Date of letter:1993-05-27
Address of author:Yongqing County, Langfang City, Hebei Province
Date of event:1942-01
Location of event:Yongqing County, Langfang City, Hebei Province
Name of author:Wang Zhida
Name(s) of victim(s):Wang Zhida
Type of atrocity:Slave Laborers（SL）
Other details:The invading Japanese army conducted massive sweeps in 1942 and arrested people along the road to work for them. I was one of them. We were escorted to Japan and forced to do hard labor. We had hog feed for food every day and in winter there were no warm clothes. We work in high labor intensity. Any slow worker would be hit with sticks or whips. More than 400 people were sent there, while only 130 managed to go home. Some of them committed suicide, some died of illness and the others were exhausted to death. I strongly urge the Japanese government to compensate for all my losses in those 4 years.
Petition Letter
Petitioner: Wang Zhida, male, 68, Han, Qiandiwu, Qiandiwu,Yongqing, Hebei
Reason for petition: In January 1942, I was captured by the invading Japanese army during a raid in northern Daqinghe, Hebei and sent to Tanggu Camp. Later I was sent to a railway station behind Nomura, Ligon, Gunma, Japan. I was forced to labor in a ravine 3 km south of the railway station. Every day, we worked under high intensity, but were given pig feed to eat. We were hungry and thirsty all the time. We were given inadequate clothes to keep warm in the winter. Sometimes, we even had to work naked with no clothes. I had to wrap myself in layers of thick paper to keep warm. We dug tunnels every day. A little rest would lead to a beating by the Japanese foremen using sticks or whips. They beat the Chinese laborers like they did to cattle and horses and called them animals. Many Chinese laborers were beaten to death by the Japanese foremen, some of them committed suicide, some escaped and killed themselves by jumping down a cliff, and some escapees were captured back and killed alive by dogs. I remember that two of the foremen named Sato and Sataka respectively. Some Chinese laborers died of injury while working and some were permanently disabled. Only about over 130 out of over 400 Chinese laborers were still alive at the end of 1945 when the Japan surrendered. I returned home with the help of the American army in March 1946 and was received by the Red Cross of Qingdao. The 4-year laboring life is a long story and I will live with the bitterness, pain and hardship all my life. We can talk about it in detail another time.
Petition requirements:
1． I demand the Japanese government to compensate my 4-year wage of 40,000 USD.
2． 2. My right foot was smashed by a large stone during laboring, causing my disability. I demand a compensation of 20,000 USD for that.
3． I was often suffered mentally. I demand a compensation of 5,000 USD for that.
Materials of evidence：
1． Those who were also captured to labor with me in Japan include:
Liu Shuge: Shangwuzhuang, Sanshengkou, Yongqing, Hebei
Ma Ruifu: Shangwuzhuang, Sanshengkou, Yongqing, Hebei
He Chengyan: Laoyoutun, Bieguzhuang, Yongqing, Hebei
2． Ma Ruifu knows well about my foot injury.
I will try my best of provide any materials of evidence that are needed. Looking forward to your reply soon.
Petitioner: Wang Zhida (Personal seal)
May 27, 1993
Villagers’ Committee of Qiandiwu, Qiandiwu, Yongqing
(Villagers’ Committee seal)
