The Rape of Nanking, also known as the Nanking Massacre, was a mass murder and war rape that occurred during the Second Sino-Japanese War, which lasted from 1937-1945. This horrific event took place in the city of Nanking, which was then the capital of China. After the Japanese army captured Nanking in December 1937, they began to commit a series of crimes against the city's citizens. Over several weeks, Japanese soldiers raped, tortured, and murdered about 300,000 Chinese civilians and POWs. Most of the victims were women and children. During the massacre, Japanese soldiers stole items from Chinese houses and burned them down with people inside. They also forced Chinese civilians to do embarrassing acts, such as drinking their urine and bowing to the Japanese, if they refused they were viciously slapped and beaten. Women were forced into prostitutes who serviced Japanese soldiers. They also tied the legs of women in labor so they and their children died from the horrible pain. One woman reportedly had her breast cut off - others were burned with cigarettes and electric shocks to punish for refusing sexual activities with the Japanese. …show more content…
Many of them gang-raped, tortured, then killed. Most of the time, it was in front of their families or army generals. They would make groups of women and girls and take them to what they called “comfort stations” where they were forced to provide sexual services for the Japanese soldiers. They were called “comfort women” that were victims of beatings, starvation, and sexual violence. The majority of the women and girls who were assaulted reportedly suffered long-term physical and psychological trauma as a result of these