Rape of Nanjing — Japanese Forces Massacre Chinese Civilians

Japanese forces entering the Chinese capital Nanjing carried out six weeks of mass murder, mass rape, looting, and arson. The International Military Tribunal for the Far East (Tokyo) documented 260,000 deaths; Chinese sources cite 300,000+; academic estimates range from 100,000 to 300,000. The International Safety Zone established by foreigners — including Nazi Party member John Rabe — sheltered up to 250,000 Chinese civilians. The atrocity became a permanent fixture in Sino-Japanese relations and one of the defining war crimes prosecuted at the Tokyo Tribunal.