the rape of nanking Flashcards
when + brief overview
in late 1937, through 6 weeks, Regal Japanese army forces viciously murdered a range of 100,000-300,000 people including soldiers and civilians and raped + sexually assaulted tens of thousands of women and girls
quote
“the worlds greatest massacre was not the work of a few individuals, but of a nation” - unknown source
how the shanghai war was involved
following Japan’s victory of the Shanghai war for Japan, Japanese soldiers were hungry, tired and disobedient due to 2 weeks in the battle of Shanghai as well as striving for revenge for their loss comrades
Chiang Kai-Shreks orders
Chiang Kai-Shrek was scared of losing his military forces and battles so he ordered the death of almost all chinese troops. Chiang also ordered to take control of the city at any cost plus prohibiting any official evacuation of citizens (numerous people went against this)
the international committee for the Nanjing safety zone
The international committee for the Nanjing safety zone attempted to create a neutral area of the city to provide the citizens with shelter. The safety zone, started November 1937, was roughly 843 acres with more than a dozen refugee camps.
when did the Chinese government retreat Nanjing
1st of December, leaving international committee in charge
when did the invade
13th of december, the first troops of Japan’s main front army, invaded the city, ordered by general matsui iwane. all living citizens were ordered to the safety zone.
japans acts
before their arrival, words spread of theories Japan committed such as arson, armed violent robbery and counting killing contests
what happened
Chinese soldiers were chased down and killed and left in mass graves.entire families were slaughtered including the elderly and infants. Japanese soldiers robbed and burned at least 1/3 of Nanjings buildings
the rape
according to several eyewitnesses and passed analysis, 20 to 80,000 women were brutally raped and tortured. majority of them were victims of gang rape and mutilated and killed after assaulted
the aftermath
Soon after the end of the war, Matsui and his lieutenant Tani Hisao were tried and convicted for war crimes by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East—both men were soon executed. bodies were clustered around the streets for months post attack.
link to other turning points
this link because it contributed to tensions of World War II, showed Japanese brutal strategies, cause from the battle of Shanghai and anti Japanese sentiment. International criticism + a need of response to Japanese aggression. A horrifying impact of civilian population shaped international connections and broaden Chinese and Japanese conflict and rocketed tensions leading to the US entry into the war via Pearl Harbor as well as chasing justice for war crimes post World War II. The rape of Nanjing has also been considered by many theorists that this is what started World War II before Germany invading Poland
