Nanking Safety Zone: Difference between revisions
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The City of [[Nanking]] affirmed the existence of the Safety Zone, sent cash and food, and staffed security personnel in the zone. The Japanese army did not recognise its existence, but they promised that as long as it remained demilitarized the Japanese army would not invade the area. |
The City of [[Nanking]] affirmed the existence of the Safety Zone, sent cash and food, and staffed security personnel in the zone. The Japanese army did not recognise its existence, but they promised that as long as it remained demilitarized the Japanese army would not invade the area. |
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==Establishment of the Safety Zone== |
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==History== |
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Many Westerners were living in the city at that time, conducting trade or on missionary trips. Following the departing Chinese government, most foreigners also decided to leave the city. As the Japanese army began to approach Nanking, most of them fled the city.{{Fact|date=January 2008}} A small number of Western businessmen, journalists and missionaries, however, chose to remain behind. The missionaries were primarily Americans from the Episcopal, Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches. |
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There is some confusion as to how many Westerners stayed behind. The number reported ranges from 20 to 30.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chinajapan.org/articles/14/14.03-23askew.pdf |first=David |last=Askew |title= Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 The International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone: An Introduction}}</ref> |
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The Westerners who remained behind established the Nanking Safety Zone which was composed of a score of refugee camps that occupied an area of about 3.4 square miles (8.6 square kilometers).{{cn}} |
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To coordinate their efforts, the Westerners formed a committee, called the [[International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone]]. German businessman [[John Rabe]] was elected as its leader, partly because of his status as a member of the [[Nazi party]] and the existence of the German-Japanese bilateral [[Anti-Comintern Pact]]. |
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The Japanese government had agreed not to attack parts of the city that did not contain Chinese military forces, and the members of the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone managed to persuade the Chinese government to move all their troops out of the area. |
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According to [[Miner Searl Bates]], one of the American missionaries, "The Chinese authorities agreed to the idea of the Zone, though the military were naturally reluctant to move out of the area before the very last minute." Bates described the Japanese position on the Safety Zone in this way, "The Japanese authorities never formally recognized the Zone, but did say that they would not attack an area which was not occupied by Chinese troops. On this narrow margin of agreement, the Chinese promise to evacuate the area and the Japanese statement that they would not intentionally attack an unoccupied place, the Safety Zone was finally put through."{{cn}} |
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The Army did not subject the Safety Zone to concentrated air bombardment or shelling. Only a few shells landed in the Zone throughout the siege, which wounded about 40 refugees. |
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On December 1, 1937, Nanking Mayor [[Ma Chao-chun]] ordered all Chinese citizens remaining in Nanking to move into the “Safety Zone” and then fled the city. |
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==Atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army== |
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{{main|Nanking Massacre}} |
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The Japanese Army claimed that there were guerrilla soldiers in the Safety Zone and blamed it on [[John Rabe]] allowing anyone not wearing uniforms to enter. Citing this reason, Japanese soldiers forcibly entered the Zone. |
The Japanese Army claimed that there were guerrilla soldiers in the Safety Zone and blamed it on [[John Rabe]] allowing anyone not wearing uniforms to enter. Citing this reason, Japanese soldiers forcibly entered the Zone. |
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The Japanese soldiers committed atrocities in the Safety Zone that were part of the much larger [[Nanking Massacre]]. The International Committee appealed a number of times to the Japanese army, with John Rabe using his credentials as a [[NSDAP]] member, but to no avail. From time to time the Japanese would enter the Safety Zone at will, carry off a few hundred men and women, and either summarily execute them or rape and then kill them. |
The Japanese soldiers committed atrocities in the Safety Zone that were part of the much larger [[Nanking Massacre]]. The International Committee appealed a number of times to the Japanese army, with John Rabe using his credentials as a [[NSDAP]] member, but to no avail. From time to time the Japanese would enter the Safety Zone at will, carry off a few hundred men and women, and either summarily execute them or rape and then kill them. |
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[[Image:approachtonanking.jpg|500px|thumb|Map showing the Nanking Safety Zone]] |
[[Image:approachtonanking.jpg|500px|thumb|Map showing the Nanking Safety Zone]] |
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In late January 1938, the Japanese army forced all refugees in the Safety Zone to return home, and claimed to have "restored order". On [[February 18]] 1938, the Nanking Safety Zone International Committee was forcibly renamed <!--not sure by whom, probably IJA-->"''Nanking International Rescue Committee''", and the Safety Zone effectively ceased to function. The last refugee camps were closed in May 1938. John Rabe and his International Committee were credited with saving 50,000 - 250,000 lives despite the ongoing massacre. |
In late January 1938, the Japanese army forced all refugees in the Safety Zone to return home, and claimed to have "restored order". On [[February 18]] 1938, the Nanking Safety Zone International Committee was forcibly renamed <!--not sure by whom, probably IJA-->"''Nanking International Rescue Committee''", and the Safety Zone effectively ceased to function. The last refugee camps were closed in May 1938. John Rabe and his International Committee were credited with saving 50,000 - 250,000 lives despite the ongoing massacre. |
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Revision as of 07:03, 15 April 2009
| This article is part of the series on the |
| Nanjing Massacre |
|---|
| Japanese war crimes |
| Historiography of the Nanjing Massacre |
| Films |
| Books |
The Nanking Safety Zone (simplified Chinese: 南京安全区; traditional Chinese: 南京安全區; pinyin: Nánjīng Anquán Qǖ; Japanese: 南京安全区 Nankin Anzenku, 南京安全地帯, Nankin Anzenchitai) was a demilitarised zone for Chinese civilians set up on the Eve of the Japanese breakthrough in the Battle of Nanking (November 22, 1937). Following the example of Jesuit Father Robert Jacquinot de Besange in Shanghai, the foreigners in Nanking created the Nanking Safety Zone, managed by the Nanking Safety Zone International Committee led by German businessman and Nazi party member John Rabe. The zone and the activities of the International Committee were responsible for saving the lives of many thousands of Chinese civilians during the Nanking Massacre.
Area
The Safety Zone was bordered by roads on all four sides, and had an area of approximately 3.86 km², with 25 refugee camps centred around the US Embassy. This is approximately the same size as Central Park in New York.
The City of Nanking affirmed the existence of the Safety Zone, sent cash and food, and staffed security personnel in the zone. The Japanese army did not recognise its existence, but they promised that as long as it remained demilitarized the Japanese army would not invade the area.
Establishment of the Safety Zone
Many Westerners were living in the city at that time, conducting trade or on missionary trips. Following the departing Chinese government, most foreigners also decided to leave the city. As the Japanese army began to approach Nanking, most of them fled the city.[citation needed] A small number of Western businessmen, journalists and missionaries, however, chose to remain behind. The missionaries were primarily Americans from the Episcopal, Disciples of Christ, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches.
There is some confusion as to how many Westerners stayed behind. The number reported ranges from 20 to 30.[1]
The Westerners who remained behind established the Nanking Safety Zone which was composed of a score of refugee camps that occupied an area of about 3.4 square miles (8.6 square kilometers).[citation needed]
To coordinate their efforts, the Westerners formed a committee, called the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone. German businessman John Rabe was elected as its leader, partly because of his status as a member of the Nazi party and the existence of the German-Japanese bilateral Anti-Comintern Pact.
The Japanese government had agreed not to attack parts of the city that did not contain Chinese military forces, and the members of the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone managed to persuade the Chinese government to move all their troops out of the area.
According to Miner Searl Bates, one of the American missionaries, "The Chinese authorities agreed to the idea of the Zone, though the military were naturally reluctant to move out of the area before the very last minute." Bates described the Japanese position on the Safety Zone in this way, "The Japanese authorities never formally recognized the Zone, but did say that they would not attack an area which was not occupied by Chinese troops. On this narrow margin of agreement, the Chinese promise to evacuate the area and the Japanese statement that they would not intentionally attack an unoccupied place, the Safety Zone was finally put through."[citation needed]
The Army did not subject the Safety Zone to concentrated air bombardment or shelling. Only a few shells landed in the Zone throughout the siege, which wounded about 40 refugees.
On December 1, 1937, Nanking Mayor Ma Chao-chun ordered all Chinese citizens remaining in Nanking to move into the “Safety Zone” and then fled the city.
Atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army
The Japanese Army claimed that there were guerrilla soldiers in the Safety Zone and blamed it on John Rabe allowing anyone not wearing uniforms to enter. Citing this reason, Japanese soldiers forcibly entered the Zone.
The Japanese soldiers committed atrocities in the Safety Zone that were part of the much larger Nanking Massacre. The International Committee appealed a number of times to the Japanese army, with John Rabe using his credentials as a NSDAP member, but to no avail. From time to time the Japanese would enter the Safety Zone at will, carry off a few hundred men and women, and either summarily execute them or rape and then kill them.
In late January 1938, the Japanese army forced all refugees in the Safety Zone to return home, and claimed to have "restored order". On February 18 1938, the Nanking Safety Zone International Committee was forcibly renamed "Nanking International Rescue Committee", and the Safety Zone effectively ceased to function. The last refugee camps were closed in May 1938. John Rabe and his International Committee were credited with saving 50,000 - 250,000 lives despite the ongoing massacre.
However, certain right-wing and nationalist Japanese authors and politicians claim that along with the Nanking Massacre, the Safety Zone never existed. [2]. The museum of the Yasukuni shrine omits any mention of the Nanking massacre and proclaims that "The Japanese established a safety zone for Chinese civilians and made a special effort to protect historical and cultural sites. Inside the city, residents were once again able to live their lives in peace." [3]
Notes
- ^ Askew, David. "Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 The International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone: An Introduction" (PDF).
- ^ For more information on this claim, see Nanking Massacre
- ^ Black museum of Japan's war crimes, Sunday Times, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article549954.ece
See also
Sources
- Rabe, John, The Good Man of Nanking: The Diaries of John Rabe, Vintage (Paper), 2000. ISBN 0-375-70197-4
- Vautrin, Wilhemina, Minnie Vautrin Papers. Special Collection, Yale Divinity School Library, Record Group No. 8 and No. 11.
- Online Documentary - the Nanking Atrocities, 2000. <http://www.nankingatrocities.net/Table/table.htm>
Further reading
- Timothy, Brooks, ed. Documents on the Rape of Nanking, The University of Michigan Press, 2002. (includes a reprint of "Hsu, Shuhsi, Documents of the Nanking Safety Zone, Kelly and Walsh, 1939".)
- Zhang, Kaiyuan, ed. Eyewitnesses to Massacre, An East Gate Book, 2001. (includes documentation of American missionaries; M.S. Bates, George Ashmore Fitch, E.H. Foster, J.G. Magee, J.H. MaCallum, W.P. Mills, L.S.C. Smyth, A.N. Steward, Minnie Vautrin and R.O. Wilson.) (Google Book version)