RON+Jennifer

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**APPEARANCE:** His hair always has a same style; clean and appropriate. His eyes are very big and bright as if they were always glaring at someone. His nose is long and sharp. Overall, his face looks longer than normal people. ======

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 *  FINANCIAL SITUATION: **He was in a fine status where he was able to attend both Davidson College and Oxford University. Although, not the highest place in society, he was an educated man with exceptional knowledge. ======

6:00 am - Gets out of bed
6:30 am - Breakfast 7:00 am - Reads bible/book 8:00 am - Goes to church 8:00 am~ 3:00 pm - Works in the mission church, eats breakfast (sometimes meeting with the committee) 3:00~5:00 pm - Spare time 6:00 pm - Dinner 6:45 pm - Writes a letter to his family 7:30 pm - Writes/Records on his diary 8: 30 pm - Reads bible/book 9:30 pm - Goes to bed

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 * SOCIAL RELATIONS: ** Most of the time, he talks to many people in the International Committee of Nanking Safety Zone and the church people he works in. He cares about his duty and job a lot so he typically interacts with people related to his goal. ======

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 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">EDUCATION: **<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Graduated Davidson College in 1903, taught three years in Camden South Carolina, did year of graduate study at University of South Carolina in 1907, graduated Oxford University in 1910 ======



=<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">﻿DIARY #1: "Calm before Storm" =

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Dear Diary,

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> This seems like the first diary I have written in a long time. It seems impossible for more than a month to get the letters through. I write to my wife, Nina every night as much as possible, however it doesn’t seem to work. I hope at least one or two messages reached her saying that I’m fine here, in Nanking, yet. I’ll keep sending her messages not only because I don’t want them to worry about me, but also I want to hear from them so much. I want to know what my family is going through every day. It’s probably very different from what I’m going through. Anyways, I shall try to make sure my family get my letters. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Today was a stressful, depressing day. I heard cannon firing once again. Even if none of my properties were damaged severely, I feel pressure and nervous all the time. For that reason, I sometimes sleep in the basement just to make myself feel secured. However, the noise doesn’t get better every day. It was especially hard to have the refugees who we estimated to be nearly 200,000 people all together. The refugees came from outside the city from places burned by the firing. I thought right away that this is unethical and unnecessary. I wanted to do something in order to stop this situation. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> After I served under the YMCA in China (largely in ministry to students) from 1912 to 1932, I resigned and began to work under the Presbyterian Foreign Mission Board in Nanking. I think all my studies were meant for this place. It was time to use the work I did for the past years because his place needed help. Nanking needed help from many people. Well, it’s 1937 now and I’ll be going back home to my family possibly sooner than I thought, thus I’m going to try my best and do whatever job is given to me.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">With Love,



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=<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">﻿DIARY #2: "A Knock at the Gate" = <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Dear Nina, <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> I haven’t heard from you for awhile. The letters seem to have problems reaching there. I’m fine here except for the fact that I sense my greatest worr <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">ies are slowly approaching. This was the one last thing I expected to happen. This should be my relaxing time of the day, yet I feel very nervous and stressed. I was very frightened about what the Japanese did in Shanghai. There were lots of heavy casualties. There were also brutal hand to hand combats and not to mention... Japan used naval bombardment as well. I’m extremely worried. I have no idea what’s going to happen in few weeks or days. I can feel everybody else’s sense of fear and of course my own fear. Even General Chiang Kai-Shek knew they were going to lose Nanking. I’m devastated and I can’t find any answers to what I’m suppose to do. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Nevertheless, there were still some actions made to prevent the worst situation. There’s press release given to foreign reporters, and from what I heard.... the leaders will never give up but fight until death. I participated in a plan trying to bring about a truce that would allow the Chinese army to withdraw from Nanking and the Japanese army to enter the city without fighting. After getting approved by General Tang Sheng-chih, my fellow missionary Bates went to see U.S consul Paxton, on board the USS Panay, to transmit the truce-negotiating message. Then, the International Committee, including me, formed the safety zone of nanking. The purpose was to provide refuge for Chinese people. We wanted to keep them as safe as possible. The only thing the whole committee members hoped was this safety zone to work well. I felt I finally did something for the people facing fear. In the first place, Chinese civilians weren’t allowed to leave the city before the Japanese troops arrived, however, most people ran away. That shows <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">how afraid they were. Here, in the safety zone, the population is about 250,000 and about 70,000 people are highly dependent on our zone committee for food and fuel. The foreigners, including myself, couldn’t leave China even if we desperately wanted to because of Chinese people’s trust on us. They believe that we will be able to save them. They think that we will be able to help them no matter what happens. I hope that is true. Really. But, there are things we can do and we cannot do. We will try our best to not let them down and we will definitely keep them safe. That’s the whole purpose of the safety zone. Not only that, but we also persuaded the Japanese to not attack areas where there are no Chinese army. Basically, we suggested them not to attack any Chinese civilians. At that time, I was extremely worried about few things, probably because I was so concerned about everything and wanted the best for these people. However, I was glad to know that they also tried to convince the Chinese government to get rid of the troops. I knew things were working out pretty well, yet. I hope this continues and ends fairly well so that I can get back and see you and Angie. I miss you so much. Love you.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">With Love,

=<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">DIARY #3: "The Gates Come Tumbling Down" =

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Dear Diary,

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> I’m keep questioning myself whether what’s going on out there is true or not. I truly want to believe that it’s a lie, but the scale has become too big to call it a lie. Everything seemed brutal, unethical, and depressing today. Japan invaded Nanking, and the Committee tried so hard to stop the brutality. However, we couldn’t stop it. Instead, we were still able to delay and save some time to save Chinese people. At this time, I see dead bodies everywhere. Some have signs of being slaughtered, and some have signs of getting shot. I hear things about raping and people used as an experimental purpose for “bayonet practices.” Can you possibly imagine how murderous those people can be? Do they really... not feel anything when they kill a person with their own hands? I feel very miserable and sorry for those people who are suffering out there. I feel great sense of remorse of all the people out there right now living in pain and terror. There’s only one fact that makes me feel better though. The Japanese didn’t attack people in the Safety Zone. The committee’s plans were working. However, I’m honestly not sure how long it’ll take for the Japanese to invade this part as well. I’m desperately wanting the Japanese to just simply retreat and go back to their land. If not, they shouldn’t attack civilians. They are unarmed people who are not ready for anything, getting killed without any reason. I’m not sure how this is going to work out, but one thing for sure... I’m going to try my best to solve this problem out. I talked to one of my fellow committee member, Ernest Forster and he definitely agrees with what I’m thinking as well. This disaster should be stopped as soon as possible. I feel the responsibility, so does the whole committee.



=<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">DIARY #4: "Through the Gates into Hell" =

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Dear Diary,

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> There’s no hope left over for me. We tried so hard yet it seems like everything failed. More people are getting tortured and killed every day. They have absolutely no sense of guilt and they don’t even consider them as “same” humans. I recently heard the Japanese soldiers raped women in daytime, possibly in front of little kids. It’s hard for me to hear it from someone else, so I would the little kids feel? They will be shocked and start denying what’s happening in front of them. Poor little children. They shouldn’t have to go through such a harsh time. I know this is selfish but I’m really glad that my wife and my lovely daughter, Angie is not here with me. It would be painful to see her go through such a disaster. The committee met once again talking about how serious the situation is turning out. It’s much worst than what we expected because the Safety Zone is no longer “safe” now. Those Japanese army attacked certain parts of the safety zone. I’m very.. very concerned about those 200,000 people in the safety zone. I always felt some kind of responsibility for those people, however at this point, I feel extremely bad for myself with the fact that I can’t do anything further. More people will die, and more people will get raped. All the horrible things are happening around me at the same time. It’s very hard to admit that my goal..... our goal... wasn’t successful enough that people are dying right now. Still, I shouldn’t give up on them. Despite the fact that we couldn’t protect some of those Chinese people, they still had great faith in us that we will save them from the tragedy.. and I am willing to let that happen. I really miss my family, my wife Nina, and my daughter, Angie. I couldn’t send them letters because I didn’t want them to know about what’s going on around here. I really hope to see them soon.



=<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">DIARY #5: "A Survivor" =

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Dear Nina,

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> I am so sorry for sending my letter too late. I was going through so many events that you guys cannot imagine so easily. Starting from Japan’s threatening actions in Shanghai, I was working hard with my fellow committee members to protect the civilians along the area of the Nanking Safety Zone. However, we definitely reached a serious crisis where so many people got killed by those Japanese army. They had absolutely no reason to get killed so easily. I felt very guilty even if I’m not the one who killed them, because I always had a sense of responsibility towards those people... both alive and dead. I’ve watched women in your age, Nina... getting raped and suffering and... dying. At those times, I really wanted to contact you and check if you were doing fine. I also had to experience watching little kids like our Angie once was... getting killed.. shot.. and slaughtered. This incident is the only memory I want to forget and never think back again. I had more than enough time spent here, and now that it is over. I wish to go back to you and Angie. She was a beautiful, young woman last time I saw her. I bet she grew again. I can’t wait to see you two. Even if the whole incident didn’t leave a good impression, or image in my head, there was still something to learn at some point and I definitely noticed that there are some things one cannot handle. Although, everything ended and I am very disappointed of myself, I don’t regret trying my best to save many people and I’ll always appreciate those people who truly trusted the committee greatly. Now, in a very short time, I’ll get to see you.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> With Love, media type="youtube" key="ESHnWbl5eDA?fs=1" height="385" width="480"

<span style="color: #4f4fd9; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 160%;">Citations

Viklund, Andreas. "Home of Nanking Massacre." //1937 Nanking Massacre//. Web. 01 Dec. 2010. <http://www.nanking-massacre.com/Photo_pictures_Gallery_exhibition.html>.

"Nanjing Massacre." //Britannica Online Encyclopedia//. Web. 01 Dec. 2010. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/402618/Nanjing-Massacre>.