The Atrocities section of the website focuses on the Nanjing Atrocities that occurred from December 13, 1937 through the end of March 1938. During this time soldiers from the Japanese Imperial Army ran riot in the captured Chinese capital, unleashing a spree of violence, murder, and rape on the population. At the same time, a small community of Westerners chose to remain in the besieged city and establish what became known as the Nanjing Safety Zone. These handful of individuals assembled the largest body of materials specifically documenting the Atrocities.
Essential Questions:
- Are atrocities committed during war inevitable?
- How do you discriminate between wartime violence, war crimes, and crimes against humanity?
- In times of mass violence, why do some individuals help while others stand by? Is it possible to create a truly "safe zone" in a time of war?