Chapter 53 2. The Devil's Claws Extend into the Safe Zone

On the afternoon of December 12, a large number of soldiers and civilians flocked to the north, and Rabe knew that the fall of Nanjing was imminent.He ordered the workers of the International Committee to quickly insert the flags of the safety zone with a black circle and a red cross on a white background all around the safety zone as a distinctive symbol. On the roof of the International Committee.Germany was a country allied with Japan, and Rabe took advantage of this relationship to cleverly use the flag symbolizing German fascist rule to protect the refugees in Nanjing. At around 5 a.m. on December 13th, Rabe was woken up by the sound of violent air raids. Since he learned the news of the Chinese defenders’ full retreat and breakout last night, he knew that it was inevitable for the Japanese army to enter Nanjing today. .After he got up early, he specially wore a set of crisp brown suit, a beautiful black tie, and a brown wool top hat on his sparse bald head.For the safety of the 250,000 refugees in the safe zone, he will use this solemn attire to welcome the Japanese troops entering the city today.

In the bloody living hell of Nanjing, there is a relatively safe place, which is indeed an international safe zone flying the banner of humanitarianism. Near noon, the big fat man Rabe led the members of the International Committee, holding the flag of the safety zone in his right hand, walking around with a slight swing.When I came to Hanzhong Road, I met a vanguard of the Japanese army.Rabe immediately greeted him and greeted him politely: "Hello!" A Japanese military officer came out and started a conversation with Rabe through the interpreter beside him: "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Rabe replied: "We are members of the International Committee of the Nanjing Safety Zone, and we are here to welcome your army and ask your army to effectively protect the safety zone." "Where is the safe zone?" The Japanese officer asked hesitantly, and took out the military map he carried with him. Rabe nodded and continued: "We have contacted the headquarters of your army through Father Shanghai Rao, and the commander of your army replied that he knew about it, and said that if there were no military facilities and armed personnel in the safe zone, the Japanese army would not intentionally impose attack……"

The Japanese military officer looked on the map, and the deputy director-general of the International Committee, Fei Qu, immediately stepped forward, pointed at the scope of the safe zone with his finger, and then solemnly circled it with a pen. The Japanese officer nodded and said, "Understood, please rest assured!" Rabe's tense heartstrings relaxed, and the Westerners happily waved goodbye to the Orientals: "Good Bye!" Back at the general office of the International Committee, someone reported that when Rabe and his party went to meet the Japanese army, a Japanese army entered the south entrance of the safety zone and shot and killed more than 20 refugees who were fleeing in terror.Rabe's joy was swept away, and he murmured with a heavy heart: "How could it be so?! How could it be so?!..."

In the afternoon, Rabe immediately drafted an official letter and asked someone to quickly translate it into Japanese. On the 14th, Rabe, Smith, and Forstall drove to the Japanese army to contact them and demanded that the issue of refugee protection in the safe zone be effectively resolved.They visited five Japanese military officers successively, but none of them were willing to accept the official letter.The car was running around in Nanjing, and every one or two hundred meters would encounter corpses. Sometimes the corpses blocked the way and had to get out of the car to move.Rabe examined them carefully, and found that they were the corpses of some civilians, and the bullets penetrated from behind. Obviously, these civilians were shot and killed by the Japanese army from behind while they were running in terror.In the shops on both sides of the street, Japanese soldiers looted property in groups.If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Rabe would not have believed it anyway. This is indeed the army of the Japanese Empire, an ally of Germany, degraded to the point where it is no longer different from bandits.

In the evening, he returned home with a heavy heart. The next day, Rabe woke up early again. This 50-year-old man was once again running around for the fate of the refugees in the safe zone.On this day, through Fukuda, the counselor of the Japanese embassy, ​​he finally got in touch with Major General Harada, the head of the Japanese secret service.At noon, Major General Harada received Rabe, chairman of the International Committee of the Nanjing Safety Zone. Afterwards, he toured the safety zone for a week and came to the general office of the International Committee. Rabe's conversation with Harada was interpreted by Fukuda.Rabe first expressed his gratitude to your army for not bombarding the safe zone.This is followed by a report on the situation in the safe zone and issues that need to be addressed.He emphasized two points in particular: first, the Japanese army was required to send troops to guard the entrances of the safe zone to protect the safety of the refugees; second, a small number of Chinese soldiers had put down their weapons and entered the refugee zone. They returned to civilian life.

Major General Harada replied: Troops will be stationed at the entrances of the safe zone to maintain order; the Chinese soldiers in the city must be searched, and the benevolent attitude of the Japanese army can be relied on for the Chinese soldiers who have been disarmed. A ray of hope rose again in Rabe's heart, however, this short ray of light quickly disappeared.In fact, the promise of the Japanese army is just another fool and deception of kindness.Just after the conversation, the situation took a turn for the worse, and bloody butcher knives and terrifying gunshots enveloped the entire Jinling.