Basiran
San Francisco, California – Hundreds of activists and members of the Chinese and other Asian communities gathered in San Francisco on Sunday to mark the 80th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre, a brutal atrocity committed during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945). The somber memorial service, held annually for the past two decades, aimed to shed light on the Japanese Imperial Army’s extensive war crimes, foster a deeper understanding of this dark chapter in history, and ensure its lessons are never forgotten. The event underscored the ongoing quest for justice, recognition, and lasting peace, resonating with a global call for historical accountability.
Organized by a coalition of influential community groups including the Rape of Nanking Redress Coalition, the Committee to Promote Reunification of China, the Alliance for Preserving the Truth of Sino-Japanese War, and the Comfort Women Justice Coalition, the memorial serves as a vital platform for remembrance. Speakers at the service emphasized the gravity of the events that unfolded in Nanjing and the broader context of Japanese aggression in Asia. Zha Liyou, acting Chinese consul general in San Francisco, delivered a poignant address, stating, "The Japanese army blatantly violated international conventions and committed the extremely cruel atrocity in Nanjing, where 300,000 Chinese were murdered and one-third of the buildings were destroyed."
A Deep Dive into the Historical Context: The Second Sino-Japanese War and the Fall of Nanjing
To fully comprehend the magnitude of the Nanjing Massacre, it is essential to place it within the broader historical narrative of the Second Sino-Japanese War. This conflict, often overshadowed in Western discourse by World War II in Europe, was a devastating and protracted struggle for China. Japanese expansionist ambitions had been evident for decades, culminating in the invasion of Manchuria in 1931, establishing the puppet state of Manchukuo. However, a full-scale invasion of mainland China was ignited on July 7, 1937, with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident near Beijing. This marked the beginning of eight years of brutal warfare that would claim tens of millions of Chinese lives.
As Japanese forces swept through northern China, their advance towards the capital, Nanjing (then Nanking), was swift and ruthless. Nanjing, a city of immense historical and cultural significance, symbolized Chinese sovereignty and resistance. Its capture was a primary strategic objective for the Imperial Japanese Army, not only for its military value but also for its psychological impact. The Chinese Nationalist government, under Chiang Kai-shek, had relocated its capital inland to Chongqing by the time Nanjing fell, but a significant civilian population and remaining military garrisons were left to face the onslaught.
On December 13, 1937, Japanese troops breached Nanjing’s city walls. What followed was an approximately six-week period of unparalleled horror. The systematic slaughter of civilians and disarmed soldiers, widespread rape, looting, and arson transformed the ancient city into a hellscape. Estimates, largely based on Chinese government records and post-war tribunals, place the death toll at approximately 300,000 non-combatants and disarmed soldiers. This figure is derived from various sources, including the findings of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (Tokyo Trials) and the Nanjing War Crimes Tribunal, which concluded that over 200,000 people were killed, a number that Chinese historians and official records often revise upwards to 300,000 to include those killed in surrounding areas and subsequent unreported deaths.
Unspeakable Atrocities and the "Comfort Women" System
The atrocities committed during the Nanjing Massacre extended beyond mass killings. Tens of thousands of women, ranging from young girls to the elderly, were subjected to horrific sexual violence. This systematic rape, often accompanied by torture and murder, became a defining characteristic of the Japanese occupation. Judith Mirkinson, president of the Comfort Women Justice Coalition, drew a direct link between these events and the broader system of military sexual slavery. "Our stories are linked. The fate of over 400,000 women sexually enslaved by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II is part and parcel of what happened during the Nanjing Massacre," she stated, highlighting the pervasive nature of this war crime across Japanese-occupied territories.
The "comfort women" system, a euphemism for military brothels operated by the Japanese Imperial Army, forcibly recruited or coerced hundreds of thousands of women from Korea, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, and other occupied regions. These women, many of whom were teenagers, endured unspeakable suffering and trauma, a scar that continues to affect survivors and their descendants today. The coalition’s persistent advocacy underscores that justice for "comfort women" survivors is inextricably linked to a full acknowledgment of all Japanese war crimes.
During the massacre, a small group of Westerners, including missionaries, professors, and businessmen, established the Nanking Safety Zone. Led by German businessman John Rabe, they risked their lives to protect Chinese civilians from the Japanese military, sheltering thousands in designated areas. Their diaries and testimonies, such as those of Minnie Vautrin, an American missionary, provided crucial eyewitness accounts of the brutality, serving as invaluable historical documentation that countered initial attempts at denial.
A Chronology of Remembrance and the Fight for Truth
The commemoration of the Nanjing Massacre has evolved over decades, moving from individual efforts to a concerted international movement:
- 1937-1938: The Nanjing Massacre occurs, documented by international observers and survivors.
- 1946-1948: The International Military Tribunal for the Far East (Tokyo Trials) and the Nanjing War Crimes Tribunal convict Japanese military leaders for war crimes, including those committed in Nanjing.
- 1980s onwards: Increased public awareness and historical research in China and internationally, leading to renewed calls for Japanese accountability.
- 1997: Iris Chang’s seminal book, The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II, brings widespread attention to the massacre in the Western world.
- Early 2000s: The establishment of coalitions and annual memorials in San Francisco and other diaspora communities, initiated by groups like the Rape of Nanking Redress Coalition.
- 2014: The Chinese government designates December 13 as National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims, elevating its national significance.
- 2015: The Nanjing Massacre is entered onto the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, a compendium aimed at preserving documented heritage of universal value. This international recognition validates the historical facts and underscores the event’s global significance.
- 2017: The 80th anniversary commemoration in San Francisco, alongside numerous events globally, reinforces the commitment to remembrance and truth.
Official Responses and the Quest for Reconciliation
The call for truth and reconciliation remains a central theme for victims’ advocates. Judith Mirkinson emphasized this point forcefully: "Reconciliation does not come without truth. So the Japanese government must acknowledge their crimes. They must give justice to those few people who still survive from the Nanjing Massacre and to the memory of what happened there." This statement highlights the persistent diplomatic and historical tensions between China and Japan.
While successive Japanese governments have expressed remorse for their wartime actions and issued official apologies over the years, these gestures have often been perceived as insufficient or lacking sincerity by China, South Korea, and other affected nations. Controversies surrounding historical textbooks in Japan, which some critics argue downplay or omit details of wartime atrocities, and visits by Japanese politicians to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine (which enshrines convicted war criminals) continue to fuel regional mistrust. For China, a full and unequivocal acknowledgment of historical facts, coupled with reparations or symbolic gestures of atonement for the remaining survivors, is seen as essential for genuine reconciliation.
The Chinese government’s designation of National Memorial Day for Nanjing Massacre Victims serves to solidify the memory of the event within national consciousness and reinforce its historical narrative. Zha Liyou clarified the intent behind this persistent remembrance: "To remember the atrocities committed by the Japanese army during World War II does not mean to pass on the enmity but rather to remind people not to forget the history and inspire them to love peace." This perspective suggests that while the historical facts must be preserved, the ultimate goal is to foster a future free from such horrors, rather than perpetuating hatred.
Broader Impact and Implications: Lessons for the 21st Century
The Nanjing Massacre and the broader Second Sino-Japanese War represent a profound human tragedy, with around 35 million Chinese soldiers and civilians killed or injured during the occupation that lasted until 1945. The ongoing efforts to commemorate these events and seek justice have far-reaching implications:
- Combating Historical Revisionism: The continuous push for remembrance directly counters attempts by historical revisionists, both within Japan and globally, to deny or minimize the scale and nature of these atrocities. The UNESCO recognition of the Nanjing Massacre documents is a significant victory in this battle for historical truth.
- Strengthening International Human Rights Norms: By highlighting violations of international conventions and human rights during wartime, these commemorations reinforce the importance of international law and accountability for war crimes, serving as a deterrent against future atrocities.
- Shaping Regional Geopolitics: Unresolved historical issues continue to exert a significant influence on contemporary Sino-Japanese and Korea-Japan relations. The quest for historical justice is often intertwined with geopolitical considerations and national identity.
- The Power of Diaspora Activism: The robust activism of Chinese and other Asian communities in the diaspora, particularly in places like San Francisco, demonstrates the enduring power of collective memory and the vital role of civic engagement in advocating for historical truth on an international stage.
- Education for Peace: The overarching message from the San Francisco memorial service is that understanding and remembering past atrocities are crucial for ensuring peace in the future. As Mirkinson noted, the 20th century was marked by unprecedented violence, making it imperative to learn from history to prevent its recurrence in the 21st century. Education about the Nanjing Massacre and other wartime atrocities serves as a powerful reminder of the fragility of peace and the devastating consequences of unchecked aggression and hatred.
The 80th anniversary commemoration in San Francisco was not merely an act of remembrance but a renewed commitment to historical accuracy, justice for survivors, and the promotion of a global culture of peace and human rights. It stands as a testament to the resilience of those who survived and the unwavering determination of communities worldwide to ensure that the lessons of Nanjing are never forgotten.
Raul Delapena Setiawan
Evan Lee Salim
