The Nanking Massacre is not well known and is overshadowed by the so many other autrocities commited during the war.  However, the same amount of people were killed in China at the hands of the cruel Japanese soldiers as died in Hiroshima and Nagosaki

The Japanese did not just kill the Chinese civilians, they tortured them in any and every cruel way possible and enjoyed the power of doing so. The soldiers raped the women, set people on fire, ripped out beating hearts and took pictures as souvenirs… In most these pictures the Japanese monsters are smiling, surrounded by the bloody victims.
In fact it was so horrific that there are even reports that some Nazi soldiers tried to help some of the innocent Chinese citizens. It’s a sad state when a culture is so sick and inhuman that make the Nazis look “warm” by comparison.

“To boost the morale and courage of new recruits during the war, we experimented with bayoneting the enemy. That meant using POWs or local civilians as live targets. New recruits without experience would learn form this practice.” (Yin,156) 

 

Its hard to believe how 100000’s of people can be so sick, cruel and monsterous. But this type of cruelty was part of a culture built on honor and the sword and even though I do not agree with the way the west reacted to Japanese people outside of Japan, especially the US who gathered em all up and put them into a prison, I can sure understand it.

Think about it, if it was the other way around with 100′000  Americans living in Japan, they would have beheaded the lot and not bothered with the jail.

The Japanese knew which form of torture would produce the most painful experience for the victim before they would die. The soldiers performed disembowelment, decapitation, crucifixion, carved out big pieces of human flesh, and there are incidents where the Chinese had their eyes gouged out and their noses and ears chopped off before setting them aflame. The Japanese troops gathered a group of about 200 people and “stripped naked, tied to columns and doors of a school, and then stabbed [them with] zhuizi -special needles with handles on them- in hundreds of points along their bodies, including their mouths, throats, and eyes.” (Chang, 87)

Shiro Asuma, former soldier…tells him story…’An old man who I think was a grandfather was holding onto his grandson. I killed the child while they were hugging. The boy was about 10 years old. And then the blood came out [after Asuma’s thrust of his bayonet]. The grandfather started to suck the blood. When I saw this, I thought it was so cruel. In trying to resuscitate the dying child’s life, the grandfather looked so pitiful. Still, I stabbed and killed the grandfather. Both of them died.’” (Yin, 156)

1937 Japan - Here is a passage from a soldiers diary

“…Recently, when we were very bored, we had some
fun killing Chinese. We caught some innocent Chinese
and either buried them alive, or pushed them into a
fire, or beat them to death with clubs, or killed
them by other cruel means.”
-except from a Japanese soldier’s diary

____________________

” Today, we did it again. We pushed innocent Chinese down and beat them up.
When they were half dead,
he pushed them into ditches and burned them,
torturing them to death. Everyone gets his entertainment
this way to get rid of the boredom. If this had happened in Japan,
it would be an enormous incident. But
here it’s like killing dogs and cats.”
–an excerpt from a Japanese soldier’s diary

Everyone has heard about Hiroshima and Nagosaki, but how many have heard of this.. not many - Japanese crimes against humanity in WWII

The Japanese had a vision which placed them as the dominant country destined

to conquer East Asia and the rest of the world. By the fall of 1937,

Japan had already launched their invasion of China, immediately moving

into Shanghai. The troops then headed over to Nanking, the capital of China.

December 13,1937 marked the start of one the most tumultuous and gruesome acts

of violence know to the history of mankind. Within weeks the Japanese army killed over

300,000 citizens of Nanking through rape, torture, and murders in which the deaths
exceeded that of the atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki together.

The Japanese had always been intrigued and fascinated by the power and the strength of a sword. This was one of the more efficient ways of killing the Chinese. They found great pleasure seeing the victims look so weak and scared physically kneeling before them.

Some officers even made beheading, a killing contest between themselves.

“I’ve seen all kinds of horrible scenes…

some soldiers were so skillful that they took

care of the business in a way that severed

the head completely but left it hanging by a

thin layer of skin on the victim’s chest, so

that the weight pulled the body down to

the ditch. “(Yin,132)

The Japanese Killing Contests:

The heads lines of the Japanese newsletter read,”Contest

to kill first 100 Chinese with sword extended when both fighters

exceed mark –Mukai scores 106 and Noda 105.”

The killing contest began as a way to “boost morale among the

[Japanese] troops.” (www.cnd.) Sub-lieutenants Toshiaki Mukai and

Takeshi Noda began this competitive game on the base of Nanking’s

Purple Gold Mountain.

The same day Mukai beheaded 89 people

and Noda killed 78. After a while, both men lost count so they

moved up the number to 50 more lives. They even greeted each other by

the following short trade of words:

“Noda: ‘ Hi! My number is 105, what about you?’

Mukai:’106 is my number.’” (Yin, 182)

They both laugh while they head over to the entertainment site to begin the contest once more.

So what happened to the “Japanese war criminals” - in short - not that much - The leaders were put on trial, most got a few years jail time for the murder of 300,000 +

SUMMARY OF CONVICTED CLASS A WAR CRIMINALS
——————————————

Seven (7) sentenced to death:

Doihara, General Kenji (1883-1948). Commander, Kwantung Army,
1938-40; Supreme War Council, 1940-43; army commander in
Singapore, 1944-45. Deeply involved in the army’s drug
trafficking in Manchuria. Later ran brutal POW and internee
camps in Malaya, Sumatra, Java and Borneo. Convicted on counts
1, 27, 29, 31, 32, 35, 36, 54.

Hirota, Baron Koki (1878-1948). Ambassador to the Soviet Union,
1928-31; foreign minister, 1933-36; premier, 1936-37. Was
foreign minister during the Rape of Nanking and other atrocities
perpetrated by the army. As premier, he led his cabinet in
planning the invasions of Southeast Asia and the Pacific
islands, in addition to continuing the undeclared war against
China. Convicted on Counts 1, 27, 55.

Itagaki, General Seishiro (1885-1948). Chief of staff, Kwantung
Army, 1936-37; minister of war, 1938-39; chief, army general
staff, 1939; commander in Korea, 1941; Supreme War Council,
1943; commander in Singapore, 1945. Troops under his command in
China and elsewhere terrorized prisoners and civilians. Was
responsible for prison camps in Java, Sumatra, Malaya, Borneo
and elsewhere. Convicted on Counts 1, 27, 29, 31, 32, 35, 36,
54.

Kimura, General Heitaro (1888-1948). Chief of staff, Kwantung
Army, 1940-41; vice minister of war, 1941-43; Supreme War
Council, 1943; army commander in Burma, 1944-45. Helped plan
the China and Pacific wars, including surprise attacks.
Involved in the brutalization of the Allied POWs and was the
field commander in Burma when civilian and POW slave labor built
and died on the Siam-Burma Railway. Convicted on Counts 1, 27,
29, 31, 32, 54, 55.

Matsui, General Iwane (1878-1948). Personal appointee of the
emperor to the Geneva Disarmament Conference, 1932-37;
commander, China Expeditionary Force, 1937-38. Troops under his
overall command were responsible for the Rape of Nanking in 1937
and other atrocities. He retired in 1938 and then ceased to
play an active role in military affairs. Convicted on Count 55.
He was one of 14 Class A war criminals who were secretly
enshrined as “matyrs” at the Yasukuni Shrine, which is dedicated
to Japan’s war dead and is Japan’s most revered Shinto temple.

Muto, General Akira (1892-1948). Vice chief of staff, China
Expeditionary Force, 1937; director, military Affairs Bureau,
1939-42; army commander in Sumatra, 1942-43; army chief of staff
in the Philippines, 1944-45. Troops under his command
participated in both the Rape of Nanking and the Rape of Manila.
Convicted on Counts 1, 27, 29, 31, 32, 54, 55.

Tojo, General Hideki (1884-1948). Chief, Manchurian secret
police, 1935; councillor, Manchurian Affairs Bureau, 1936; chief
of staff, Kwantung Army, 1937-38; vice minister of war, 1938;
minister of war 1940-44; premier, 1941-44. Considered the
arch-criminal of the Pacific War. Tojo assumed full
responsibility for all the actions of his government and the
military during the war. Convicted on Counts 1, 27, 29, 31, 32,
33, 54.

Sixteen (16) sentenced to life imprisonment:

Araki, General Sadao (1877-1966). Minister of war, 1931-34;
Supreme War Council, 1934-36; minister of education 1938-39;
senior adviser to the cabinet, 1939-40. An early advocate of
Japanese military expansionism. While education minister, he
restructured the Japanese school system along military lines.
Convicted on Counts 1 and 27. Paroled in 1955.

Hashimoto, Colonel Kingoro (1890-1957). Held various commands,
including that of an artillery regiment during the Rape of
Nanking in 1937. Played a major role in staging the Mukden
Incident, which eventually led to war with China. Author of
political books of racist propaganda, he was important in
mobilizing Japanese public opinion behind the Pacific War.
Convicted on Counts 1 and 27. Paroled in 1954.

Hata, Field Marshal Shunroku (1879-1962). Supreme War Council,
1937; commander, China Expeditionary Force, 1938, 1941-44;
minister of war, 1939-40. One of the militarists who planned
the invasion of China in the 1930s. He was in overall command
of troops who perpetrated countless atrocities against Chinese
civilians. Convicted on Counts 1, 27, 29, 31, 32, 55. Paroled
in 1954.

Hiranuma, Baron Kiichiro (1867-1952). Privy Council, 1924-39;
founder and president, Kokuhonsha (right-wing patriotic
society), 1926-28; premier, 1938; minister of home affairs,
1940; minister without portfolio, 1940-41; president, Privy
Council, 1945. Convicted on crimes 1, 27, 29, 31, 32, 36.

Hoshino, Naoki (1892-1978). Chief of financial affairs,
Manchukuo (Manchuria), 1932-34; director of general affairs
(chief civilian officer), Manchukuo, 1936; minister without
portfolio, 1940-41; chief cabinet secretary, 1941-44. Convicted
on Counts 1, 27, 29, 312, 32. Paroled in 1955.

Kaya, Okinori (1889-1977). Minister of finance, 1937-38,
1941-44; president, North China Development Company, 1939-41.
An early advocate of selling narcotics to the Chinese to finance
the expenses of the occupation forces. Convicted on Counts 1,
27, 29, 31, 32. Paroled in 1955.

Kido, Marquis Koichi (1889-1977). Chief secretary to the lord
keeper of the privy seal, 1930-37; minister of education, 1937;
minister of welfare, 1938; minister of home affairs, 1939; lord
keeper of the privy seal 1940-45. Was Emperor Hirohito’s
closest adviser during the most critical periods of the wars
with China and the Allies. His secret diary, which he kept
during all of his time at or near the seat of power, was the
prosecution’s bible during much of the Tokyo trial. Convicted
on Counts 1, 27, 29, 31, 32. Paroled in 1955.

Koiso, General Kuniaki (1880-1950). Vice minister of war, 1932;
chief of staff, Kwantung Army, 1932-34; army commander in Korea,
1935-38; minister of overseas affairs, 1939; governor-general,
Korea, 1942-44; premier 1944-45. Was known among the Korean
population as “the Tiger of Korea” because of his brutality. As
premier, he was aware of POW death camps. Convicted on Counts
1, 27, 29, 31, 32, 55.

Minami, General Jiro (1874-1955). Minister of war, 1931;
Supreme War Council, 1931-34; commander, Kwantung Army, 1934-36;
governor-general, Korea, 1936-42; privy Council, 1942-45. An
early leader of the army clique that controlled Japan in the
1930s and 1940s. Ruled Japan’s Korean colony with an iron fist.
Convicted on Counts 1 and 27. Paroled in 1945.

Oka, Admiral Takasumi (1890-1973). Chief, Naval Affairs Bureau,
1940-44; vice minister of the navy, 1944. An important
participant in planning the surprise attacks perpetrated by
Japanese naval forces during the second week in December 1941.
Also administered some POW and civilian to shoot survivors of
torpedoed Allied ships. Convicted on Counts 1, 27, 29, 31, 32.
Paroled in 1954.

Oshima, General Hiroshi (1886-1975). Military attache in
Germany, 1934-38; ambassador to Germany, 1938-39, 1941-45.
Helped forge the Axis Pact with Germany and Italy and was an
intimate of Hilter, Himmler, Goring, and Ribbentrop. Convicted
on Count 1. Paroled in 1955.

Sato, General Kenryo (1895-1975). Section head, then chief,
Military Affairs Bureau, 1942-44; assistant chief of staff,
China Expeditionary Force, 1944; army commander in Indochina,
1945. Convicted on Counts 1, 27, 29, 31, 32. Paroled in 1956.

Shimada, Admiral Shigetaro (1883-1976). Vice chief of naval
staff, 1935-37; commander, China Fleet, 1940; navy minister,
1941-44; Supreme War Council, 1944. Authorized the naval
surprise attacks in December 1941. Naval units under his
overall command massacred Allied POWs, transported prisoners and
civilian internees aboard hellships, and killed any surviving
crew members of torpedoed Allied ships. Convicted on Counts 1,
27, 29, 31, 32. Paroled in 1955.

Shiratori, Toshio (1887-1949). Director, Information Bureau,
Foreign Ministry, 1929-33; ambassador to Italy, 1938-40; adviser
tot the foreign minister, 1940. A supporter of military
expansionism, he favored an alliance among Germany, Italy the
Soviet Union and Japan to dominate the world. Convicted on
Count 1.

Suzuki, General Teiichi (1888- ). chief, China Affairs Bureau,
1938-41; president, Cabinet Planning Board, and minister without
portfolio, 1941-43; adviser to the cabinet, 1943-44. An early
and active supporter of militarism. Involved in Japan’s drug
trafficking in China and approved the use of POWs and civilians
as slave laborers. Convicted on Counts 1, 27, 29, 31, 32.
Paroled in 1955.

Umezu, General Yoshijiro (1882-1949). Section chief, general
staff, 1931-34; commander, China Expeditionary Force, 1934; vice
minister of war, 1939-44; army chief of staff, 1944-45.
Convicted on Counts 1, 27, 29, 31, 32.

Two sentenced to lesser terms:

Shigemitsu, Mamoru (1887-1957). Ambassador to China, 1931-32;
vice minister of foreign affairs, 1933-36; ambassador to the
Soviet Union, 1936-38; ambassador to Great Britain, 1938-41;
foreign minister, 1943-45. He and General Umezu signed the
instrument of surrender in 1945. Convicted on Counts 27, 29,
31, 32, 33, 55. Sentenced to seven years in prison. Paroled in
1950, he reentered the political arena and was appointed foreign
minister in 1954.

Togo, General Hideki (1884-1948). Ambassador to Germany, 1937;
ambassador to the Soviet Union, 1938; foreign minister, 1941-42,
1945. Convicted on Counts 1, 27, 29, 31, 32. Sentenced to
twenty years in prison.

(infromation from www.cnd.org/NJMassacre/nj.html)