The parents of late U.S. author Iris Chang, who penned the 1997 best-seller “The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II,” are in Taiwan to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the ROC’s victory in the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945).
Chang Ying-ying and Chang Shau-jin, who arrived Aug. 24 from the U.S. on a six-day visit organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called on Japan to squarely face up to its actions during the eight-year conflict and issue a “sincere” apology. Although children during the war, both said they will never forget the bombings and atrocities by Japanese troops.
“I’m very concerned about that part of history,” Ying-ying said Aug. 27 at a Taipei media event, adding that her parents witnessed the destruction and carnage in the mainland Chinese city of Chongqing during the war.
Echoing Ying-ying’s remarks, Shau-jin said he experienced Japanese bombings during the conflict and recalled his elementary school teachers discussing the Nanjing Massacre with tears streaming down their faces. “We hope that the next generation will remember these incidents.”
Two days before, the couple accepted a posthumous citation on behalf of their daughter for her book from President Ma Ying-jeou at the Presidential Office in Taipei.
Ma said Iris’s work was inspired by the personal stories of her grandparents and their escape from a six-week orgy of bloodshed unleashed by the Japanese after the fall of the then ROC capital in December 1937. “This honor represents the appreciation and respect of the government and people of Taiwan for her efforts in focusing global attention on the darkest chapter in the ROC’s history.”
In response, Ying-ying said despite the traumatic writing experience, her daughter insisted on finishing the book as she believed it was her obligation to speak for the deceased and save their lives from oblivion.
According to the president, the book is testimony to the bravery and sacrifices of ROC nationals. It also reveals the heroic deeds of many foreigners who helped save numerous lives during atrocity. “These included German businessman John Rabe, U.S. physician Robert Wilson and U.S. missionary Wilhelmina Vautrin,” he said.
In a ceremony earlier this month, Ma also awarded posthumous honors to Rabe and Vautrin for their contributions in protecting civilians through establishing the International Committee for the Nanjing Safety Zone. (SFC-JSM)
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