Date of letter:1992-10-26
Address of author:Changning County, Hengyang City, Hunan Province
Date of event:1944
Location of event:Changning County, Hengyang City, Hunan Province
Name of author:Guo Qingfeng
Name(s) of victim(s):Guo Xingrong, Guo Xingjia (Guo Qingfeng’s grandfather)
Type of atrocity:Murders, Slave Laborers(MU, SL）
Other details:I know from the Reader’s Digest that you propose to claim for compensation from Japan. In 1944, my grandfather Guo Xingrong and Guo Xingjia were caught by the Japanese soldiers to be porters. Guo Xingrong was old, so the Japanese soldiers thought him useless and stabbed him. My grandfather lied on the ground and struggled for a long time, but the Japanese soldiers laughed happily.
Comrade Tong Zeng:
Hello!
From the “Readers Digest” magazine I learned your deeds to demand compensation from Japan for civilian victims of the Sino-Japanese War. I hereby give you details of my grandpa’s death. Anyone must be responsible for what he has done, not to mention a country! Millions of people in China will thank you! After receiving the letter, please tell me how to demand compensation from Japan and the attitude of the Chinese government, is that OK? I will feel much indebted. (Please use the address on the envelop for reply mail)
Regards
Sincerely Yours
Comrade: Guo Qingfeng
92.10.28
Request on demanding Japan to offer compensation to victims of Sino-Japanese War
I am Guo Qingfeng, currently residing at Shengli Team, Xueqiang Village, Chengguan Town, Changning County, Hunan Province. On the occasion of the visit by Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko to China, I hereby declare my demand toward Japan to compensate for the killing of my grandpa by the Japanese Imperialist Army in 1944 (the 33rd year of the Republic of China) and claim procedure. Please give me instructions. We will feel very grateful.
My grandfather Guo Qingrong, born on December 7 on the lunar calendar in the eight year of Guangxu (1882). According to the recollection of my father and the narration of some seniors in the local area, in 1944 (33rd year of he Republic of China) the Japanese Imperialist Army invaded into Changning, like the case in other parts of the country, bringing heavy disaster to our county and all county residents. They implemented “Burn All, Kill All, and Loot All” policy, killed and looted indiscriminately. On August 15, 1944, the Japanese Army entered Changning County. In order to reduce burden on the army, the Japanese captured a lot of civilian slave labors to work as bearers of military supplies. My grandpa and my grandpa’s sixth younger brother Guo Xingjia were captured as slave labors because of delay in escape. In early September on the lunar calendar, the Japanese Army marched south toward Guangxi, in Qiyang County, my sixth grandpa Guo Xingjia managed to escape, and told us the death of my grandpa (Guo Xingjia passed away in 1985 due to illness). After being captured by the Japanese Army, my grandpa received heavy torture, and was not treated like human being. They took pleasure from harassing civilians. Seeing my grandpa was old (back then 62), they deliberately selected shoulder poles weighing over 100 catties to ask my grandpa to carry. Because my grandpa was senile, plus illness, when they walked to Wangshan River in Qiyang, he finally collapsed; seeing my grandpa was useless, the Japanese Army stabbed him to death on the river bank. According to some survivors, at first my grandpa did not totally lose consciousness. He struggled for a long time on the lawn, which caused the Japanese to erupt into guffaw. Afterwards, my father and others visited the place of persecution to look for my grandpa’s body or bone, but in vain. It’s really pitiful that for such an old man aged over 60 who died out of town, his dead body was nowhere to be found for return to hometown.
During its invasion into China, the Japanese Imperialist Army committed towering crimes. There were several such incidents like the death of my grandpa in our place alone. As Chinese victims, they have the right to demand Japan to give compensation to victims. China has postponed the action for several dozen years, and now this problem brooks no delay. For Japan, a country that invaded other countries, it should assume responsibility for the crimes it had committed. The Sino-Japanese War has brought huge loss to China, for which they should assume full responsibility. “One who murders pays the forfeit with his life”, otherwise the Providence will not forgive. As a Chinese citizen, I request the Chinese government to demand Japan to provide compensation for the serious crime it committed in its invasion into China. This is also the sincere wish of tens of millions of Chinese victims. I believe, as a country among world top 5 powers, today’s China will surely claim justice for the Chinese people, and will surely clean up grievances for thousands and millions of victims, and bring impartial treatment to this unsettled historical case buried for several dozen years. Thank you!
Looking forward to your reply
Regards
Yours Sincerely!
Requested by: Guo Qingfeng
October 26, 1992
(Currently I work at Changning County Chengguan Town Quanfeng Residents’ Committee. Please use the address on the envelope for reply mail. Thank you.)
