In every war in history, there have always been some worthy people who have been honored, and to those who have been damaged by war, they are like beacons of light. In the United States, the Quakers freed their slaves and helped them establish the "Underground Railroad." In Europe during World War 2, Nazi Party members Schindler ran away their family wealth and rescued 1,200 Jews from the gas chambers of Auschwitz. Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg rescued at least 100,000 Jews by issuing fake passports.
Within weeks of the fall of Shanghai, in November 1937, French priest Rao Jiaju established a neutral zone in Shanghai, protecting 450,000 Chinese refugees whose homes had been destroyed and displaced during Japanese aggression. Almost at the same time, a group of Europeans and Americans in Nanjing decided to establish a safe zone in Nanjing. They established this safe zone to provide a place of refuge for Chinese civilians trapped in the war against the backdrop of war between China and Japan. One of them was called Schindler of China– John Rabe.
When the war broke out, most of Johann Rabe's fellow Germans heeded the advice of friends and embassy officials and had left China long before the Japanese troops arrived in the city, but Raabe chose to stay in Nanjing and was soon elected chairman of the International Committee for the Safe Zone. But in fact, even Japanese embassy officials met with Rabe and strongly advised him to leave, but he stayed. After the fall of Nanjing, on the orders of his superiors, the Japanese army shōsaoka, who came to protect Rabe, once asked him: "Why do you want to stay?" Why are you involved in our military affairs? What do these things have to do with you? You won't have anything to lose when you leave here! ”
Rabe paused for a moment and then replied, "I have lived in China for more than 30 years, my children and grandchildren were born here, I live happily here, and my career is successful." Chinese have always been nice to me, even during the war. If I had lived in Japan for 30 years, and the Japanese people had been equally kind to me, I would assure you that I would not leave the Japanese people in a time of crisis, as china is currently facing. ”
John Rabe protected more than 200,000 Chinese during the war. He protected ordinary civilians in Nanjing who had no conditions to flee from the killing of the Japanese army, and protected some women from the ravages of the Japanese army. He also brought light to Nanjing, including Robert Wilson, the only surgeon in Nanjing during the Nanjing Massacre, and Minnie Witterin, the "living bodhisattva of Nanjing".
Their appearance was like a beam of light in that dark age, bringing hope to Nanjing at that time.
Reference book: "Nanjing Massacre" - Zhang Chunru