Date of letter:1993-05-31
Address of author:Zizhong County, Neijiang City, Sichuan Province
Date of event:1938
Location of event:Chongqing City
Name of author:Wu Zijun
Name(s) of victim(s):Wu Zijun’s twelve family members
Type of atrocity:Air Bombings, Biological/Chemical Warfare, Others（AB, BC, OT）
Other details:In 1938, the Japanese launched an air strike against Chongqing. Our courtyard became ruins after the bombing, and all our belongings were destroyed. Afterwards the bodies of my twelve family members were dug up from under the ruins. My face was injured by the shrapnel, with a scar on it. My aunt had eight fingers cut off by the shrapnel. The Japanese troops caused damage to my family physically and psychologically. I support Mr. Tong’s action, and will readily participate in the signature campaign to claim for compensations.
Comrade Tong Zeng:
Hello!
After reading the reports, written by you and Comrade Chen, on ‘China Demanding “Damage Compensation” from Japan No Delay’, I had been very stirred up, mind unsettled. Crimes of the Japanese imperialism during their invasion in China were too numerous to be recorded, it had brought unfathomable calamity to the country and the people, we are the victims and also the victorious nation, it is reasonable for us to demand “damage compensation”. For the majority of the Chinese people, they still know very little about international public law. If I had not come across your report, I would not know the theory about “war compensation” and “damage compensation”. In my view, it is necessary to strengthen public education in this aspect, so that the whole nation will be aware of it. Impact and the influence from public awareness will lead to large numbers of victims of the Japanese invasion war, to come forward with actions. Let the masses of victims put pressure on Japan, and demand compensation from Japan.
My family and I are all direct victims of the Japanese Invasion War. On May 3 and May 4, 1938, Japanese aircrafts attacked Chongqing, including the compound where my family lived (on the Ciqi Street near Jiaochangkou in Chongqing). They destroyed all belongings, including calligraphy and painting, antiques handed down by ancestors. After the bombing, from the debris we dug out 12 bodies of our family members. It was really a horrible scene, especially my second elder sister, who was pregnant at that time, with the bombs dropped by the vicious Japanese aircrafts literally killed two people. Back then I was a six month old infant, along with mother, my fourth aunt and a wet nurse, we together hid under a large dining bed. Later we survived by being dug out from the rubbles. But my face was scraped by the flying bomb shell, till today there is still a scar left on my face. This is also a small criminal evidence of the Japanese Invasion War in China. My fourth aunt believed in Buddhism. At that time she was kneeling under the dining bed, with both hands put together in prayer position, and chanting Buddhist scripture to pray for peace. Unfortunately the bomb shell severed eight of her fingers. Though she had passed away in the early 1950’s, her disfigured hands had left a deep impression on my memory, which also heightened my hatred toward the Japanese Army. After I grew up and reached maturity, my mother once told me, the reason that I was always physically weak was due to inhalation of the toxic gas released by the bombs. When I was a child, my body was covered with ulcer all over. While I escaped death many times, many scars were left on my body. In the years of Japanese Invasion War, Japanese aircrafts often madly and randomly dropped bombs. It is not known how many compatriots had lost their lives, and how many assets and properties were totally destroyed. Those who survived also lived in fear, pain and hysteria every day, burdened by a lot of stress. I myself would often burst into tears out of fear whenever I heard the sound of alarm. It was only after we entered the air defense shelter that I would gradually calm down and stop crying. The then Chongqing was considered as the “Safe Hinterland”, but it still had suffered deeply, with so many innocent citizens and so many houses and properties were destroyed. In the then three Northeastern provinces, the vast territories in North China and Shanghai after “August 13”, the Japanese had committed many more crimes on the motherland and people who had sustained heavier damages. This debt must be settled in full, as it is perfectly justified to demand “damage compensation”.
I heard that you want to solicit 100 million signatures for the campaign “Chinese people resolutely demanding damage compensation from Japan”. Please count me in, so as to add one extra contribution to the “claim” force. What you are doing is a very good thing for the benefit of the country and the people, for which we will provide resolute support, and sincere appreciation. If you need me to do something, please tell me! I have retired due to illness and now am recuperating at home, so I have sufficient time. Now, what’s the status of the progress of the 100 million people signature campaign? I look forward to your reply, I also have many friends in Chongqing, if necessary, so I can also organize some victims’ signatures.
Regards
Wish you all the best!
Wu Zijun
1993.5.31
Correspondence address: 6 Yongxing Road, Zizhong County
Sichuan Province Sugarcane Research Institute
Looking forward to your reply
