worshipping places. Many were hang raped. Subsequently, some of the fathers and sons of the women were ordered by the Japanese to rape them and those who were unwilling were executed on the spot.

ATROCITIES IN THE SAFETY ZONE

Before the Japanese’s arrival, an international rescue committee consisting of foreigners was formed. They established a safety zone with many refugee camps there to protect the refugees. The number of people in the camp ranged from only 200 people to 12 0000 people. While the refugees were protected, the Japanese came regularly to this safety zone and executed many young men on the spot.

LOOTING, BURNING AND VANDALISM

When the Japanese came, they stole things from storehouses as well as took everything the civilians had. The loot consisted of expensive things; even inexpensive things like buttons were also taken. The Japanese also had a plan for burning buildings. They burned the buildings using gasoline or other flammable chemical. They then waited for people to come and extinguish the fire, as they knew that people who hear the people in the buildings calling for help and hence come forward to help. The Japanese took this chance and killed the people who were trying to put off the fires. This was killing two birds with one stone as for one, they could burn down the buildings and for two, they could kill people. As a result, the beautiful historical city of Nanjing with many historical artifacts and buildings were ruined in the hands of the Japanese.

Hope this info is useful for people to learn as well as understand. :D
This can be linked to the Japanese Imperial Army. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~