Date of letter:1993-05-14
Address of author:Jiangyong County, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province
Date of event:1944-09-16（lunar calendar）
Location of event:Jiangyong County, Yongzhou City, Hunan Province
Name of author:Mao Yuebao
Name(s) of victim(s):Mao Yuebao’s sister, Zhou Xiaonv (wife), Mao Yuerong
Type of atrocity:Rapes, Murders, Others（RA, MU, OT)
Other details:On September 16th 1944 on the lunar calendar, the Japanese raided my village and committed atrocious crime by burning, killing, raping. My sister was raped and about to be taken away, however, she refused to go and was stabbed to death by the Japanese. My wife Zhou Xiaonv was beaten for pleading for my sister. Mao Yuerong, 12 years old, was taken away by the Japanese to Vietnam. She begged along the way home after three years and is now alive.
Letter of Claim
Subject of Claim: Damage Compensation from Japan
On lunar September 16, 1944, the invading Japanese army flooded into our village. As soon as they entered, they began to kill, burn, rape and plunder. Jintang Village was instantly clouded by terror. The villagers tried to escape with their family, closely chased by the Japanese army. When my younger sister Mao Danv ran to a foul ditch in Houlongshan, she was chased down by four Japanese soldiers. After raping her in turn, they tried to take her away, but she resisted, so they bayoneted her to death. Zhou Xiaonv (my wife) was brutally beaten for pleading for my younger sister. At last, the Japanese soldiers took away a child Mao Yuerong (12 years old) who was hiding beside my wife. (Mao Yuerong was taken to Vietnam by the Japanese army and didn’t beg all the way home until three years later. Now, both Zhou Xiaonv and Mao Yuerong are alive.)
During Japan’s invasion of China, countless Chinese women were raped and killed by the Japanese soldiers. It is indeed a great humiliation to the Chinese people, especially the families of the victims. The debt must be repaid. Although it’s impossible that a debt of blood is repaid with blood, it’s reasonable and appropriate and in line with the international practice for us to demand damage compensation from Japan. Therefore, I demand a compensation of RMB 20,000 from the Japanese government to cover my losses and punish the invaders. Mr. Tong Zeng, please support my just action by forwarding the letter of claim to the Japanese government and urging them to pay me as soon as possible. Thank you very much.
Best regards,
To the Japanese government care of Mr. Tong Zeng with the China Research Center on Aging
Claimant
Mao Yuebao (Personal seal)
8th Villagers Group, Jintang, Shanggang, Jiangyong, Hunan,
People’s Republic of China
May 14, 1993
