RON+Clemens

=**<__RAPE OF NANKING DIARY__>**=


 * Name:** Tang Sheng-Chih


 * Age:** 48


 * Gender:** male


 * Occupation:** General (1st rank)


 * Social Class:** high bureaucrat official


 * Financial situation:** He is very wealthy as a very highly ranked general.


 * Appearance:** He worse glasses and did not look very firm. Rather he looked more intellectual than bulky.


 * Habitual locations:** Nanking

6:30 am He wakes up. 7:30am He is finished eating breakfast and ready to work. 8:30am He begins to train the soldiers. 5:30pm He takes a break and begins to study military strategies. 11:30pm He gets back home. 12:30am He sleeps.
 * Daily routine:**


 * Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits:** He was a very intelligent man. Thus, he was very rational in his thinking and actions. Thus, whenever he did something that did not seem very practical or realistic, he openly exhibited his anxiousness and did not look very strong.

Family: As a general who frequently moved from place to place, he did not marry. He thus lived alone and apart from his family and relatives. For instance, after the war ended, he lived in disguise to avoid being captured by the nationalist forces.
 * Past/individual-family history:** He participated in the National Protection War, and Constitutional Protection Movement. Tang Shengzhi was appointed commander of the Hunan Fourth Division and came into conflict with the governor Zhao Hengti. Before 1937, Tang had served as a general under Chiang but without really much true power.


 * 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):** He does not have a nice impression of Chiang-Kaishek because of the unrealistic demands that Chiang put on his shoulders. He is therefore frustrated by the lack of freedom over his military actions and thinks that Chiang is not being rational in his.


 * Religion:** He is a Buddhist.


 * Portrait:**



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tang_Shengzhi

=**Diary #1: Calm Before the Storm**=

July 7h, 1937

Dear Diary,

This is probably one of the most horrifying days I have had in my entire life as a general. Although I have experienced numerous wars, I have never been as concerned as I am now with this. Japanese finally decided to declare war on us...What an awful condition I am in! From Wuhan, General Chiang Kai-shek just sent me a letter that I am now responsible for defending Nanking against the Japanese troops...Of course, we will never surrender: I will do the best of my ability to defend the pride of our nation from these barbarians. Yet, I have to admit that our military is technologically behind the Japanese...I know I am not supposed to reveal such thought: if someone else reads this letter, I will be in deep trouble. Yet, I cannot help but express my thought at least in my dearest diary. I am just so frustrated! How in the world will I defend Nanking from the army that even defeated Russia? Over the street, I hear the shouts of the passionate young soldiers who are declaring that they will crush the Japanese. However, I see much more of the worried looks than excited ones. I see the fear in their eyes though I cannot directly look into their eyes because I am afraid they will see the same fear in mine as well. Even the drunk peasants lying on the ground seem to be aware of the tension: though we all call Japanese the barbarians, we all seem to know deep inside our hearts that this war will be a very tough one to win. Tomorrow, I will have to go in front of the public and declare our stance in the war. Of course, I cannot let them sense my fear: I will boldly claim that we are destined to be victorious and will fight to death. However, I cannot deny the qualm in my conscience--deep inside my heart, I know I am doubtful of our ability. http://www.generals.dk/general/Tang_Shengzhi/_/China.html

=Diary #2: The Knock at the Gate=

September 30th, 1937

Dear Diary,

This is probably the most stressful period of my life. Though I am an experienced general, I have never experienced something quite like this. I have been living so far with a great pride that China is the superior to any other nation in the world. Yet, I am truly beginning to see the aftermath of our resistance to change. Our traditional methods have numbed our military advancement and now, the used-to-be peaceful city of Nanking is paying the price. Japanese military is invincible almost: starting with the destructiveness of their weapons to their military organization, I hate to admit this as a so-called first rank general (which seems meaningless at this point) but i have to say that they surpass ours nearly on every level. Though we are fighting in our own homeland, we have been so far unable to halt their advancement. Every day, countless soldiers are dying from the barrage of their bullets aimed towards the heart of our city. Our people are in a turmoil of panic and agony from the assault of the Japanese led by Gen. Matsui Iwane.

However, I feel almost powerless at this point, though I must conceal my fear from the soldiers. I sense that the soldiers are beginning to realize that the Japanese military forces are beyond our league. So far, I have gathered about 100,000 soldiers, largely untrained. To prevent civilians from fleeing the city, I ordered troops to guard the port, as instructed by General Chiang Kai-shek. Our defense force blocked roads, destroyed boats, and burnt nearby villages, preventing widespread evacuation. However, I am beginning to think that all these efforts may simply result in a mass massacre. Although I tried to boost people's morale today by provoking their national pride, it seems like pride is a weak feeling compared to the terror that is overwhelming the soldiers. Though I have relentlessly accentuated the critical importance of fighting to our death, the soldiers are deserting from the military base everyday, a shameful action that is even lowering the morale of the remaining soldiers. This selfish nature of our humans amazes me: how can they desert their duty when they clearly know that the lives of their loved ones are in stake? I realize that this war is not only turning Japanese into devils but also degrading our soldiers' moral conscience as well. It truly is affecting everyone. Yet, out of all fairness, I cannot simply blame my soldiers for this terrible situation right now. As a general, I hold the full responsibility for whatever consequence that follows. Indeed, all these complaints that I am scribbling right now are shameful excuses; how can I expect them to follow me when I am suspicious of their loyalty to me and their country? I feel genuinely frustrated at my inability to hold off the Japanese more effectively; I should definitely be thinking of a strategy at this point to save one more life. Since Japan is not a large nation, their capacity to continue the war for a long duration in a different nation is very low. Thus, because it seems futile that our soldiers leave our defense zone and confront their unimaginably powerful weapons, I will have to think of a way to strengthen our defense. After all, on a slightly positive note, we are fighting in our own homeland while they are fighting in a different nation's: if we somehow figure out a way to cut of the supply route to their army, we might be able to weaken them and earn more time to evacuate as many people as possible. Because I know that we cannot realistically defend the city forever, it seems inevitable that we will have to retreat at one point. Thus, I will have to find out the way to minimize the number of casualties and maximize the number of survivors.

Though I know I am trying my best, I nevertheless feel extremely shameful to my ancestors. The thought of abandoning the homeland that our ancestors have developed with blood and sweat for centuries is genuinely tearing out my heart. My head is severely aching. I will have to go to sleep or I may show a sign of weakness from my physical appearance.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=385133&page=2

==**Diary # 3: The Gates Come Tumbling Down**==

December 13th, 1937

Dear Diary,

Though already demanded us to surrender within 24 hours, General Chiang Kai-shek has only replied back with the words that every man of Nanking shall fight to death. Soldiers are trembling in fear; then, I realize my hands are unconsciously shaking as well. At this point, though we have the duty to protect the citizens, as a general, I also have the duty to protect the lives of my soldiers: I cannot just let them die meaninglessly: based on our battles so far, fighting against the Japanese seems to be as ludicrous as throwing an egg at the rock hoping the egg would not break. I already ordered the retreat of the soldiers--even if it means disobeying the order of General Chiang Kai-shek. The defense has broken down: the Japanese have entered the city. Although I have already ordered the evacuation only for the foreign residents, I see that about half of the people in Nanking (those who have money) have managed to escape from the city. But then today, I saw James Henry McCallum, a doctor and missionary, who is still remaining in the hospital. As I witnessed his service to our people though he is foreigner, I began to feel qualm growing from the very bottom of my heart. In fact, I realized that this qualm was not a personal one, but one that seemed to plague the minds of all the Chinese people in Nanking. As I have already emphasized in the previous diary, Nanking is the heart of China: it did not become the capital for no reason. I cannot believe that the people are abandoning such an essential city of our empire; some people are running out to the gates to greet the Japanese! How shameful! Yet, according to the reports I get, I hear that even those who run out to greet the Japanese with the Japanese flag are being shot in an instant. Though I cannot believe that Japanese would not do such atrocious acts if they were even partly human, the validity of the words seem to become clearer every day. I keep hearing echoes of the gun shots and screams coming from the gates. People are fearing more than ever and are evacuating in a frantic manner. Everything is going wrong.

http://www.corbisimages.com/Enlargement/BE044986.html

Diary # 4: Through the Gates into Hell
December 15th, 1937

Dear Diary,

I am having the worst nightmare in my life. In fact, I wish it was a nightmare. Japanese troops led by Gen. Matsui Iwane have finally taken over the city and __are__ performing malicious acts that I could not even imagine as a human being: what is happening in Nanjing is ineffable. I cannot comprehend their actions in any possible way: how can they commit such atrocities and still call themselves humans? From the most objective view I can imagine of, they do not even deserve the appellation of a beast. They have turned into the evil itself. Though I have already ordered the citizens and the foreign residents in Nanjing to evacuate immediately, Japanese troops have so effectively cut our route that countless people are getting killed everyday. Yet, I cannot believe that murder is not their most atrocious act. They are utilizing the scorched earth tactic, burning and razing down every building they see. Not only are they destroying the historical monuments worth of centuries of our ancestors' hard work, but also are raping and killing people as if their lives are not even worth the scratch on their guns. Today, I even got a report that they are raping pregnant women and even took the baby out of the dead mother's womb just to throw him around and have fun. I am just simply speechless against their actions: also, I feel extreme guilt and shame. If I was a better general, I could have let the citizens of Nanjing safe for one more day: and that could mean hundreds if not thousands of more saved lives. Although the Japanese are carrying out these malicious actions, I feel as if I am the true culprit of this entire incident. I sincerely feel that I deserve all the blame for this massacre. I do not know if I will ever be able to forgive myself for this.

http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=59&catid=2

Diary # 5: A Survivor
December 12th, 1953

Dear Diary,

It has been a very long time since I used this diary. Since the Rape of Nanking, I had concealed this diary because it continued to remind me of the horrors and instigated guilt in my conscience. After I escaped, I was blamed for the failure and soon relinquished my position in 4 years. Then, I have been practicing Buddhism for over a decade up to today: I had to rely on the religion to endure the agonizing shame and guilt for my inability. Yet, this massacre is something that can never fade away in my heart and continues to haunt me in my nightmares.

Since the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese leaders were held for the war crime against the civilians of Nanking at the Nanking War Crimes Tribunal on 10 March 1947. Although Prince Asaka Yasuhiko, the leader of the Japanese army at the height of the atrocities, was certainly responsible for what occurred in Nanjing, only Gen. Matsui Iwane was convicted among with few other generals. How ridiculous! The word on the street is that the Emperor Hirohito exerted influence on the decision and thwarted anyone from placing blame on Prince Asaka Yasuhiko. Although this court rule is clearly corrupted, I am not greatly surprised. After all, my life lesson from the Rape of Nanking is that justice is nothing but a thin veneer that covers the core of power and arms.

Now, throughout the world, tension in the Cold War is greatly amplifying as exemplified by the Korean War. Yet, nothing seems as horrible as the Rape of Nanking to me. I still remember the bodies of women amputated into pieces. I still remember the bodies of my soldiers being stabbed as if they were toys. And finally, I still remember our great city of Nanking being razed to the ground. Yet, Rape of Nanking did not just kill our people. It left an unforgettable scar in the core of our national pride along with a profound lesson that we must learn from the past and never allow this diabolical massacre again in our history. History only repeats if we do not learn from the past. The time is ticking, and it is time to act.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52496473@N00/2371566068