This genocide was started by Japan’s idea that they were the greatest Asian power and superior. Japan also felt that they were right because they promoted trade and openness between Eastern Asian countries. They felt that China wasn’t cooperating with what Japan and other countries wanted and were not keeping good relations with those countries. Japan said that by taking over Manchukuo, and protecting Korea along with them. Another cause for Japan’s violence was had been taking over land and people an decided to invade China to get more control. One of the reasons why China was unable to defend themselves against Japan was the civil war that was currently going on when they were attacked. “1937, the year of the Rape, the old Nanking, the Nanking of the Qing dynasty, was competing with the new Nanking of the Nationalists. The Nationalist Chinese government was involved in civil war with the Communist party”(Chang) The fighting between themselves hurt their defense against Japan. Some Chinese people also stayed with the hope that they would be treated well. “Without protection, without personal resources, without a plan, all these people had was hope that the Japanese would treat them well. Many likely talked themselves into the belief that once the fighting stopped the Japanese would treat them civil” (Chang). They were abandoned by the Chinese government during the civil war and had to keep hope alive that they would be treated well. This genocide was caused by the Japanese superior mindset and the idea that the Chinese didn’t want good relations with them. However, the severity was caused by the Chinese civil war and the hope of the people.
This map shows the area Japan controlled in 1942. A cause of this genocide was Japan's thirst for power and control.
This image shows a Japanese soldier smiling after killing someone. Another cause for the large number of people killed was Japan's pride in killing the Chinese.<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3.swf" width="200" height="20"> <param name="movie" value="http://flash-mp3-player.net/medias/player_mp3.swf" /> <param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /> <param name="FlashVars" value="mp3=http%3A//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/March_of_the_Volunteers_instrumental.ogg&loop=1&autoplay=1&showstop=1&showinfo=1" /> </object>
This song is called The March of the Volunteers. It's the national anthem of the People's republic of China(Communists). It shows the division of China and a cause for why China wasn't able to defend themselves when Japan invaded.
