Nanjing Massacre

Quick Facts: Who was Nanjing Massacre?

Subject:

Nanjing Massacre

Known for:

Mass rape and murder of Chinese people by the Imperial Japanese Army (Dec 1937–Mar 1938).

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Nanjing Massacre or the Rape of Nanjing (formerly romanized as Nanking) was the mass rape and murder, between December 1937 and March 1938, of Chinese civilians, noncombatants, and prisoners of war by the Imperial Japanese Army in Nanjing, the capital of the Republic of China. It took place immediately after the Battle of Nanjing and retreat of the National Revolutionary Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. After the outbreak of the war in July 1937, the Japanese had pushed quickly through China after capturing Shanghai in November. As the Japanese marched on Nanjing, they committed violent atrocities in a terror campaign, including killing contests and massacres of entire villages. By early December, the Japanese Central China Area Army under the command of General Iwane Matsui reached the outskirts of the city.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

The Japanese had also planned to use mustard gas and incendiary bombs to annihilate the capital and its population should the fighting have grown too intense. Prince Yasuhiko Asaka was installed as temporary commander in the campaign, and he issued an order to "kill all captives" before the city's capture. Matsui and Asaka took no action to stop the massacre after it began. The massacre began on December 13 after Japanese troops entered the city after days of intense fighting and continued to rampage through it unchecked. Japanese soldiers murdered civilians, including children, women, and the elderly.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Japanese units also summarily executed thousands of captured Chinese soldiers in violation of the laws of war, as well as male civilians falsely accused of being soldiers. They raped women and girls, their ages ranging from infants to the elderly, and destroyed one third of the city with arson. Rape victims were often murdered afterward. In addition to civilians, Japanese units indiscriminately murdered tens of thousands of Chinese POWs and men who looked of military age. Many scholars support the validity of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE), which estimated that more than 200,000 people were killed, while newer estimates adhere to a death toll between 100,000 and 200,000.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1937: 1937 Milestone — The Nanjing Massacre or the Rape of Nanjing (formerly romanized as Nanking) was the mass rape and murder, between December 1937 and March 1938, of Chinese civilians, noncombatants, and prisoners of war by the Imperial Japanese Army in Nanjing, the capital of the Republic of China.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Nanjing Massacre

True or False: “The Nanjing Massacre was solely confined to the city limits of Nanjing during its entire duration.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While centered in Nanjing, atrocities were part of a broader pattern along the Lower Yangtze River and continued until late March 1938.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdelaziz Bouteflika — Historical peer (Born in 1937) (1937): Algerian politician who served as the seventh President of Algeria from 1999 to 2019.
• Alain Badiou — Historical peer (Born in 1937) (1937): Influential French philosopher known for 'Being and Event' and universalism.
• Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud — Historical peer (Born in 1938) (1938): Somaliland politician, served as President from 2010 to 2017.
• Ahn Chang Ho — Historical peer (Died in 1938) (1938): Pioneering Korean independence activist and leader of the Korean-American community.

Frequently Asked Questions about Nanjing Massacre