RON+Connie

Morning: Eat breakfast with family and prepare to go to school 8:00 am: teach a variety of students on psychology 12:00 pm: eat lunch at school 1~3:00 pm: usually grade papers, or research more about psychology. 3:00~5:00pm: head home and eat dinner 6:00~9:00pm: grade more papers, continue research or read books. 10:00 pm: get ready to sleep and head to bed.
 * Name**: Professor Chang Siao-Sung
 * Age**: 40
 * Gender**: Female
 * Occupation**: Professor
 * Social** **Class**: Middle Class
 * Financial** **situation**: Not too poor, but not too rich
 * Appearance**: Dark medium length hair, feminine, with an average height.
 * Location** ([|map of southern part of nanking]): Nanking
 * Habitual** **locations**: Nanking
 * Daily** **routine**:

Poor - hard working, get along, but sometimes feel sorry for them because they don't have enough money. Middle - flashy. Emerging middle class could be a powerful class. High - sometimes rich snobs that have to have everything their way. Sometimes utterly disrespectful, or completely respectable.
 * Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits**:
 * Past/individual-family history**: Used to be in family of peasants before getting educated and becoming a more financially stable professor.
 * Family**: None
 * Social relations** with your own and other classes (people you deal with or know about in other classes, AND your opinions and feelings about them):
 * Religion**: Christian
 * Education**: College, with additional learning at teaching school

**Diary # I: Calm Before the Storm**

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Iwas walking through the pouring rain today, and I only wished that it could wipe away all the unpleasant thoughts in my head. =====

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Like always, I went to school in a delightful manner. However, the air was unusual and tacky, I sensed that something bad was happening. Many students were not in their seats by time and I started to get worried. I decided to read the newspaper I had bought and wait another 10 minutes. I was sure the gloomy weather was just effecting the students from walking to school early in the morning. As soon as I stretched out the newspaper, =====

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 I froze. War, another war would be starting very soon. What did this mean? This meant that the students, the hard working students, children with dreams who would lead to a brighter future would be going to war, and I knew that many would not be able to reach the dreams by the end of the war.  The school was quiet that day.. ===== 

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After work, I passes by the middle school building next to my house and met a student named Lou Xia, she was crying. Her boyfriend had just been called to join the military. What grief and sorrow I had felt at that moment! Japan, is not a country who will leave us alone. They will fight to the very core of our country and leave nothing else for us. Though at this point nobody knows what will happen to either China nor Japan, I know that I want my proud students to strongly fight and safely come back. Why does there need to be another war. What help, what advantage will it bring to either of the countries? There should be more of peace than fighting. Then nobody would have to suffer. =====

**Diary #2:** A Knock at the Gate __August 25, 1937 __ Dear Diary, I live my days through terror and fear. It was not until last week when I was taking a quiet nap at my friends house. Suddenly I heard a loud siren, it surprised me very much but my friend was content. "Its just another practice siren drill Siao Sang!" Liu Hua said. I had no memory of reading about the practice drill on the newspapers earlier in the morning, but what said was fairly believable. After a riot between the Chinese and Japanese last month, the government had arranged a lot of camouflage and siren practices for the sake of our protection and preparation if there were to be another incident. Everyones houses were to be colored black--my least favorite color--and some had to dig holes next to their houses for hiding. It was as if the village was preparing for a large funeral.

It started to rain that evening, and so, us being book worms, grabbed books and deeply emerged into them. About 30 minutes had passed when there was another shriek of a siren. Though the thunderstorm was loud, I knew that two siren practices a day had not occurred before, and so I took immediate action and told my friends to get ready. But being content again Liu Hua said that I was just overreacting, "Whats wrong with two drills a day? You must be really tired Siao Sung, I think we should all go to bed soon." right after saying so, Liu Hua went back to her reading as if nothing had happened. A few minutes later I did go to bed, until I heard another rumbling sound like that of a cannon.

This really woke me up. I was so sure on this one.  Liu Hua, looking up from her novel she was still reading said, "I'm sure its just thunder." I was so disappointed. Maybe I was really over-reacting and maybe the war wasn't even near. Regretting my foolishness infront of my friends, I headed back to bed.

My heart was throbbing like a crazy.  Liu Hua ' s face was ice pale. What did I have to do first? What do I take? Where do I go, when and how? Too much questions were going through my head. I was right the whole time. The war had started, there were currently airplanes right above our houses ready to bomb it into pieces. It was the start of a whole new history and life.

I remember I used to mock and laugh at the underground caves; which i am so thankful of right now. Though the caves do not assure us 100% safety and shield from the Japanese, I feel somewhat armed and protected than the houses outside on the field. I want to go out of here soon and go back to my school. I wonder if my students are well and I very much hope no body is hurt.

The candles will be blown out soon. Therefore, I must end this diary and sleep in a cloud of fear and hope that nothing bad will happen during the night. Until next time..

Diary # 3: The Gates Come Tumbling Down
__November 18, 1937__

Dear Diary, It is awful! This is worse than I had expected. I thought the bombings would finalize which side would gain victory, but that is totally off the list. Even after the attacks, the Japanese just won't let us go! Day by day, it seemed like more Japanese people were in Nanking than the day before. Soon enough I could see at least one Japanese soldier ready to harm an innocent Chinese civilian every 30 seconds. Stores, restaurants, and even houses were all attacked till there was nothing left. Thats why many salesmen who operate stores in the village are steadily becoming bankrupt for nobody is willing to visit them in fear of the Japanese. They would take away or destroy everything that came in their sight.

Lucky enough, my village is not that populated by the evil Japanese. But again, nothing can be assured, and so I am alway cautious of the people I see outside my window. Though I doubted that any of the students would still attend school in the middle of this hectic turmoil, I found out that many eager and intelligent students were still attending school on a regular basis. How could I not support these brave souls! As I always say, these children are the gates to China's brighter future. However, even school has become a dangerous place. I know this does not make sense, but its true. About 2 days ago, **Ms. Vautrin** told me that many schools in the center of Nanking had been surrounded by Japanese soldiers. This alarmed me. Do these soldiers not even have a heart? Do they have no conscience? I am sure many of them have children attending school at their country at this moment. They should know better than to go around harassing students not even half as big or strong as themselves.

It was today, I was handing out small treats to the elementary students for cleaning up the classroom very well. (I normally teach university and high school students but decided to help teach elementary kids for most of the teachers were called into war) Out of no where, I saw many faces of men walking outside of our classroom through the upper windows. At first I thought they were random civilians trying to help the students clean. After they all passed by, I saw ** Ms. Vautrin ** running with a pale face towards my classroom. "Did you see them? Those are Japanese soldiers! Keep the students quiet and calm as possibly so that they don't anger any soldiers whatsoever!" What?

Quickly, I silenced the jolly students in a serious manner and lead them one by one through the secret tunnel behind our chalkboard, this would lead us outside into the village where they could all go back safely to their houses. That was when I heard a piercing scream of a young boy in another classroom following with echoing, large, devastating, inhumane sound of a gunshot. A gunshot. Tears started to swell up in my eyes, but I had to lead the children in the tunnel safely out before the soldiers would notice.

Now, I am back from sending every student back to their homes. ** Ms. Vautrin ** has left me a letter explaining about the gunshot earlier at the school. A small 2nd grade boy was running to the bathroom, when he bumped and stepped on a Japanese soldiers foot. The soldier got angry and both bayonetted and shot the little boy. Imagine how terrified the boy must have been at that moment! What grief and sorrow!

The Japanese have crossed the line and I has become one of their weak and vulnerable targets. What am I to do diary? What can I possibly do?.

== **Diary # 4: Through the Gates into Hell** == media type="youtube" key="bMveZwlTp9k?fs=1" height="385" width="480" align="right" __January 3, 1937__ <span style="font: 13px/19px Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">Dear Ernest Forster, <span style="font: 13px/19px Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">How are you? This is Chang siao sung! <span style="font: 13px/19px Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">I hope this letter reaches your faithful hands! I cannot believe I have to worry if this letter will survive of getting ripped and trashed by the Japanese <span style="color: #ff0000; font: 13px/19px Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">sodiers. <span style="font: 13px/19px Arial; letter-spacing: 0px; margin: 0px;">Such trivial matters like sending a letter; I would have not thought twice about it. <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Anyways, s orry for not seeing you for so long. Its so very cold and brutal out there that I really can’t move a step towards attending church. I know I should have at least wrote a letter and I am terribly sorry. I hope you are surviving well in all this chaos surrounding us here. I am praying every night for the end of this horrible event to seize and stop. Everywhere I look, everything seems to be polluted by those inhumane Japanese! Though half a year has passed since the war has started, I feel like its only getting worse. Nothing, as you can tell has obviously gotten better. I wonder why people even start war if it isn't going to benefit the country in any way.

Oh my, sorry for that long rambling. I just needed to talk with you, at least in letter form. Not only me but many are losing their faith and hope here in my village. There never seems to be a brighter day for us. Therefore I ask you a big favor that you please come and calm us down. The village women who are concerned of their husband and sons, and the children at school who need to be taught about the brighter future they have. The sick ones, the homeless due to bombs, women who are raped, families and children who have lost their family member and friends. It is very depressing to see others suffering through this war, they want to commit suicide and get away from this dark world. Many are even ready to meet their death, which they shouldn't be doing! I am desperate, please blow in hope and faith into them Ernest Forster ! I will be awaiting for your safe arrival, Thank you.

Yours truly, Chang Siao Sung

**Diary # 5: A Survivor**

 * Due**: Wednesday, December 1, 2010
 * Length:** minimum 300 words

__July 7, 1950__ It has been 5 years since the war has ended and exactly 13 years since the war had started. I am very thankful to the Lord for protecting me through all the dangers during the war. Though years have passed, Nanking is not fully recovered. Wifes with lost sons and husbands during war are having a hard time trying to make a living. And husbands who safely came back are devastated at the news that their wives and daughters were raped and killed by the Japanese. But of course, even though there were more unfortunate families, there were also lucky families that reunited together after the war.

School, was not like usual even after the Japanese backed off. Many children had too much of a shocking experience and memory at school during war because of the Japanese soldiers unfair and harsh treatments upon the students. However, I went to every single missing students house to persuade and bring them back to education and learning. And I must say that I cried for hours on my bed after days of hearing unfortunate deaths of students at war. They were only in their 20's, young and bright.

I still can't believe that the Japanese surrendered after completely ruining our country. What useless beings! Why can't people negotiate and have more patience? It doesn't always have to end like this and leave long lasting, hard consequences for the people. Even though China has gained victory, I do not think it was worth all these precious lives. The only thing I was happy about China gaining its victory was after i heard that she had gained back its original lands; Manchuria and Taiwan.

But overall I am sure that I couldn't have been able to survive throughout the war without my faithful friends Ernest Forster and John Rabe. Today we met up and talked about how lucky and greatful we were to be able to meet up again today and talk with each other face to face without having to worry about if a Japanese soldier was behind us ready to launch an attack. But frankly, I sometimes do worry and arouse suspicions if my surrounding is truly safe. Quite funny.. hahaha.

I earnestly hope and pray that nothing like that of an event will never again happen in my lifetime. Good night.