Rape of nanking
Time period
1937
Difficult living conditions
In 1937, Japan went to war with Shanghai. Japan was expecting to easily conquer China in just 3 months, but it ended up being a tough battle that they barely won. The war left the Japanese feeling threatened by the Chinese, and thinking that they weren't as powerful as they thought they were. This is what led them to the Rape of Nanking, where they wanted to get revenge on China and make it known that they were always much more powerful, so they would no longer be threatened.
Psychological Self Threatened
The Battle of Shanghai was thought as a traumatic experience for the Japanese because of the resistance and heavy casualties from the Chinese, destroying the Japanese's proclamation of "Conquering China in 3 months". This resulted in psychological problems, feeling threatened by the Chinese army, for the Japanese which later led to the Nanking Genocide.
Us vs. Them Mentality
The Japanese's first objective was to eliminate all of the Chinese soldiers, to them it was a sign of unthinkable act of cowardice and a violation of the military honor code, and therefore are unworthy of life.
Progression Along a continuum of Destruction
The Japanese targeted many groups of chinese people. The Japanese's first objective was to eliminate all, 90,000, of the surrendering Chinese soldiers, to them it was a sign of unthinkable act of cowardice and a violation of the military honor code, and therefore are unworthy of life. Their next targeted group of people were the Chinese prisoners of war, who they saw as "less than human" and unworthy of living. Their next victims were Chinese women, women over 70 and girls under 8 were sexually abused, then killed. Over 20 thousand women were raped, then killed. Women were also used as "Slave prostitutes" used for Japanese pleasure. Throughout Nanking random murdering sprees occurred, soldiers shot their rifles at random groups of people, killing indiscriminately. They killed shopkeepers, raided their stores, and then set it on fire while civilians were locked inside. 300,000 Chinese civilians were killed.
role of bystanders
The main bystanders in the time period of 1937-1938, during the Rape of Nanking, were United States and Great Britain. America and Britain had very little knowledge or in Asia, the only knowledge that they had was from reports published in Times Magazine, Readers Digest, and New York Times. The Americans and Britain were focused on the situation in Europe, Hitler rearming Germany and expanding the Nazi Reich. However there was still a lot of help from these other nations, a group of 20 Americans and Europeans made of doctors, missionaries established a international safe zone in china. This area was blocked for Japanese and was surrounded by red cross flags. These Americans and Europeans risked their lives, numerous times, by getting in the way of the Japanese and preventing executions and sexual abuse. The Americans were heroes of the Nanking genocide, they worked for countless hours helping the Chinese recover and keeping 300,000 Chinese citizens safe in their safety zone. The Westerners recorded scenes that they witnessed, while they were there in Nanking.
Cultural Characteristics that Promote Genocide
Japanese felt humiliation and wanted revenge from the Shanghai Battle, 2nd Sino-Japenese War, which was the motive for the Japanese to start the Nanking, to take down China again.
Genocide Usually Executed by State Power
Japanese, the perpetrators of the Rape of Nanking, had a very strong State, who was very powerful. With that power they had a strong army. The Japanese had a strong tradition of fighting "warrior life" which they used, and was very powerful against the Chinese. The japanese government was very powerful when they went to China for the Genocide, they ordered that all the schools teach a new ordered discipline. There was a systematic killing of the men.
Result
I don't think that the Rape of Nanking should be considered a genocide. Although there were many deaths that occurred and the women and girls were traumatized by rape, there wasn't an actual target group being demonized. What happened was like a revenge war from what happened previously with China.
primary source
“More than 20,000 females (with some estimates as high as 80,000) were gang-raped by Japanese soldiers, then stabbed to death with bayonets or shot so they could never bear witness.”
Connection: This shows how destructive the Japanese soldiers were to females and men. It also shows how powerful they were to the Chinese.
Connection: This shows how destructive the Japanese soldiers were to females and men. It also shows how powerful they were to the Chinese.
primary source
“The Japanese appear to want the horrors to remain as long as possible, to impress on the Chinese the terrible results of resisting Japan.” The New York Times, December 18, 1937
Connection: This shows that the Japanese wanted it to be known in China that the Japanese are more powerful than them, and what happened before, no longer meant anything. The wanted to fears of being taken down by the Japanese to stick with them so they would no longer be a threat.
Connection: This shows that the Japanese wanted it to be known in China that the Japanese are more powerful than them, and what happened before, no longer meant anything. The wanted to fears of being taken down by the Japanese to stick with them so they would no longer be a threat.
primary source
“Method of executed: divide the prisoners into groups of a dozen. Shoot to kill separately. ... It is decided that the prisoners are to be divided evenly among each company ... and to be brought out from their imprisonment in groups of 50 to be executed. ... The vicinity of the imprisonment must be heavily guarded.” 66th Regiment 1st Battalion on 13 December
Connection: This connects to the part of the Staub model, executed by state power, there was a systematic order of killing. The Japanese had a very strong government and army which enabled them to heavily guard the prisoners. The Japanese systematic killing made it much easier and efficient to eliminate the people they need to eliminate.
Connection: This connects to the part of the Staub model, executed by state power, there was a systematic order of killing. The Japanese had a very strong government and army which enabled them to heavily guard the prisoners. The Japanese systematic killing made it much easier and efficient to eliminate the people they need to eliminate.