Date of Letter:1993-04-05
Address of Author:Xiangtan County, Xiangtan City, Hunan Province
Date of Event 1944
Location of Event:Xiangtan County, Xiangtan City, Hunan Province
Name of Author:Zhu Xianhe, Zhu Xianming
Name(s) of victim(s):Zhu Xianhe’s parents and brother
Type of atrocity:Murders, Slave Laborers(MU, SL）
Other Details:”In 1944, the Japanese soldiers invaded Hunan Province. My mother was shot dead by the Japanese soldiers, with my sucking brother in her arms who did not survive either. My father was caught by the Japanese soldiers. He escaped after a few days, but was found and got shot in the leg, resulting in paralysis. The letter is affixed with the village committee seal as a certificate.
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Respectable Mr. Tong Zeng:
How have you been?
First of all, I’d like to express our most sincere gratitude and regard on behalf of my family and wish you healthy and happy.
Japan’s war of aggression against China broke my family apart and caused immeasurable losses, especially permanent disability to my younger brother Zhu Xianming. We have struggled for over 50 years and it’s so painful! We hereby demand compensation against Japan.
Respectable Mr. Tong Zeng, your action of gathering public opinion, revitalizing our country, pursuing justice for the people and demanding civilian compensation against the Japanese government is completely justified and warmly welcomed and supported by the people. We are now sending a letter of claim about the invading Japanese army. Please correct the mistakes in the letter as a result of our low education levels and forward it to the Japanese government. Mr. Tong, we sincerely invite you to visit our family. Please take time to reply us. We really appreciate it. A stamp is attached in the letter. Sorry for the trouble and thank you.
Best regards,
All the best to your health, work and family,
Zhu Xianhe, Zhu Xianming, Villagers of
Dawu Group, Xiaochong, Huanshan, Xiangtan, Hunan
Postal code: 411226
April 5, 1993
Letter of Appeal
March 25, 1993
Subject matter: Japanese militarists committed crimes to the Chinese people. We urgently demand compensation against the Japanese government for shooting my innocent mother and younger brother and injuring the survivors.
I am Zhu Xianhe, male, 59 and lives at Dawu Group, Xiaochong, Huanshan, Xiangtan, Hunan. My family have been farmers for generations.
The cruel invading Japanese army implemented the Three Alls Policy wherever they went by killing, burning, plundering and raping, causing the death of millions of innocent people and breaking many families apart. My family was one of them. Our government has restated that the Japanese government should duly compensate civilian victims. Besides, Mr. Tong Zeng is working on gathering information of victims, pursuing justice for them and demanding compensation against Japan for them. Therefore, we will describe below the immeasurable losses the Japanese militarist caused to my family during the war. We sincerely ask for sympathy and support from relevant government departments and Mr. Tong Zeng.
- Our pregnant mother was innocently shot and killed.
In the summer of 1944, or the 33rd year of the Republic of China, the Japanese army invaded Hunan and attacked Hengyang. On their way, they passed my hometown Tanjia Group, Gaoqiao, Hengpu, Xiangxiang. It was the noon of lunar June 30. The sun was suddenly blocked by clouds and it turned dark. News of “The Japanese are coming. Run.” spread fast in the village. Quickly, the villagers fled to gullies and fields for shelter. My father holding 2-year-old younger brother, mother who was pregnant for 9 months, and we siblings walked towards the deep woods along with other over 20 fellowmen. We were so anxious on the way. My younger brother wouldn’t stop crying, so my mother had to press her belly tight with one arm and cover his mouth with the other to make him quiet, saying quietly “God help us.” But the nightmare still came. The vicious Japanese army suddenly appeared. 5 or 6 armed Japanese soldiers came at us, shouting loud and surrounded over 20 fellowmen including us. Then, they raped women by turns. To avoid being raped by these monsters, my mother held my younger brother in her arms, feeding him. She strongly resisted and begged for mercy. But the Japanese monsters went furious and shot her in the chest. My mother and younger brother fell in blood. My mother didn’t die instantly. She moaned tragically, rolled from the hill to fields and died with open eyes about 10 minutes later. She was 35 then. It broke the heart of my family. All the people who saw the event cried for our loss, but the vicious Japanese soldiers laughed. They robbed some stuff, captured several men and left. We were extremely sad and indignant. The fellowmen held up my younger brother covered in blood who was sucking the breast of my mother half an hour ago, comforting him and wiping blood off him. We went over and saw that my poor younger brother was hit by the bullet in the cheek. His tongue, teeth and face were injured. He blacked out with a pale face and blood all over his body. My family cried so badly even the people with the hardest heart would be moved. How could the Japanese soldiers be so cruel! It was hot then. Several hours later, the blood attracted many ants which sucked at my mother’s and younger brother’s blood like vicious Japanese soldiers. It was a horrible sight to see. My neighbor Peng Fusheng’s daughter-in-law fetched a big wood plate to cover the body of my dying younger brother and other fellowmen found some herbs to stop the blood and pain and wrapped his wounds with rags. Thus, my dying younger brother survived.
- The experiences of the surviving family members after my mother’s death
The Japanese army killed my mother and robbed everything in our house. Thanks to the help of relatives and friends, we buried our mother. My father was captured by the Japanese army. Only we 4 siblings were left. The eldest sister was 14 and the youngest brother was only 2. How could we survive? Let’s set that aside and talk about disabled younger brother Zhu Xianming. He had several serious wounds which got infected due to hot weather and bled too much. His life was at stake. I and my elder sister had to find doctors and beg for money to cure him. He finally survived with the help of relatives and friends. But we were poor then and didn’t have enough money to completely cure my younger brother. Up till today, he often has headache and numb limbs and the scars will inflame in every spring. Due to permanent disability, he is unable to do heavy work, causing trouble to my family. He has suffered so much during the past 50 years. The losses cannot be measured by money.
On June 30, when seeing my mother being killed by the Japanese soldiers, my father tried to help her, but was brutally beaten and threatened by bayonets. Afterwards, he and several other fellowmen were captured and forced to carry the robbed things for the Chinese. My father was in deep grief, tried hard to escape several days later, but was shot in the left leg by the Japanese soldiers. He risked his life, but luckily returned home. Due to difficulties on the way back, he suffered from severe arthritis and became paralyzed. He then lived a hard life for 21 years and passed away. If the tragedy didn’t happen, my father may still be alive.
My eldest sister Zhu Xianfeng was 15 and second eldest sister was 13 at that time. As the Japanese soldiers killed my mother and disabled my father, they had to quit the school to do housework. Several months later, my second eldest sister was forced to be a child bride. She is still alive, but always has tears in her eyes whenever recalling this. As for myself, I was only 11 when my mother died. As my family lost income, I also quit school (Lack of education ruined we siblings’ youth and future), I left home to beg for a living. For years, I have struggled for life with bare feet in the day time and at dark, in cold winter and hot summer. A day was like a year to me.
In a word, my family was broken apart by the invading Japanese army, with members being killed, injured or disabled by them. They are proof of crimes committed by the Japanese army during the war.
- Strongly demanding the Japanese government to duly compensate victims
The national and family suffering will always be remembered. My family suffered great material and spiritual losses, which are immeasurable. We’d rather eat the flesh and drink of the blood of the criminals to relieve our hate. But what’s done is done. As our country begins to prosper, victims like us can finally express our grievances. Therefore, I strongly demand the Japanese government to compensate over 100,000 USD to my family and take my disabled younger brother Zhu Xianming to Japan for treatment to comfort my mother’s soul.
Claimant: Zhu Xianzhi Survivor: Zhu Xianming
The investigation shows the above facts are true and compensation should be made by Japan.
Villagers’ Committee of Xiaochong
Villagers’ Committee of Xiaochong, Huanshan, Xiangtan
(Villagers’ Committee seal)
April 4, 1993
The above facts are true and are subject to investigation of relevant departments. The compensation should be implemented.
Villagers’ Committee of Xiaochong, Huanshan, Xiangtan
(Villagers’ Committee seal)
April 6, 1993
