A Rare Act of Courage: The 2022 Photo Album Donation

In 2022, Evan Kail, an American pawnshop owner, faced death threats for his decision to donate a photo album documenting Japanese wartime atrocities in China to the Chinese consulate in Chicago. By November 2024, Kail visited Nanjing to attend China’s National Memorial Day for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre, stating solemnly: “I want more people to know the truth.” His journey underscores a troubling reality—the Nanjing Massacre remains poorly understood in the West, despite its scale and significance.

The Nanjing Massacre: A Brief Historical Overview

On December 13, 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army captured Nanjing, then China’s capital, unleashing six weeks of systematic violence. Estimates suggest 300,000 civilians and disarmed soldiers were killed, with widespread rape and looting. Unlike the Holocaust, which occupies a central place in Western historical consciousness, Nanjing remains marginalized in global memory.

Western Ignorance and the “Forgotten Genocide”

Chinese-American author Iris Chang’s experience epitomizes this erasure. While researching her groundbreaking book The Rape of Nanking, she found:
– No mention in U.S. school textbooks or public libraries
– Educators unaware of the event
– Public discourse dominated by the Holocaust

A 2017 survey revealed 64.5% of Western respondents knew nothing about Nanjing, and none recognized China’s National Memorial Day. This amnesia stems from:
1. Cold War geopolitics: Post-WWII U.S.-Japan alliances suppressed scrutiny of Japanese war crimes
2. Lack of survivor diaspora: Unlike Holocaust survivors, Nanjing victims had limited migration to the West
3. Minimal media representation: Only a handful of Western films (e.g., The Flowers of War) address the massacre

Japan’s Three-Way Memory War

Japanese society remains fractured over Nanjing, divided into three camps:

### 1. The “Massacre School”
Academics like Yoshimi Yoshiaki affirm the atrocity using military archives and survivor testimonies.

### 2. The “Fabrication School”
Right-wing groups like the Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact promote denialist claims:
– Denying Nanjing’s pre-fall population (historically 600,000+)
– Dismissing burial records by the Red Swastika Society
– Attributing rape accounts to “Chinese propaganda”

Politicians like Shintaro Ishihara (former Tokyo governor) publicly called Nanjing “a Chinese fabrication,” while textbooks systematically downplay casualties.

### 3. The “Middle Ground”
Some scholars acknowledge violence but debate scale, often under political pressure.

How Denial Spreads: Tactics and Consequences

Japan’s denial industry employs sophisticated methods:
– International lobbying: Funding Western academics to publish revisionist studies
– Cultural suppression: Blocking films like John Rabe’s Diary (2009) from Japanese cinemas
– Generational shift: Surveys show only 45% of Japanese under 30 view WWII as aggressive, fueling nationalism

Why China Established a National Memorial Day

The campaign for official recognition gained momentum through:
– Grassroots efforts: In 2005, politician Zhao Long proposed a national memorial after visiting Nanjing’s纪念馆
– Survivor advocacy: Figures like Xia Shuqin (95 in 2024) demanded acknowledgment
– Global parallels: Following models like Poland’s Auschwitz commemorations

On February 27, 2014, China’s legislature designated December 13 as National Memorial Day, aligning with:
– Historical justice: Honoring 300,000+ victims
– Diplomatic signaling: Countering Japanese revisionism
– Peace education: Youth engagement through ceremonies and digital archives

Global Memorials: How Other Nations Remember

Comparative case studies reveal patterns in historical reckoning:

| Country | Event | Date | Key Features |
|———|——-|——|————–|
| Germany | Holocaust Remembrance | Jan 27 | Chancellor-led ceremonies at Bundestag |
| Russia | Victory Day | May 9 | Military parades, Immortal Regiment marches |
| Singapore | Total Defence Day | Feb 15 | Combines WWII memory with civil preparedness |

The Fight for Memory in the 21st Century

As of 2024, only 32 Nanjing survivors remain alive. Their fading voices face new challenges:
– Digital disinformation: AI-generated denialist content on social media
– Geopolitical tensions: U.S.-China rivalry risks sidelining historical issues
– Cultural diplomacy: China’s “Never Forget” exhibits touring Western museums

Yet, figures like Evan Kail demonstrate how individual actions can pierce the silence. As Xia Shuqin implored: “I just want Japan to admit they did this.” Until then, Nanjing’s memory remains both a wound and a rallying cry—one that transcends borders in its demand for recognition.

The lesson is universal: When history is contested, remembrance becomes an act of resistance.