Date of letter:1993-07-13
Address of author:Xiangcheng County, Zhoukou City, Hebei Province
Date of event:1937-1938
Location of event:Shanghai City; Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province
Name of author:Xia Zhennan
Name(s) of victim(s):Xia Zhennan‘s family
Type of atrocity:Bio-Chemical Warfare,Murders, Others(MU, OT, BC)
I am Xia Zhennan, originally lived in Shanghai. In August 1937 the Japanese Army waged war, and our whole family fled to Jiaxing County, Zhejiang Province. In March 1938, my father went to Jiaxing city to work; on the road he met Japanese soldiers who were humiliating women. My father stood out and interfered, but was stabbed by the Japanese soldiers, he died without medical treatment. In April 1938 my younger brother and I met Japanese soldiers on the street. My younger brother ate candy offered by Japanese soldiers and died of bacteria infection on the second day, I was also infected by bacteria and often became ill.
Return Address: China Post: 466232
Gate 9, South 3rd Hutong, Longwei Street, Mo Ling Town,
Xiang Cheng, He Nan Province, China
Correspondence
Most Respected Comrade Tong Zeng,
How are you! Wish you healthy and all the best.
I’m very glad to read about your article in the “Legal World” of Henan Province! In order to address the invasion damage sustained by the public during the WWII, including loss of home and property, and separation of family members, you hold signature campaign to demand damage compensation from Japan; I really admire you and your comrades, you are the muse of the people, the hero of the nation, and the fighter for justice, and also the savior of us victims of war persecution!
It was yesterday (July 12) that I read this article on the pages of the 1992 “Legal World”, Chairman Mao said: “Life is struggle”. Good dream will not come true for no reason, it must be strived for. I respond to your call, I will recount my lifelong anguish and hardship caused by Japanese invasion to peace-loving, kind people, let them judge by themselves whether or not we victims should demand the repayment of this debt: “Debts of blood must be paid in blood!” Chairman Mao said: “Leniency toward the enemy is cruelty toward the people.” For “false traitor behavior” (See “The True Story of Ah Q” by Lu Xun) that betrays national interest, and disregards people’s life, we will never agree. I request you to solemnly write my name and my intention on the “Signature book”. Respected Comrade Tong Zeng: Please spare time to read my complaint! I want to “voice grievance to the head of the Japanese government or supreme court”. I want to complain my persecution and its serious degree since the Anti-Japanese War (since 1937) in my personal name and demand “damage compensation”. Unfortunately, my hometown has no overseas postal service, (let alone buying airmail envelope to overseas countries), I can’t mail any letter! Because my current home was in remote region, I am impoverished, and have difficulty in walking around due to illness and disability! It’s hard! I plead to you: Do me a favor, help me to deliver this letter to the Japanese Embassy in China in Beijing, and ask them then to forward to their government.
I also hope: If there is any improper place in my letter, please take time to correct them, so as to avoid any misunderstanding; I would like to give you and your collegues my deepest appreciation, thank you and your colleagues!
Wish you
All the best
Handwritten in tears by Victim Xia Zhennan
July 14, 1993
PS: To find witness and material evidence of this case, the wounds and scars left on the body of mine inflicted by barbarian Japanese invaders with bayonet on a 15 year old teenager, provide the best evidence. I loudly utter: “Save the victim compatriots of the country!” Long live serving the people!! I look forward to receiving your reply letter, thank you, you are a good man! Good-bye! (Please refer to the correspondence address above: I look forward to seeing your reply letter!)
Reply address: Postal code: 466232
Gate 9, South 3rd Hutong, Longwei Street, Moling Town, Xiangcheng County, Henan Province
Japanese Government:
Prime Minister: Toshiki KAIFU:
Hello! Wish you healthy life!
“Petition for Compensation of WWII Persecution”
I am Xia Zhennan (male), aged 74, a native of Henan Province, China, occupation: formerly primary and high school teacher.
Correspondence address: (Residing at) Gate 9, 3rd Hutong, Longwei Street, Moling Town, Xiagncheng County, Henan Province, China (Postal code: 466232)
My home was originally at 37, Xianqian Avenue, Songjiang County, Shanghai. My home faced the street, it had three street-facing structures, one four-in-one reception hall, 4 bedrooms, 2 kitchens, (2 corridors run from kitchen to living room,) covering the size of 2 courtyards, the yard was planted with peach, plum, lichee trees, plus a well, the space was large enough to raise domestic poultry such as chicken and ducks.
Apart from this real estate property, my home also had ancient articles, briar wood furniture, private collections of ancient calligraphy and painting, gold articles and jewelry chattel.
My father is Xia Jinghan, a scholar in the Qing Dynasty, after graduating from the Capital Metropolitan School of Supreme Teacher Training, he studied overseas in Japan, then worked as Principal of Henan Yancheng Female Higher Normal College, joined the United League of China, and took part in the Revolution of 1911, and the Defending Constitution & Anti-Yuan Shikai campaign, later he relocated to Songjiang County in Shanghai, and made a living by teaching.
Back then, my younger brother and I studied in school, though our life was not very luxurious, it was relatively comfortable.
At 23:00 on August 13, 1937, the Japanese Invasion Army launched sudden attack against China, resulting in long time war! My family exiled to Youchegang Town, Jiaxing County, Zhejiang Province, due to war disaster.
At the end of this year, places in the south of Yangtze River all fell into the enemy’s hands, the Japanese Army Headquarters organized “Appeasement Squad”, dispatched county magistrate, organized security governance, and called it “Sunshine Zone”, and blatantly declared the political “swindle”: luring “law-abiding residents in exile due to war”, to “return to home”
In March 1938, my father went to Jiaxing City for livelihood, when the boat arrived at the Japanese Army blockhouse checkpoint at the crossing of the ancient canal 1.5 kilometers away from the city, the Japanese sentry asked all the passengers to leave the boat, and to receive “search”. And asked all the women to undress to subject to wanton humiliation, my father was unable to tolerate the insult, and stood out to tell Japanese soldiers in Japanese: “This is immoral, and unfriendly.” The Japanese soldiers used bayonet to stab my father, his left shoulder was wounded, blood rushed out. The Japanese soldiers again instigated military hound dogs to bite my father’s wound, my father Xia Jinghan died on the spot, which made us orphans!
This is clearly deliberate murder in broad daylight in the “Sunshine” zone under the occupation of Japanese Invasion Army, shameless behavior of display of sexual desire and persecution of civilians. Back then, I was only 15, since there was no dependence of life, I and my younger brother Xia Zhenchong had to go to grandmother’s home in the city, my uncle recommended me to take up a copying job, in this way I lived a semi-hungry life with meager salary!
On April 26, 1938, I and my younger brother were playing on the street; one Japanese soldier came up and said: “Child! One of our mice was missing, if you find it you can send it to the 731 Troop south of the railway, I give you 2 dollars”, my younger brother found one and sent it, that Japanese soldier gave him money, plus a half box of candy, since my younger brother was young and innocent, he unsuspectingly ate the candy (who knew that 731 Troop was the bacteria factory of the Japanese Army). As a result my younger brother died in the morning of the next day! After diagnosis the physicians said: “Your younger brother Xia Zhenchong was killed by the Japanese Army’s bacteria weapon!”
I was also infected by the bacteria! I lay on bed for over one year! Even today, each year I will experience cyclic symptoms, dysentery, relapsing fever which will occur at the same time. Just imagine: if one is bed-ridden, how can he get up and work?
What wrong have the common civilians done? Why should they suffer such destructive and inhuman disaster?!
In my teenager days, I lost my endeared ones artificially, and can no longer enjoy the happiness of family life! My property (valued above USD 100,000) was burned in fire ignited by incendiary bombs dropped by the Japanese Invasion Army! There were 5 people in my home, of which one died of brutal force, one died of bacteria poisoning, one was disabled, my mother and my younger sister went missing and I still do not know their whereabouts even today. Because my family was destroyed, I was forced to wander around, and begged for food (sometimes there’s no food, and I had to starve), my heart was broken! It turned cold! I wanted to commit suicide, fortunately some kind-hearted people saved me from death!
Respected Prime Minister: I hereby request two things; hope you can satisfy my wish:
(1) I demand Japan to destroy all bacteria and chemical weapons, and guarantee never to dispatch troops overseas to infringe on the sovereignty of other countries, and harm innocent civilians.
(2) Request: Pay 100,000 US Dollars (i.e.: USD $100,000) as damage compensation for my suffering in WWII.
Victim citizen Xia Zhennan (Signature)
July 13, 1993
