RON+Jung+Hyun

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century, the end of the 18th. "Reference for History of Colonial Hong Kong (1800s - 1930s) - Search.com." Metasearch Search Engine - Search.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2010. .

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**Diary # I: Calm Before the Storm**
January 23, 1937 Oh no... I heard that the Japanese has actually declared war on China. I first thought it was a rumor, but my friend who works for the press clarified that this war is really happening for real. I am so afraid of what will happen as a result of this war. I don’t really know whether China will successfully fight back against the Japanese, but I have a feeling that the Japanese will outrun us with their Western technology. Usually, my premonition is right. I've read in the newspaper that Japan is very strong and ready to do whatever they wish. China is not what it used to be before... the Japanese have become the dominant power of Asia. I am lucky that I don't have to fight in the battlefield because I am a women, bu still, I am extremely concerned about this situation.

War. How could human beings kill other human beings? Fear, death, and blood all over... I don't want to even begin to think. I just hope that my city will not get involved in the fighting or any closer to that. Unfortunately, I heard that Nanking is pretty dangerous because it is a capital of the country and one of the biggest cities in China, where the Japanese can attack easily. This is what I heard from the village... I just can’t help myself. I’m afraid. Would innocent citizens get enough protection to not lose their lives? Would the country provide protection for the weak: the women, the young, and the old?

I keep telling myself, but I still cannot grasp the fact that a “war” is actually going to happen while I am living. I can't stop thinking about it because everyone, including the city elders and my neighbors are always talking about it. War is all anyone talks about these days. Oh... I don’t want to see any blood or death that everyone fears right now. This will be a nightmare for everyone. I guess the best thing to do now is to prepare and get our hearts ready for what is to come. Nonetheless, I fear for my life, my family’s well-being, as well as my country's future. Still, I have faith that the Chinese government has a plan for saving our country. Oh, heaven help us...

Pictures:

Welcome to Cox & Kings - Type of Holiday - Tailor Made." Luxury Group Tours & Tailor-Made Holidays Worldwide from the Luxury Travel Specialists. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2010. . "Taiwan flag, Republic of China flag at Falgs Unlimited." //Flags Unlimited, Inc.//. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2010. .

Diary # 2: A Knock at the Gate
December 2, 1937

It’s been a few weeks since Shanghai was captured. I thought our Chinese troops could beat the Japanese, because we outnumbered them, but I heard that the Japanese are marching down to Nanjing even angrier than before. Lin Xhuang, my cousin has been staying at my house for a week. He escaped from Suchow, where the Japanese are said to have destroyed, burned, and killed everyone inside the city. Lin was lucky enough to have survived, because the rest of his family was killed by the Japanese. I don’t know if it’s such a good idea that he came here, because I hear that the Japanese are now heading towards Nanjing.

From what I hear from Lin, I believe that it is best to leave my home city as soon as possible. It took me a long time to get Lin to talk, because he was so traumatized by what happened back in his hometown. Lin was out cutting wood for fire when he heard screams and gunshot in the town. Lin was hiding behind the bushes when he saw the Japanese marching into the gates of Suchow. Lin said he was too afraid to go back to his house. However, since he was worried about his family, he went back after the sun had set to check on his house.

On his way into the town, he saw nothing but fire and corpses. The Japanese had shown NO mercy at all whatsoever. They murdered and plundered the city, burning down all the beautiful, historic and ancient treasures of Suchow. Worse, thousands of Chinese women, including his mother and sister, were kidnapped to serve as sexual slaves. Both Lin and I were crying at this point. Oh my poor relatives. I would rather die than be forced into that kind of act. Liu continued on, saying that it was not any better for men. If one saw a Japanese soldier, ones head was blown away into pieces before anything could be said. Terrified, he ran quietly down the deserted street, passing by stray dogs who were chewing on dead, bloody flesh. It’s a miracle he made it here without being attacked and remaining somewhat calm enough to escape.

It’s a pity that he won’t be able to find peace here, either. In fact, even as I am writing, I do not know whether we will survive this long war as residents of Nanjing. We've only got days until the Japanese come marching into Nanjing. I hope that the city is ready. I have belief in our brave home soldiers-- but as for the government, I am not so sure. What is the government doing in the middle of all this chaos! Is the government actually thinking about the lives of its citizens? I am starting to lose faith. Without a strong leadership, I do not know how we will fight off the Japanese here. I guess the best thing to do is to pray to the heavens and see what happens.

Picture: "Soldiers Of The Japanese Military Marching On A Road, Manchuria, China, 1932 Stock Photo Image." SuperStock - The Best in Stock Photography, Vintage Photos and Fine Art Images. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2010. .

Diary # 3: The Gates Come Tumbling Down
December 14, 1937

At last, the Japanese have finally arrived in Nanjing. The Japanese entered the walls of Nanjing yesterday. There is panic everywhere I see. I hear tanks, guns, and screams from the distance. Some people have started to move out of the city, including my friend John Tsui, but I don’t know how many people made it alive. I heard that the lower half of the city has surrendered without resistance to the Japanese. Apparently, the Japanese soldiers claim that they will spare the lives of the Chinese soldiers if they do not put up a fight. We are SO foolish and cowardly! Why do people believe that Japanese are not lying to us? What makes one think that the Japanese have a reason to spare our lives! I do not live close to the main gate of Nanjing, so I do not know for sure what has happened to our people who have greeted the Japanese. However, I have heard sorrowful news that the Japanese are killing innocent civilians who were actually trying to surrender. They are killing civilians, who are unarmed and merely terrified of war. We should not have even thought of accepting these horrible men. We should have fought from the beginning. We should have prepared for this war beforehand. In a way, we are partially responsible for this attack..! We should remember that we greatly outnumber the Japanese in terms of numbers. We have way more soldiers to fight against those horrible Japanese soldiers! By surrendering without fighting back, we are digging out own graves. We should have a more logical plan. As shown in Suchow, the Japanese are going to commit similar inhumane crimes, and some have already started apparently. How worse the Japanese will get is still yet to see. However, seeing the example of Suchow, I can foresee what will happen in the next few days, I am even more afraid than I was for my life and Nanjing’s future. Will I even live?

Diary # 4: Through the Gates into Hell
I never thought that this would happen to me. I don’t know why I had to go through this. During the day, everyone except my cousin, Lin Xuang and I went out to do their work. Then, Lin Xuang left me to go to see what was happening in the other cities. I was left alone in my house. Then I heard a conversation between two men just outside my house. I thought they were just passing by, so I didn’t mind. However, those two men suddenly broke the door and came in with guns. I was scared to death didn’t know what to do. Everything happened so abruptly that I went blank and my body froze. Then they dragged me into the main room and started to hit and push me down. I tried to fight back, but I was no match for the two strong men who were armed. I didn’t know what they were going to do to me until I saw that they were starting to take off my clothes. I kicked and bit, but they merely punched me in the stomach and kept going. What they did after that— I don’t even want to try to recall. I was used by those two men. I was just one of their toys. They were having fun, while I was just treated as their slave. It wasn’t a joke for me. They abused me and didn’t listen to what I was saying, hitting and slapping me when I would scream and yell. When I thought I was going to pass out, Chiang Kai-shek broke in to the house and killed those horrible two men. The general consoled me and rescued me. When I had regained control of myself, I told him about what happened to the people in town. Chinese soldiers were tortured for fun, heads were chopped off as a sport, and people were buried alive. I couldn’t help crying as I was talking with the general the whole time. I owe my life to the general and I am very thankful.

Diary # 5: A Survivor
Some of the shock that I received was gone, but I still have nightmares every day. I couldn’t get rid of the laughter of the Japanese soldiers in my head. I know that I am not the only person who got raped during the attack of Nanjing. However, it’s hard to talk about such things and I am so ashamed and traumatized. I cannot forget that moment. I hope that one day everyone will know of the horrible things that happened in this town. The general took me to a refugee zone after my unfortunate event. There, I met a man who was asking me questions all the time. His name was Frank Tilman, who was a reporter for a newspaper. He wanted to report my sorrowful story to the world. At first I was afraid of him because he was a foreigner. Plus, I was still too ashamed to reveal such atrocities because I was ashamed because he was a foreigner. Besides, men disgusted me at this point. However, as I listened to him, he was nice and I agreed to answer his questions about my life during the Rape of Nanking. I told him everything that happened without leaving out any details. I was raped by a Japanese soldier and felt so scared and thought I would die. I didn’t know how I would live after that incident, but life slowly got back on track in the refugee zone. I met many other Chinese women who had suffered similar fates. After hearing that many women died after they got raped, I realized that I was lucky to be even alive. Still, I don’t know whether being in this situation, suffering from this shock, is lucky. Right after I got saved, I felt thankful for the general’s help. As I started to tell him about what happened to me, I kept thinking about that situation, so I was constantly scared and tired. So, he stopped asking questions and sent me back to the little family I had left. I still do not really want to talk about what they did to me. It is just too much of a burden for me to carry. Now, the war is over and China has only a blurry outlook. However, I am going to start a new life. I am going to forget about what happened to me and start all over...