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gate while the refugees poured in. There is terror in the face of many of the women—last
night was a terrible night in the city and many young women were taken from their houses
by the Japanese soldiers. Mr Sane came over this morning and told us about the condition in
the Hansimen section, and from that time on we have allowed women and children to come
in freely; but always imploring the older women to stay home, if possible, in order to leave a
place for younger ones. Many begged for just a place to sit out on the lawn. I think there must
be more than 3,000 in tonight. Several groups of soldiers have come but they have not caused
trouble, nor insisted on coming in. . . .
The Japanese have looted widely yesterday and today, have destroyed schools, killed
citizens, and raped women. One thousand disarmed Chinese soldiers, whom the International
Committee hoped to save, were taken from them and by this time are probably shot or
bayoneted. “
Thursday, 16 December 1937 (Three days after the fall of the city to the Japanese):
‘Tonight I asked George Fitch [a Chinese-born American missionary head of the YMCA in
Nanking] how the day went, and what progress they had made toward restoring peace in the
city. His reply was ‘It was hell today. The blackest day of my life.’ Certainly it was that for me
too.
Last night was quiet, and our three foreign men were undisturbed, but the day was anything
but peaceful. . . .There probably is no crime that has not been committed in this city today.
Thirty girls were taken from Language School last night, and today I have heard scores of
heartbreaking stories of girls who were taken from their homes last night—one of the girls
was but 12 years old. Food, bedding and money have been taken from people - Mr Li had $55
taken from him. I suspect every house in the city has been opened, again and yet again, and
robbed. Tonight a truck passed, in which there were 8 or 10 girls, and as it passed they called
out ‘‘Giu ming’’ ‘‘Giu ming’’ — save our lives. The occasional shots that we hear out on the
hills, or on the street, make us realize the sad fate of some man - very probably not a soldier. . .
Djang Szi-fu’s son, science hall janitor, was taken this morning, and Wei has not returned. We
would like to do something but do not know what we can do—for there is no order in the city,
and I cannot leave the campus.
Mr John Rabe [Nazi party member and head of the Safety Zone] told the Japanese commander
that he could help them get lights, water and telephones service but he would do nothing until
order was restored in the city. Nanking is but a pitiful broken shell tonight—the streets are
deserted and all houses in darkness and fear.’
I wonder how many innocent, hard-working farmers and coolies have been shot today. We
have urged all women over 40 to go to their homes to be with their husbands and to leave only
their daughters and daughters-in-law with us. We are responsible for about 4,000 women and
children tonight. We wonder how much longer we can stand this strain. It is terrible beyond
words.
The “strain” would continue for eight more weeks.
In the last entry of her diary, April 14, 1940, Minnie Vautrin wrote: “I’m about at the end of my energy.
Can no longer forge ahead and make plans for the work, for on every hand there seems to be obstacles of
some kind. I wish I could go on furlough at once, but who will do the thinking for the Exp. Course?”
Suffering from psychological trauma from the massacre, Vautrin had a nervous breakdown in 1940 in
China and returned to the United States for medical treatment. She was admitted into a mental institution
and underwent electroshock therapy. A year to the day after she left Nanking, believing herself a failure, she
ended her life.
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