Date of letter:1993-03-05
Address of author:Yuanling County, Huairou City, Hunan Province
Date of event:1939-1941
Location of event:Yuanling County, Huairou City, Hunan Province; Hankou, Wuhan City, Hubei Province; Pei County, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province; Huangshi City, Hubei Province
Name of author:Su Yu
Name(s) of victim(s):Su Yu’s grandpa and his family, Su Yu’s parents, Yang Xiuyu, Xu Huizhen (Yang Xiuyu is Su Yu’s aunt, Xu Huizhen and Su Yu are from the same town )
Type of atrocity:Air Bombings, Others, Rapes（AB, OT, RA）
Other details:One morning in September 1941, nine Japanese planes bombed the Yuanling county, firing relentlessly to injure more than 200 people and kill more than 300, destroying more than 4,000 houses and making ten thousand people homeless. Su Yu’s grandfather and his family, 14 people in total were killed in bombing and 12 houses were blown up. He claims a compensation of 1 billion dollars from Japan. In early November 1941, seven relatives were arrested by Japanese in Hankou, Hubei Province. Su Yu’s father and uncle were forced to repair the “defense facilities”, and his uncle overworked and accidentally dropped into the river and was drowned. Finally his parents escaped while the others are still missing till today. A compensation of $ 3.5 million is claimed. In May 1940, the village where Su Yu’s aunt Yang Xiu-Yu lived suffered from the Japanese “Burn All, Kill All, Loot All” policy, with houses burned and people killed. His aunt and cousin were gang-raped by more than forty Japanese for over two hours, and finally stabbed to death. A $1.5 million compensation is claimed. In August 1939, Xu Huizhen, her husband and child were taken on their way to clinic. Her husband was taken away as a Slave Laborers and Xu was repeatedly raped and gang-raped. By the time she escaped, her husband and child had already died.
Mr. Tong Zeng:
Hello, I read the report of exclusive interview with you by reporter Zhou Guangyu on the Hunan “Women’s News” on February 25, 1993. You have made significant progress in the work for compensation claims against the Japanese government and your reputation is well-known nationwide. I really admire your actions to demand Japanese compensations. I also totally support your efforts and wish to express heart-felt appreciation to you on behalf of all the victims and their family members!
The crimes committed by the Japanese Army in the invasion of China are unforgivable. Countless endeared compatriots died in tragic deaths, and suffered persecutions under their devil claws; all of which were too horrendous to describe. The atrocities aroused furious indignation among victims and their family members. Today, it has become an urgent matter to propose the civilian claim and demand the Japanese government to respond on compensation as soon as possible. Please sign my name for me on the “Claim letter” to the Japanese government!
My family members and relatives have also suffered cruel devastation by the Japanese Army. As the offspring of the victims and their relatives I also have the right to demand the Japanese government to make compensation!
Attached are four “Claim” materials for your records. If there are some formalities please handle them on my behalf. I live in remote area, public transportation is not convenient; however, I will surely pay a visit to Beijing if required. In summary, please inform me if there is news on the progress of the “Claim”.
About the material of Xu XXX, it was organized by me according to her oral narration, which was also the result of my repeated persuasion to ask her to tell me the real facts. She lived in a village near where I lived, a household enjoying Five Guarantees. Her health condition is deteriorating, she is even unable to care for herself. Her speech is still mixed with Hubei dialect, and her memory has faded. I can only assume the role of her agent to handle this matter.
In fact, all these materials of mine are entrusted to you for handling. Please make sure to keep them properly and handle relevant formalities on my behalf. I thank you for your assistance in advance.
I wish you continuous progress in the “Claim” work. I look forward to hearing good news from you.
Hope we will meet again in Beijing!
Best Regards!
△(There might be errors in spelling or sentence structure in the materials because of my limited education. Please correct them as required. )
△(Please ensure you take charge in this matter, keep the materials properly and not to lose them)
Comrade Su Yu of Hunan Yuanling Lipo Town Government
Postal code: 419616
1993.3.5
Compensation Claim
One morning in September 1941, a formation of 9 Japanese aircrafts air raided Yuanling Town, Yuanling, which had no defense facilities. The aircrafts bombed wantonly, and attacked innocent residents and hawkers on the streets. People on the streets panicked, and fled into houses or into the ditch under Tonghe Bridge to seek shelter. At this time, a small white flag rose on top of the dome of the Catholic Church built by the American missionary in Yuanling. While the church was spared bombing, other places were bombed extensively. When the Japanese discovered that crowds were fleeing toward the He Street, they first shot with machine guns, followed by two bombs, and then two more incendiary bombs. The machine gun killed and wounded more than 200 people, the bomb killed over 3,000 people, and burned down over 4,000 houses in one street block from Tonghe Bridge to Middle South Gate. More than 10,000 people became homeless; it was a hellish scene all around. My grandfather and my uncle’s family, totaling 14 people, were killed at the Tonghe Bridge on the spot, two buildings were burnt, totaling 12 rooms. These innocent deaths and property losses were the sinful act of the Japanese Army bombing. Therefore, we demand the Japanese government to compensate for lost lives, along with destroyed properties totaling USD 1 billion, so as to comfort the souls of the deceased.
This claim is hereby made.
Under the bombing attack of the Japanese army, apart from death toll, and house destruction, they also destroyed one coal-fired power station.
Hunan Yuanling Lipo Town Government Su Yu
Postal code: 419616
March 5, 1993
Compensation Claim
In early November 1941, my father was 24, my mother was 22, they led two of my uncles, age 20 and 22, together with three aunts, age 17, 18, and 19 totaling seven persons to leave Yuanling on a wooden boat to head for Nanjing where my elder grandfather lived and hoped to make a living there. When the ship arrived at Hankou they transferred to a wooden sail boat to sail along the river. On the way they met a Japanese steam boat. A squadron leader officer ordered the steam boat to approach the wooden boat. Upon discovering a dozen male youths and eight young females in the cabin, he ordered the soldiers to take them onto the steam boat and then sailed off with them to the Japanese outpost. My father and uncles were forced to repair “defense facilities” for the Japanese army, they were guarded by the Japanese army. Due to excessive fatigue, my second uncle slipped into the river and drowned. My mother and paternal aunts, and maternal aunt were separated after being taken into the post, no one knew their whereabouts. My mother was doing laundry and cooking for the Japanese army. After a little over half year at the post, the outpost was bombed, the Japanese Army was plunged into turmoil. My parents took advantage of the opportunity to flee. The fate of my four uncle and aunts were never known. My parents returned to the countryside. My father fell ill due to constant overwork, and passed away early before he reached 50. When my father died I was only 10. My mother once secretly told me about the tragic encounter of the Japanese invasion when I was young. I couldn’t appreciate the extent of the devastation until today. Unfortunately my mother also has passed away early.
Mt grandfather and uncle’s family totaling 14 persons were killed by the Japanese bombings, seven persons in my family also were bullied and abused by the Japanese army to death. The huge losses were beyond description, I hereby demand compensation for life and property totaling USD 3.50 million.
This claim is hereby made
Hunan Yuanling Lipo Town Government Su Yu
Postal code: 419616
March 5, 1993
Compensation Claim
In the early years of the Republic of China, my second female cousin Yang Xiuyu, followed her dad to flee from famine to Guozhuang in northern Jiangsu. She then became a child-bride for the Guo Youqin family and later married Guo Youqin. In March 1940, my second female cousin was 36 and her husband Guo Youqin was 39. They had 4 children, the elder daughter was Guo XX, 17. Life was difficult for their family of eight people. One morning, the mother and daughter went out to pick vegetables, they returned home around noon as the Japanese Army was executing its “Three Alls” Policy of “kill all, burn all, loot all” in Guozhaung. The whole village was plunged into a sea of fire, all the houses were burnt down, many people were killed. Sighting the mother and daughter, who were quite pretty, the squad leader first grabbed the girl and stripped her before raping her. The mother was outraged and came up to fight with her life. The surrounding soldiers swarmed around her, they also stripped her and gang raped her. More than 40 Japanese solders gang raped the mother and daughter for over two hours. Then the squad leader drew out the officer’s sword, and stabbed it into the vagina of the mother and daughter to their death. The Guo’s houses were burnt, all six people in the Guo Family were killed, mother and daughter were stabbed to death, 8 persons in my second female cousin’s family all died under the butcher’s knife of the Japanese Army and one house was destroyed by fire. In October 1959, when I was only 11, I went with my second cousin to pay a visit to second female cousin’s family. When we arrived we did not see any of her family; a 50 year old senior who witnessed the tragedy told us the above incident. Humbleness and kindness are the characteristics of my second female cousin’s family. Unfortunately they were savagely killed by the Japanese army without enjoying a happy life. This unfortunate incident still left unforgettable trauma in my mind. I demand the Japanese government to compensate for life and property loss totaling USD 1,500,000.
This claim is hereby made.
Hunan Yuanling Lipo Town Government Su Yu
Postal code: 419616
March 5, 1993
Compensation Claim
My name is Xu Huizhen, now 76, with native town in the suburb village of Huangshi city in Hubei. In the late August of 1939, when I was 21, one day, my husband and I carried our child who was only one year old to visit my mother. The child caught a cold on the way, and the illness deteriorated in the two days during the stay at my mother’s home. We sought medical help everywhere, and returned home on the third day. On the way back, we met a group of Japanese soldiers, they brought us to the Japanese outpost by force. Our child died in that evening due to serious illness and lack of timely treatment. The next day, the squad leader dispatched soldiers to send my husband to work as coolie. I was also summoned by the squad leader, who raped me in the day, and asked me to sleep with him for three nights. From the fourth day on, as many as over a dozen Japanese soldiers gang raped me day and night. In this way I spent two years of inhuman life in the Japanese Army. During one guerrilla attack at the outpost, all Japanese soldiers scattered. I hid in a cave-in place and fled in the night. My husband also died. I became homeless and wandered to Hankou, then Changsha, and everywhere else. I finally settled down in the countryside. I had no more children in the rest of my life, and was traumatized both mentally and physically. I lost my husband and child, life was hopeless, and had to depend on government relief. I demand the Japanese government to compensate my mental and physical damage and the loss of life totaling USD 400,000, so as to sustain myself in the remaining time of my life till the end.
My claim for compensation shall be represented by Comrade Su Yu on my behalf.
Victim: Xu XXX
Hunan Province Yuanling County Lipo Town People’s Government c/o Su Yu
Postal code: 419616
March 3, 1993
