Date of letter:1993-11-24
Address of author:Rudong County, Nantong City, Jiangsu Province
Date of event:1938-1941
Location of event:Jiangsu Province
Name of author:Huang Jun
Name(s) of victim(s):Huang Jun’s father, Wang Guisheng and his fellowsType of atrocity:Murders, Other Massacres, Rapes, Others, Air Bombing(AB, MU, OM, RA, OT）
Other details:On March 17, 1938, the Japanese soldiers occupied Nantong, and began to commit all sorts of crimes. Some people were beaten to death. In September 1939, the Japanese soldiers bombed Juegang Town, killing many people. They killed and raped women, and tortured common people cruelly. Wang Guisheng of Juegang Town was caught by the Japanese soldiers, and was tortured cruelly. They cut off and salted his flesh in the thigh, and let dogs bit him. My father was killed by the Japanese soldiers in December 1941.
Comrade Tong Zeng,
Hello！
Suppose a comrade who is a total stranger writes a letter to you today, will you feel surprised?
Now first let me introduce myself, I live at Zhuanggang Town, Rudong County, Jiangsu Province (situated on the seaside of the South Yellow Sea on the map), previously I worked as an official at the County Science Commission, now I have retired. For over half a century, I have no one else to tell the grievances buried deep in my heart. Today I specially write this letter, hope you can give me assistance and instructions.
It was really a matter of chance. Before this year’s Senior Citizens’ Festival, more than a dozen of seniors including me gathered at the County Old Cadre Activity Center to celebrate the Senior Citizens’ Festival. Someone said that after several dozen years of revolutionary life through wind and rain, life in old age today must be happy, the mood must be relieved, if one had any words suppressed in the heart, everyone could talk about them, after speaking out, the mood would be much relieved. This will help lengthen one’s life. I immediately said: “Over the past fifty years, I have a matter of worry weighing on my heart, for which I have found nowhere to talk about till today, if this situation continues, I certainly would not feel contented even at the time of death!” Hearing such brusque words blurting out of my mouth, everyone felt surprised! I said: “What’s so strange about it? Fifty two years ago, my father was a common civilian, he did farming at home and lived a frugal life, but he was beaten to death by the Japanese Army, as a result my family was broken up with the death of father. Now I have nowhere to air my grievances, and nobody to settle my account with. My father’s soul will not rest in peace even after his death. Since I feel sorry for him, how can I feel contented in the heart?” My short speech instantly attracted everyone’s attention, revolving this topic, we held a heated discussion. Someone said, this account must be settled, and it must be settled with Japan, and it must be thoroughly settled, and we should not call it an end if the result is not satisfactory! Today is the right time for settling the account, if not now, then when? Someone tried to persuade me, and said:”Mr. Huang, this happened half a century ago, since we are old, there is no need to seek worry by oneself, now is the age of Reform and Opening up, China is now having friendly relation with Japan, Chinese enterprises even set up joint ventures with Japanese companies, the Japanese help us with construction, at such moment, is it necessary to turn hostile, worsen the relation, and settle account with someone else? ” However, such view immediately aroused objection from others. One senior stood up, and said agitatedly: “History cannot be forgotten, forgetting the past is forgetting the ancestor. Lessen of blood must be kept in mind, if there is an account, then it must be put onto the table for settlement.” He enumerated many hard facts, and protested against the Japanese invaders. In March 17, 1938, the Japanese invaders occupied Nantong, then Hayashi Kara’s Seventh Squadron of the Japanese troop, moved quickly from Shigang in Nantong to Zhuanggang Town, in Gangzhuang area killed, looted, burned, and committed every kind of crime; after 1941, the Japanese Invasion Army constructed several dozen strongholds, big or small, along the seaside of the Yellow River, and erected fence running 10000 kilometers long from Dingyan in Rugao to Nankan town on the beach of the Yellow Sea, which was dotted by blockhouses every 1.5 kilometers or and checkpoints every 2.5 kilometers, they conducted mopping up to “clean up the countryside”, dropped bombs, and released toxic gas, they raped and looted, and implemented bloodthirsty “Burn All, Kill All, Loot All” policy, committed towering crimes, which were too numerous to be recorded……. The speech by this senior triggered resonance among attendants, and activated everyone’s national self-esteem. Finally all attendants asked me to write down my family’s persecution in those years and mail it to the parties concerned, and to resolutely settle this account of history. After the Senior Citizens’ Festival, one comrade expressed sympathy and showed concern for me, he told me: “It was reported that, during the Fourth Session of the Seventh National People’s Congress, two persons of insight distributed a proposal on China requesting Japan to offer “damage compensation” to NPC delegates, which created strong repercussion among NPC delegates, and triggered resonance among delegates. Relevant sides of the state government also showed concern. To this end, today I hereby write a letter to you to disclose info about my family’s persecution.
Below is a brief account of my father’s death by the Japanese invaders and the then historical background:
More than one month after the “July 7” Incident in 1937 (i.e. August 13), the Japanese Invasion Army attacked Shanghai in force, half year later (i.e. March 17, 1938) the Japanese invaders occupied Nantong (Nantong is separated from Shanghai by the Yangtze River, it is only over 50 km away from Nantong), on the second day after it occupied Nantong (i.e. March 18, 1938), the Japanese invaders also occupied Rugao Town. (Back then it was said to fall under the jurisdiction of Rugao County, called the Eighth District), since then the Japanese invaders often harassed Zhuanggang area. In the early morning of March 27, 1938 (February 26 on lunar calendar), the Japanese invaders suddenly surrounded Zhuanggang Town, first they attacked with mortar, and attacked the town from the West Street, after entering the town, they revealed their bestial nature, apart from spraying bullets at innocent shelter-seeking residents with machine gun, they also forced residents to gather at the gate of “Fuji Firm” with gun, then surrounded then with machine guns, forced residents to climb onto the river ridge to take photo, after imposing wanton humiliation, they also killed some people on the spot, it was really a terrible scene. On September 13, 1939, the Japanese invaders’ aircrafts for the first time bombed Zhuanggang Town, dropped four bombs (one dumb bomb), which killed three persons, injured several dozen, and destroyed over one hundred houses. In the second year the Japanese invaders bombed Zhuanggang Town for the second time, dropped more than 20 bombs which destroyed several hundred houses, several dozen people were killed or injured. On March 21, 1940, the Japanese invaders again suddenly intruded into Zhuanggang Town, and retreated after three days of looting. On August 13, 1941, the Minamiura Brigade of the Japanese Army again intruded into Zhuanggang Town, they stationed at the Swastika Society, forced formation of Bao-jia system to implement connected involvement method, established Security Maintenance Organization, forced primary and high school students to learn Japanese, distorted Chinese history, distributed Fascist propaganda materials, played moralization films, and publicized “Great East Asian New Order”, “Holy War by Imperialist Army”, “Same ancestor and same language & co-existence and co-prosperity for china and Japan” erroneous theories, intending to consolidate its rule. Meanwhile, they wantonly raped women, conscripted laborers, built highways, and constructed blockhouses. They even used over ten barbarian and inhuman torture methods including “lighting flesh lamp”, “swallowing fire dragon”, “pouring boiling water”, “pickle salty meat”, “riding airplane” to kill our compatriots. For instance, Wang Guisheng, an apprentice of the food shop in Shangqingyang Village, Zhuanggang Town, was captured by Japanese Military Police Leader Koubi, after cruel torture, they cut open his thigh, and inserted salt before urging hounds to bite his flesh. Their beastly crimes resorted to all conceivable means and stopped at nothing.
About my family at that time: My father Huang Shouxian, my mother Xu Kezhi, and I formed a household. My parents were engaged in farming, I studied in primary school, and we lived in contentment. However, in December 1941, the Japanese invaders marched toward the seaside areas of the Yellow Sea, and carried out frantic mopping up. (My home was about 10 kilometers away from Zhuanggang Town). At 11 o’clock in the noon of one day, the Japanese invaders entered our village, instantly, chicken squawked and dogs barked, sounds of booing, crying, and shrieking filled the air. Japanese invaders caught cows, tied up pigs, captured chickens, raped women, and shot men. My father and several neighbors hid themselves in the bamboo garden north of our family’s field, several Japanese invaders babbled and searched the bamboo garden. When they saw my father, they immediately shot him, the bullet pierced my father’s belly under the belly button, instantly intestines flowed out, my father writhed in blood, after several hours of shrieking, he stopped breathing, and ended his life at the age of only 39, at that time I was only 12. My father was beaten to death by the Japanese invaders, and everything was looted with nothing left, the house was burned to ash, my mother cried till tears ran dry, thinking of the days ahead, how could a widow and an orphan manage to survive. After learning of my family’s tragedy, everyone around us found it too painful to listen to or see our miserable condition. In the year before last year, before my mother passed way, my mother said to me with tears brimming in the eyes that my father died a too miserable death. She repeatedly told me to remember national hatred; this debt of blood must be settled in the end. On the same day of my father’s horrible death, two of my relatives were also killed by the Japanese invaders. My maternal aunt’s home opened a grocery and sold tea snacks, everything was looted, the house was burned. My paternal aunt Mrs. Huang, nee Wang, was gang raped by Japanese invaders, the ravage of body and mental depression caused her to die after several months. One of my paternal cousins was conscripted by the Japanese invaders to build blockhouses, in the end he was tormented to death at the stronghold. The above are only a few typical cases. It is not easy to imagine what other unforgivable crimes that the Japanese invaders have committed in our place here in those years.
My family sustained such a significant calamity (of course it’s not the issue of my home alone), too many Chinese have suffered disasters and hardships from the Japanese invaders), after repeated considerations, I am now ready to demand “damage compensation” from Japan, or lodge complaint to related sides in China. In my view, such action not only relates to my family’s problem, it is also a big issue that can help inspire people’s patriotic passion, increase national self-esteem, enhance sense of mission, so as to work hard for the prosperity of the country, and rejuvenate the Chinese nation. But I have no idea through which channel, via what means and to whom I can submit my request. Today I hereby write a letter to you, in the hope that you can give me instructions. Of course, this is a historical leftover issue involving international relation, and it needs a process to solve the problem. I have the determination to treat it with the spirit of Mr. Yugong moving the mountain. If it cannot be settled in this life, then it will be settled in the next life. In summary, I consider I have every right to demand Japan to pay “damage compensation”, and this complies with international laws. To this end, I will stick to the end! I think I will stop here, I look forward to receiving your letter, for which I will feel sincere appreciation. I will contact you again after receiving your letter. Please forgive my talkativeness.
Please mail your reply letter to Huang Jun, Jiangsu Province Rudong County Science Commission. Postal code: 226400.
If you want to call me, you can dial program-controlled telephone:
Day time: 0513-412682 Huang Jianhua to forward the call to me, 0513-413620 Miu Jian to forward the call to me
In the morning or evening please call my home at: 0513-412516.
Regards
Sincerely yours
Huang Jun
1993.11.24.
