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Comrade Tong Zeng:

　　I read an article about demanding compensation from Japan on the “Reader’s Digest”, which carried your address. As a family member of the victims, I felt greatly moved by your deeds, and I decided to write a letter to you. Please help us sign names on the name list for demanding Japanese compensation on behalf of my father and me. I am Fang Deling, 49, female, physician of the Handan City Second Hospital in Hebei Province. My father is Fang Zude, now 75, and has retired, currently living at 58 Zhongxing Road, Shizhong District, Chongqing City, Sichuan Province; postal code 630010.

　　During the Anti-Japanese War period, during bombing by Japanese aircrafts at Dongchengwan, Changde County, Hunan Province, one vicious bomb was dropped into my home. It killed 10 persons and wounded 2 persons on the spot, and my family was destroyed. My family suffered too huge and miserable damages. My father was seriously wounded, and bled heavily. As a direct victim, he is now still alive, and is able to clearly recall the process of bombing.

　　We firmly demand the Japanese government to compensate for my family’s loss. For 2 wounded persons, each one shall be paid USD 20000-30000; for 10 dead persons, each one shall be no less than USD 50000.

　　Please find the attached map to understand the detailed process of my home being bombed.

　　Regards
Sincerely yours!

Fang Deling

1992.10.29

　　Name list of dead and wounded persons:
　　1. Fang Yintang, aka Fang Yaosui　38 in the year of death　My father’s uncle
　　2. Fang Ai Shi (female)　　　43 in the year of death　My father’s mother
　　3. Fang Liang Shi (female)　　　40 in the year of death 　My Father’s step-mother (i.e. my grandfather’s second wife)
　　4. Yang Fang Shi (female)　　　37 in the year of death　My father’s Paternal Aunt
　　5. Tu Gong Shi (female)　　　40 in the year of death　My father’s Maternal Aunt
　　6. Fang Simao (female)　　　8 in the year of death　My father’s younger sister
　　7. Fang Xiaoha (male)　　　3 in the year of death 　My father’s younger brother
　　8. Liu Chunting (male)　　　40 in the year of death　Fang family’s accountant
　　9. Killed 2 distant uncle of Liu’s family　　　　My family’s distant relative
　　10. Fang Yunzhai (male)　　Left hand and left leg were wounded　42 in that year　My father’s father
　　11. Fang Zude (male)　　Two legs were wounded　Alive　now 75, my father

Floor map of my family at the time of bombing:
Sketch of my home being bombed in Dognchengwan, Changde County in Hunan Province:

About the serial numbers:
1. Long corridor entering the gate
2. Kitchen
3. Uncle Fang Yintang’s room (i.e. the dropping spot of aircraft bomb) 4 persons died in this room: I.e. uncle Fang Yintang, Maternal Aunt Tu Gong Shi, my younger sister Fang Simao, younger brother Fang Xiaoha
4. Corridor: 1 person was killed here, name Liu Chunting, my family’s accountant.
5. Uncle’s room: 2 persons died here, namely Liu Family’s uncle and cousin, whose names were unclear.
6. Courtyard
7. Corridor: My father and grandfather hid themselves under this table, and my father was wounded in right leg and left thigh. My grandfather’s right palm was pierced by shell, becoming disabled, and his left leg was pierced by bomb shell.
8. Grandmother’s room: Paternal Aunt Yang Fang Shi was killed.
9. Mother’s room: Mother Fang Ai Shi was killed.
10. Stepmother Fang Liang Shi’s room: stepmother was killed.

　　The details of my family’s destruction due to bombing by Japanese aircraft were as follows:

　　My home was previously in Wuhan, on August 15, 1937 on the lunar calendar, the mid-autumn festival, in order to avoid bombing by Japanese aircrafts, 20 persons in my family were led by uncle Fang Yintang to take a tug boat of British merchant Swire to flee from Wuhan to Changde County. When first arriving in Changde, we lived in Gaoshan Lane in the center of Changde County. Due to fear of the danger of Japanese bombing the downtown area, we moved to Dongchengwan in Changde which was relatively remote. Contrary to our assumption, my home at Dongchengwan received bombing.

　　It was in winter, so it was very cold in Changde. The exact date was unclear (because my father was heavily wounded, and bled heavily), and the time was between 2 o’clock and 4 o’clock in the afternoon. The air strike alarm for Japanese aircraft attack was sounded, but members of my family didn’t run toward suburbs. Because Dongchengwan was a remote area, besides there was no military facility and factory, and was purely a residential zone, they erroneously thought the Japanese aircraft bombing was purposeful, and commoners would not receive bombing; meanwhile fleeing to other towns cost time and money, and more than 20 persons were unable to flee with both the old and the young, therefore they generally erected a table at home, and covered it with quilt to form a simple shelter. When the Japanese aircraft came they would seek shelter under the table, and my family received bombing in such totally unprepared condition. Back then when the bomb dropped to the land, those still alive became deaf due to the explosion. There was terrible repercussion in the ears. This vicious bomb killed 8 persons in my family, plus 2 distant uncles from Liu’s family, totaling 10 persons. My father Fang Zude and Grandfather Fang Yunzhai were heavily injured.

　　This bomb landed exactly in the room of my father’s uncle Fang Yintang. 4 persons died in this room: namely uncle Fang Yintang, Aunt Tu Gong Shi, younger sister Fang Simao, and younger brother Fang Xiaoha. The most tragic thing is that their bodies were buried deep in a six meter deep hole, and had to be dug up. Fang Yintang only had remaining upper torso, the lower torso totally missing. In my mother’s room only my father’s mother Fang Ai Shi was killed, her body intact, her temple hit by shell to leave a small hole. In grandmother’s room, my father’s aunt Yan Fang Shi was killed. She was with us because she lost husband when very young, and since then she lived in my home. Stepmother Liang Fang Shi is my father’s stepmother, namely the second wife of my grandfather. She had not children of her own, and was killed in this incident. My family’s accountant Liu Chunting was killed on the corridor when he was watching the aircraft. He died a miserable death, the whole head was gone, just like he was beheaded. On the opposite side is Liu’s home. He was our distant uncle. 2 persons died in his family. both of them died tragic death.

　　Father and Grandfather both hid under the table. One shell hit my father. Because my father was crouching, the shell pierced the quilt before piercing my father’s old style long cotton gown, and pierced right leg cotton trousers. It also hit the inner side of left leg, and a lot of blood flowed out. Till today these two scars still exist, and can be verified.

　　My grandfather crouched beside my father. His injury was more serious than my father’s. His right palm was pierced. The shell was removed three months later, but he became disabled, and his inner side of left leg was pierced by shell. Within fifteen minutes after grandmother was killed, my father took out 400 yuan of Fabi (paper currency issued by KMT government, (equivalent to more than RMB 6000 yuan) from the inner pockets of my grandmother despite his wound. It was this 400 yuan of Fabi that enabled the wounded in my family to survive, and we fled to Qingguoling Refugee Camp in Chongqing, Sichuan Province to settle down.

　　After the tragedy occurred, my family registered our casualty at Changde County Relief Committee. My grandmother and my father’s uncle were buried in coffin we bought. They were buried near Deshan Temple on the bank of Yuanshui River in the suburbs outside Changde, and others were buried simply with thin casket.

　　I firmly demand the Japanese government to compensate for the loss. For 2 wounded persons, each one shall be paid USD20000-30000; for 10 dead persons, each one shall be no less than USD 50000.

Fang Zude

58 Zhongxing Road, Shizhong District, Chonqing City, Sichuan Province
Fang Deling
Hebei Province Handan Second Hospital
1992.10.28