Analyzing the “Photographic Evidence” of the Nanking Massacre

Monday, November 22: The international committee announced a plan to create a neutralrefugee zone free of a military presence to accommodate civilians. In reality, however,anti-aircraft guns and other Chinese military facilities were left in the safety zone—thearea in the map labeled “A”. As the map on p. 21shows, the southern area in the cityshould have been designated as a refugee zone because it was the most densely populatedarea. One may speculate that the Westerners chose the area because that was wheretheir residences were concentrated, and that the designation as a refugee zone served as aconvenient ruse to safeguard their own properties.CBCCABCBCBC“Nanking and its vicinity.” Mainichi-ban shina-jihen gahō, no. 13, 21 December 1937, p. 2.(Courtesy of Inagaki Kiyoshi). Letters inserted by the authors.Tuesday, November 23: Daily press briefings started. It was attended by the Nankingmayor, the garrison force commander, embassy staff members, foreign correspondents,American missionaries, and businessmen. The press conferences continued until thenight prior to the fall of Nanking.20