The Nanking Safety Zone: Behind the Scene
The Nanking Safety Zone had members who were Westerners living in Nanjing, China for business. Although these members were foreigners, they impacted many lives during the massacre. Thousands and thousands of Chinese rushed into the Safety Zone seeking for help. Many were very lucky to be kept, but with how small the area was (about the size of New York's Central Park), it couldn't fit the whole city of Nanjing. Within The Safety Zone, the members provided the refugees with care, food and shelter- having a capacity of 25 refugee camps. Japan told Rabe that the army wouldn't attack in the areas where there weren't any Chinese military forces. Therefore, the members of the committee demanded the Chinese soldiers to leave The Safety Zone. The power of The Committee was not as superior due to the Japanese Army's atrocities. The soldiers trespassed the area, fired a few shots, abducted over 100 men and women from time to time and raped and killed right on the spot. The Committee would try to reason with the Japanese army, but not much could have been prevented. In the end, these Westerners were able to save over 200,000 Chinese: 200,000 Chinese that could of died along with the other 800,000 Chinese.
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