- The Nanjing Massacre -
The [initial] massacre in Nanjing and the surrounding areas continued for more than ten days. In the daytime, not a soul was to be found on the streets, except for the Japanese forces running harum-scarum throughout the city. In the evening, except for the lamps set up by the Japanese army, it was pitch dark outside. From the first day the Japanese occupied Nanjing, many tens of thousands of unarmed and defenseless people suffered brutal deaths. But the atrocities of the Japanese did not stop there.
On December 17th, the Japanese army held a so-called "victorious entry into
the city" ceremony during which the commander of the Japanese expeditionary
force in central China, Matsui Iwane 
[1878-1948],
poised atop a large steed, entered Nanjing. While heaping praise upon his subordinate
commander, Tani Hisao, for various military gains [already achieved],
Matsui Iwane was making arrangements for the second phase of the
massacre.
Matsui believed that by shutting their doors, the shops, companies, and residents of Nanjing were staging a deliberate act of defiance against the Japanese. So he ordered them to open their doors and welcome the Japanese. At the same time, Matsui used this order as a pretext to ransack houses and businesses in search of anti-Japanese elements.
In the last ten days of December, the campaign to clear the streets began. Japanese soldiers shouldering loaded rifles were stationed at the entrances to all the streets, avenues and alleys in the city. Motorcycle brigades patrolled the entire city. Japanese soldiers, in groups of three to five, went from door to door wielding long swords, loudly screaming out orders, and insisting the doors be opened. Accordingly, the companies, shops and residents all opened their doors. With surprised and inquisitive looks on their faces, those who had been hiding inside for so long could not help but poke their heads out their doors to look around and see what had happened outside. Then catastrophe befell them. The moment they opened their doors to take a look, the Japanese opened fire. Many shopkeepers and other residents were hit and fell to the ground under the din of the echoing gunfire. On this one day alone, the dead and wounded numbered in the thousands.
At the same time, the Japanese were carrying out a large-scale search of the area. Young shopkeepers and residents suspected of being anti-Japanese were carted away without being given a chance to defend themselves. The Japanese said that these people were to be interrogated, but frequently they were taken away never to return. In reality, they were taken to Wutai Mountain, doused with gasoline, and burned alive. All told, more than 10,000 people were killed in this manner.
After this incident, the murderous blades of the Japanese soldiers were turned upon the businessmen and remaining residents [of Nanjing]. Japanese soldiers in groups of twos and threes, whether they were officers or soldiers, horse groomers or army truck drivers, recklessly forced their way into homes and businesses and wantonly carried out searches and arrests. Sometimes they even carried out on-the-spot executions. A shroud of terror descended upon the entire city as the campaign to clean the streets was carried out.
