A new U.S.-produced film on Japan's occupation of Nanjing, and the subsequent massacre, is released in China this month amid fierce debate over the actual death toll. by Daniel Allen

Seventy years after the serious pre-Second World War combat between the Chinese and Japanese, the events of 1937 continue to provoke intense emotion and sour Sino-Japanese relations. The most infamous episode of Japan’s Chinese campaign was the Nanking Massacre, commonly known as “The Rape of Nanking,” in and around the then capital of China, Nanjing.

The horrific acts by some Japanese soldiers are now graphically displayed and recounted in the new U.S.-produced film documentary “Nanking,” currently playing in Beijing cinemas. Conceived, produced and funded by AOL vice-chairman Ted Leonsis, who says he was inspired to produce “Nanking” after reading the bestselling book “The Rape of Nanking” by Iris Chang, the film draws on letters and diaries from that time period, as well as archive footage and interviews with surviving victims and perpetrators of the massacre.

“This documentary is certainly not intended to stir up anti-Japanese sentiment. Although what happened in Nanking was grim and barbarous, this film is a drama which aims to show the full horror and folly of war, and the courage and resilience of human spirit,” says Leonsis. “Many people in the West still have no idea about what happened in Nanking, and we wanted to bring the event to life, not as a condemnation, but as a testament to those who died and those who endured it.”

The duration of the massacre is still not clearly defined, although the violence lasted for six weeks from December 1937 until February 1938. During their occupation of Nanjing, the Japanese army committed numerous acts of horror such as rape and arson, and the execution of large numbers of prisoners of war and civilian men, women and children.

Although China and Japan have both acknowledged the occurrence of wartime atrocities, the dispute over the Nanking Massacre still smolders. Only recently, around 100 Japanese ruling party lawmakers claimed documents from their government’s archives indicate “only” 20,000 people were killed in the attack. The statement drew an immediate rebuke from China, which puts the death toll at more than 300,000. Independent historians suggest the real figure is probably around 150,000.

Although the majority of Westerners living in Nanjing were evacuated before the Japanese arrived, a few remained behind in an attempt to protect the native population. A large part of “Nanking” is centered on the efforts of John Rabe (Jürgen Prochnow), a German businessman, Bob Wilson (Woody Harrelson), a surgeon who remained in Nanjing to care for massacre victims, and Minnie Vautrin (Mariel Hemingway), a missionary educator who helped thousands of Nanjing’s women.

Siemens businessman John Rabe, presumably because of his status as a Nazi and the German-Japanese bilateral Anti-Comintern Pact, formed a committee and was elected leader. The committee established the “Nanking Safety Zone,” a protective area designed to shelter innocent men, women and children from the worst excesses of the Japanese in other parts of Nanjing.

The city affirmed the existence of the safety zone, sending cash and food to the 25 refugee camps located around the U.S. Embassy. The Japanese army refused to recognize its existence, but promised not to invade as long as it remained demilitarized. Despite the fact that atrocities were carried out in the zone, Rabe and his International Committee were credited with saving between 50,000 and 250,000 Chinese lives through their heroic work.

“Nanking” has received numerous positive reviews and was awarded honors for “Documentary Editing” at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Although Japanese filmmaker Satoru Mizushima has called the film a “setup by China to control intelligence,” and plans to release his own “counter-documentary,” Leonsis defends his work, saying, “It isn't anti-Japanese, it’s anti-war.”

Details

"Nanking" will play at the Stellar International Cineplex in Beijing through August 31. Check bjxingmei.com for show times.