Dec.+7th,+1937

=Dec. 7th, 1937=

It has been few weeks I wrote the last diary entry. I tried to write more, but my chronic disease, tuberculosis, reoccurred so I had to stay in my bed the whole time. I started to feel ill about a week ago, and now I am fine enough to write a diary. The weather is freezing. Even in my house - to be more exact, operational headquarters in Suzhou, China - I am shaking due to the chilliness. I wonder how the Chinese peasants overcome this coldness. Many of them live and sleep on the cold ground.

Due to my illness, the plan got messed up. On December 7th, few days before heading to Nanking, my illness suddenly flared up again. Therefore my right to command the army went over to Prince Asaka, an uncle of Emperor Hirohito. I can visualize his cruel and bloody command as he is from an imperial family. I knew this, and in the anticipation I issued orders to my armies:

Nanking is the capital of China and the capture thereof is an international affair; therefore, careful study should be made so as to exhibit the honor and glory of Japan and augment the trust of the Chinese people, and that the battle in the vicinity of Shanghai is aimed at the subjugation of the Chinese Army, therefore protect and patronize Chinese officials and people, as afar as possible; the Army should always bear in mind not to involve foreign residents and armies in trouble and maintain close liaison with foreign authorities in order to avoid misunderstandings.

Originally I planned to take only the well trained army into Nanking and serve my operation. I wasn’t thinking of massacre at all. Firsthand, I hoped to implant faith and confidence to Chinese people towards the Japan.

I collapsed in agony yesterday, listening to all the bloody massacre in Nanking. Prince Asaka and Nakagima general - one who commands the other part of the Japanese Army - were committing all those barbaric behaviors upon the people of Nanking. One of my soldiers handed me an envelope. The letter in the envelope read:


 * Destroy this letter after read

Kill all the prisoners

The letter was from Prince Asaka. I couldn’t think for a second or two, after seeing this ridiculous and thoughtless operation he was commanding. Kill all the prisoners? It is only going to lay the bigger consequences at the end. Is he really out of his mind?

My hands were trembling. My soldiers anticipated about my physical status due to my illness but I couldn’t help being infuriated. Japanese army should have make amiable alliance with China and implant a good image of Japan to chinese people. Asaka and Nakagima’s plans were very barbaric, careless, and insensitive.

The soldiers was also feeling uneasy. He added with a face full of grimace, “Referring to Asaka, the reason of this massacre is because of the increase in food supply as chinese population decrease, and because of the possible revenge from the peasants.”

I couldn’t respond to the soldier. Instead of words, I sent him back to his place with gestures. My body which couldn’t move because of the illness was resentful.