The Terrifying Story of the Rape of Nanking

The Terrifying Story of the Rape of Nanking

Often overshadowed by other global events of the World War II era, the Rape of Nanking is not just a historical footnote but a reminder of wartime barbarity and human suffering on an unimaginable scale


Mass grave of Nanking Massacre victims.

Inthe winter of 1937–1938, the ancient city of Nanking (now Nanjing), then the capital of Nationalist China, bore witness to one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century.

The Japanese Imperial Army, having captured the city, embarked on a six-week campaign of violence. This period, known as the Rape of Nanking, saw the systematic mass murder and sexual assault of tens of thousands of Chinese civilians and disarmed soldiers.

Sour Sino-Japanese Ties

The historical tensions between China and Japan can be traced back centuries, marked by conflict and uneasy truces.

By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan’s rapid industrialization and militarization contrasted sharply with China’s Qing Dynasty, which was struggling with internal rebellion and the pressures of Western imperialism. The First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895) ended in a resounding victory for Japan, leading to the Treaty of Shimonoseki, which significantly diminished China’s influence in East Asia and marked the ceding of Taiwan to Japan.

The relationship was further strained in the early 20th century as Japan continued to assert its dominance in the region, culminating in the invasion of Manchuria in 1931 and the establishment of the puppet state of Manchukuo. Despite initial efforts at conciliation, including the Tanggu Truce of 1933, which temporarily halted hostilities, the situation deteriorated rapidly.

By 1937, incidents such as the Marco Polo Bridge Incident served as the immediate catalyst for full-scale war. This incident, a skirmish between Chinese and Japanese troops near Beijing in July 1937, escalated into a widespread conflict as both sides mobilized for war. Japan’s superior military strength allowed for rapid advancements into Chinese territory, with Nanking, the capital, becoming a prime target.

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