JAPANESE OUTRAGES IN CHINA

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 278, 20 August 1938, Page 5 (Supplement)

JAPANESE OUTRAGES IN CHINA

“What War Means: Japanese Terror in China,” by H. J. Timperley (London: Gollancz).

"Perhaps this book would not have come to be written,” states the author (who was the “Manchester Guardian” representative at Nanking), “had it not been for the fact that telegrams reporting the outrages committed against Chinese civilians by the Japanese troops which occupied Nanking in December of last year were suppressed by the Japanese authorities in the foreign cable office at Shanghai.” Among these telegrams were several addressed by Mr. Timperley to his paper. Although he was satisfied that the information on which they were based was irrefutable, he decided, as the Japanese authorities had alleged that some of them were grossly exaggerated, to search for documentary proof. A wealth of corroborative evidence was so easily available that he conceived the notion of publishing tire evidence forthwith. In a flyleaf is quoted an extract from "The Imperial Precept to the Soldiers and Sailors,” Issued by the Emperor Meiji ou January 4, 1883. “Those who thus appreciate true valour should in their daily intercourse set gentleness first and aim to win the love and esteem of others. If you affect valour and act with violence the world will detest you and look upon you as wild beasts. Of this you should take heed.” How fur the soldiers of the modern Japanese army have departed from this precept is terribly told in the pages of Mr. Timperley’s book. The happenings of the days following December 13, when the Japanese troops entered Nanking, are told in a series of letters received from foreign residents who were helpless eye-wit-nesses of the cruel atrocities practised on the civilian population. Arson, looting, wholesale murder and wholesale rape took place daily, and the soldiers responsible were not restrained by their officers. Officers, indeed, are specifically mentioned as taking part in some of the excesses. An honoured few of the officers did indeed privately express their sorrow and regret, despite risk of death and dishonour in doing so, and a few also took very mild action against the rank and file perpetrators of violence, but tlie attitude of the authorities was in the main one of “liassez faire.”

Tlie book is fully documented in appendices, which make it clear that case after case of authenticated violence was submitted to the Japanese authorities, only to be ignored.

As a record of what: war can mean when conquerors, without regard for precept as quoted above, allow their passions to go unbridled, this book is worthy of study by all, no nuttier what opinion may be held as to the best means to adopt for Ute maintenance of peace.

It should lie noted that all royalties from its sale, over and above Hie cost of preparation for publication tire to he devoted to Retl Cross work in China.