Nanjing Massacre

Author: Compiled by the Second Historical Archives of China / Jilin Provincial Academy of Social Sciences
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-03-01
Features: Since the "September 18th Incident" of 1931, the war of aggression by Japanese imperialism against China had burned on Chinese soil for a full fourteen years. The Chinese people suffered unprecedented disasters and made immense sacrifices. After long years of arduous battles and various forms of struggles, they finally achieved a great victory in the Anti-Japanese War together with the world's anti-Fascist people. In the decades following the war, the situation in China underwent fundamental changes. Today's China has not only long since healed the wounds of war but is also confidently building socialism with Chinese characteristics. However, history must not be forgotten. To fully draw lessons from history, it is necessary to study in depth the history of the humiliation and oppression suffered by old China, especially the war of aggression imposed on the Chinese people by Japanese imperialism, with particular emphasis on the latter. This is particularly important for the younger generation, who lack historical knowledge and have never experienced the hardships of an invasion. Based on this consideration, we embarked on the compilation of this book, aiming to provide a relatively systematic collection of archival materials for those who defend world peace and oppose war, as well as for historical researchers and educators. The Japanese people are also victims of militarism and its aggressive policies. The publication of this book will help the Japanese people better understand the profound suffering inflicted on the Chinese people by Japanese imperialism's war of aggression, thereby cherishing the hard-won Sino-Japanese friendship and promoting its healthy development. Currently, the forces of peace in the world are growing stronger, and war is not inevitable. However, hegemonism and expansionist policies still exist, threatening humanity's peace and progress. Therefore, thoroughly exposing and condemning the various crimes of world Fascism remains of both immediate and far-reaching significance. This book is a collection of archival materials. Although Japanese imperialism burned most of its archival materials in China upon its surrender to defeat, materials documenting its crimes still exist in large quantities. This allows us to dedicate this book to the readers. However, due to our limited resources, this book can only be presented as a "selection." To facilitate the use of the book, it is organized into thematic volumes, covering topics such as the "September 18th Incident," the North China Incident, the puppet Manchukuo and Wang Jingwei regime, the repeated major atrocities in Northeast China, the fascist rule of the Manchukuo Constabulary, the scorched-earth campaign in North China, the atrocities of the Japanese army in various regions, the biological warfare, and the economic plunder. The facts reflected in the selected archival materials are mostly events that occurred between 1931 and 1945.