The Start of the Second Chinese-Japanese War and the Nanjing Massacre
Channel: The Chinese Revolution
Date: 2024-01-15

On July 7, 1937, the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II started with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. It is also known as the Lugou Bridge Incident. Within days of the small skirmish with 100 Chinese garrison troops, the Japanese had brought in 180,000 troops. After that, the fighting between the Chinese and the Japanese did not stop until 1945.

Japan then attacked Shanghai. Nationalist troops resisted for three months, including with hidden artillery that killed the Japanese Empress' cousin during an amphibious landing. But the Japanese eventually captured China's largest port city and turned their attention to the national capital of Nanjing, after sacking the historic, cultural city of Suzhou.

Chiang Kai-shek ordered Nanjing to be both defended and evacuated. Treasures from the Forbidden City were moved west, along with government officials. Soldiers were brought in and they fortified in anticipation of the attack. Refugees streamed west, including some to Nanjing. Trapped between the attacking columns and the Yangzi River, only a small number were able to evacuate once the battle was lost. 
Foreign diplomats and refugees were on board the USS Panay, when it was deliberately sunk by Japanese planes.

Those who were not able to find refuge in the Nanjing Safety Zone were most often killed or raped and murdered. The Nanjing Massacre, also known as the Rape of Nanking, was one of the worst war crimes in human history.  This is documented in Iris Chang's book the Rape of Nanking.

John Rabe, a Nazi, helped save thousands, perhaps even two hundred thousand lives as he led the Nanjing Safety Zone. He used his Nazi armband to get Japanese soldiers to leave the Chinese alone. He reported Japanese abuses to German officials, including Hitler, but in Germany, after being transferred back to Berlin, he was taken and interrogated by the Gestapo.  He has been called the Oskar Schindler of China.

Robert Wilson, a surgeon, refused to leave and gave medical care day and night for free, at the cost of his own health.

Minnie Vautrin gave up food, took beatings and had her life threatened for protecting Chinese in the Safety Zone, which the Japanese did not recognize. Her efforts to save Chinese lives and spirits cost her life. She told the Chinese that China would not perish and that Japan would fail in the end.

It did and War Criminals were tried and executed, both in Tokyo and in Nanjing, for acts during the Nanjing occupation.  There were executions of war criminals both in Nanjing and following the Tokyo Trials.

The Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall is today a place of remembrance for the Nanjing Massacre victims and a place of education.

This is episode 57 of the Chinese Revolution series.

Timestamps
00:00 – Background
00:19 – The Marco Polo Bridge Incident Starts the War
03:09 – Japan Attacks Shanghai in 1937
06:01 -  Japan Attacks Suzhou
06:31 - Japan Attacks Nanjing
09:47 – The Nanjing Massacre
14:08 – The Sinking of the USS Panay
15:32 – Iris Chang’s Book: The Rape of Nanking
16:19 – The Nanjing Safety Zone
22:09 – The Tokyo Trials and War Crime Tribunals
24:14 – The Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall