Date of letter:1992-11-22
Address of author:Anyang City, Henan Province
Date of event:1942
Location of event:Xinxiang City, Henan Province
Name of author:Wang Baojia
Name(s) of victim(s):Wang Baojia’s familyType of atrocity:Murders, Others, Slave Laborers(SL, MU, OT）
Other details:In 1942, Henan suffered a severe drought. My grandfather took us to Xinxiang to beg. One day, my grandfather and uncle were deceived by the Japanese soldiers to the Northeast to do hard labor. In the Northeast, my uncle was sold. They forced my grandfather to dig coal in the coal pit. Once my grandfather ran away but was found by the Japanese soldiers. They tied him to the tail of a horse, and he was dragged to death and finally thrown into a mass grave.
Comrade Tong Zeng,
Hello!
I am Wang Baojia, a worker at Anyang Power Plant, Henan. I heard, sometime ago, that you were organizing the people to demand damage compensation from Japan, but I did not know how to get in touch with you at the time. It wasn’t until recently after reading an article entitled “History Is Not Forgotten” from Issue 10 of the Reader’s Digest that I came to know your address. As an ordinary Chinese citizen, you are pursuing justice for millions of compatriots who were ravaged and killed by the Japanese army. As an offspring of a victim killed by the Japanese army, I thank you regardless of whether we can get compensation or not. As Chinese, we must vent our anger against Japan; we must defend our rights! The road ahead is full of twists and turns, but I have faith that the victory will be ours if we can arouse the support of millions of compatriots and the international public opinion. The victimization of my grandfather is provided below.
In 1942, Henan was stricken by a severe drought. My grandfather took my father and uncle from our hometown Siligeda Village, Niuwangmiao Village, Huangshui Town, Hui County (now city), to Huicunying , Xinxiang, to beg for living. Seeing that my father could do heavy work, the village landlord Wang Maocai hired him as a handyman; he received only meals with no salary. So, my grandfather and uncle continued to beg for living.
One day, my grandfather asked my father to go with him to work for the Japanese in Kanto. My father refused decisively. So my grandfather took my young uncle, got on a truck, and went to the Northeastern China. They did not know that they were going to work in a coal mine. As my uncle was little and skinny, they only kept my grandfather to work in the mine and sold my uncle. My grandfather missed his son very much, but the Japanese people vigilantly guarded the area and set up wired fences around it to prevent the Chinese slave laborers from going out. One night, my grandfather managed to get out of the confine to look for his son, but Japanese soldiers discovered it and he was recaptured. To send a warning to the others, Japanese soldiers tied my grandfather to the tail of a horse and made the others watch my grandfather being dragged to death. My grandfather was then thrown into a Ten Thousand People Pit. The above is a brief description. If you need details, please tell me in your reply. In addition, how could I sign my name to support your campaign? Please tell me in your reply.
I am with you always!
Best regards,
Wang Baojia
November 22, 1992
