NANKING MASSACRE Meaning and
Definition
-
The Nanking Massacre, also known as the Rape of Nanking, refers to the systematic and brutal mass killing, rape, and looting that took place in the city of Nanking (now Nanjing), China, during the Second Sino-Japanese War which lasted from 1937 to 1945. The Nanking Massacre occurred after the fall of the city, when Japanese forces occupied Nanking on December 13, 1937.
The atrocity of the Nanking Massacre involved widespread and horrific acts against the Chinese population by Japanese troops. It is estimated that over a period of six weeks, tens of thousands of Chinese civilians and disarmed soldiers were brutally killed in numerous massacres. The victims were subjected to extremely violent acts, including mass shootings, bayonet stabbings, beheadings, and mutilations. Additionally, numerous women were raped, and cases of forced prostitution and sexual slavery occurred during this period.
The Nanking Massacre has been the subject of intense historical debate and controversy, with denial and revisionism expressed by some individuals and groups. However, the vast majority of historians and scholars recognize the Nanking Massacre as well-documented and established historical fact. The event holds immense significance globally, as one of the most extreme examples of military aggression and crimes against humanity in modern history.
Efforts continue to remember and honor the victims of this tragic event, and the Nanking Massacre stands as a reminder of the importance of acknowledging and confronting historical atrocities to prevent their recurrence.
Etymology of NANKING MASSACRE
The word "Nanking Massacre" refers to a historical event that took place during the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, where Japanese troops captured the Chinese city of Nanking (now spelled Nanjing) and committed numerous war crimes, including mass killings, rapes, looting, and destruction of property.
As for the etymology, "Nanking" or "Nanjing" is a romanization of the Chinese characters "南京", which mean "southern capital" in English. It was the capital of China during various historical periods. The term "massacre" is derived from the Middle French word "macacre" or the Old French word "maçacre", which means "wholesale slaughter or carnage".
