The Nanjing Massacre

The Nanjing Massacre occurred in December 1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese War, when Japanese forces captured the Chinese city of Nanjing (南京). Over six weeks, thousands of Chinese civilians and prisoners of war were killed, and widespread atrocities—including mass executions, rapes, and looting—were committed. The event is regarded as one of the darkest crimes of wartime aggression, highlighting the severe human costs of military conflict and the importance of historical remembrance. It remains a sensitive and significant chapter in Sino-Japanese relations and world history.