preface
Do you remember the discovery of the Nanjing Massacre photo album by the American brother Kyle?
In mid-November last year, he successfully donated the album to the Chinese Museum. This precious photo album is officially back in China!
To show his gratitude, the Chinese side also gave him a bag as a gift in return, and when he opened it, he was very surprised.
A video stirred up a thousand waves
One day in 2022, Kyle, the owner of a pawnshop in the United States, was doing his daily business when a different guest walked in, holding a very elegant-looking photo album in his hand.
Judging from the packaging of the album, this album has existed for a very long time, and there are many photos in it.
As Kyle carefully examined the packaging of the album, the customer told Kyle that he hoped to sell the album at the pawn shop.
Kyle curiously opened the album, the first half of which were beautiful landscape photos of East Asian countries, each of which was intoxicating.
However, the second half of the album is quite different.
It records a horrific history of the Holocaust that, depending on the time, place, and context of the massacre, should have occurred during the Japanese invasion of China.
Just by imagining it, Kyle could feel the cruelty and brutality of the scene.
The photographs were silent evidence, yet through them, he seemed to hear the cries and screams of the victims. After seeing the photo, Kyle felt so sick that he almost vomited.
At the same time, he also tried to find details in the photographs to determine exactly where and when the scene took place. After repeated reading, Kyle noticed one of the place names, written in pinyin Nanjing.
Almost immediately, he dared to guess that this photo album recorded the history of the Nanjing Massacre in China. He had long heard about the Nanjing Massacre in China, but it wasn't until he saw the photographs that he felt the brutality more clearly.
Moreover, he knows that those who caused all this still refuse to confess their crimes.
Faced with this controversial photo album, Kyle was determined to buy it in order to leave more research evidence about this history. After getting the album, he quickly made a backup and asked an expert to identify it.
Although these photos were not the scene of the Nanjing Massacre, they were taken in Nanjing.
That night, Kyle couldn't sleep.
He tossed and turned, his mind full of images from the photo album. Even as an outsider, he was deeply shocked by these cruel acts, which shows that the Japanese army caused irreparable damage to the Chinese people.
Given the album's significant historical value, Kyle eventually decided to release a video to solicit the opinions of fans. The video quickly attracted widespread attention, and subsequently, at the suggestion of netizens, Kyle and the clerk decided to contact the museum.
Many Chinese netizens came to Kyle's video comment section after learning about the incident, thanking him for his efforts and reminding him that the photos did not record the Nanjing Massacre, but the massacre on Shanghai's Nanjing Road.
Threatened, at risk
The next day, while Kyle was hesitating what to do with the album, a man burst into Kyle's shop. Before Kyle could ask, the man tried to snatch the album. Kyle then took out his weapon and scared the man away.
Then, as Kyle prepares to go home and start the car, the accident happens again.
Suddenly, a man drove a car towards Kyle, who immediately recognized it as the same person who had come to the store to snatch the photo album earlier. Kyle moved quickly and fled by car. Fortunately, Kyle was familiar with his surroundings and reacted quickly, saving his life.
Kyle also realizes that his situation is very dangerous, not only is someone following, he has received a large number of threatening letters and death threat calls, and what makes Kyle more frightened is that his family is also threatened.
His mom called, with a crying voice in her voice, telling Kyle that she had received a life-threatening message from their family and that he called the police to ensure safety.
At this time, Chinese netizens reminded him in the comment area:
"Thank you for daring to tell this story, and I hope you stay safe and protect this album and yourself."
"Hopefully, this album will be returned to the Chinese government, it is evidence of the suffering we have gone through."
The words of netizens also represent Kyle's voice. He had been planning to give the album to the Chinese government, but he didn't know how to contact the person in charge, so he asked for help on the online platform.
At the same time, however, he was plagued by numerous verbal abuse and threats.
Kyle was contacted via private messages and other means. Kyle was advised to destroy the album immediately and offered to pay $500,000 in return. Others hope that Kyle will sell the album to himself, no matter how high the price, as long as Kyle offers, they will accept.
Others threatened Kyle's personal safety, warning him that he must never hand over the album, otherwise he might not be able to see the sun rising tomorrow.
Time passed unusually slowly for Kyle.
He wears body armor all day and carries that precious photo album with him. He carries a gun at all times to deal with potential threats.
Kyle also thought about seeking help from the local police, but the local police did not believe what Kyle said, so they refused his request.
Donate to China for free and receive a national gift
In November 2022, Kyle successfully contacted the Chinese Consulate in Chicago. Without hesitation, he decided to give the album to China free of charge. He knows that this album is of great significance to China and believes that China has the ability to keep it safe.
On the day of the handover ceremony, Kyle said: "This album has let some netizens know the history of the Holocaust through social media, and I hope it will contribute to the history education of China." I am willing to donate this album to China in the spirit of peace, harmony and friendship. ”
Kyle also received a "national gift porcelain" from the Chinese authorities, and at the time, Kyle did not realize the preciousness of this porcelain, which he thought was just a fine handicraft. He filmed a video display and displayed it in the store for several days.
Subsequently, under the reminder of Chinese netizens, Kyle knew the weight of this "porcelain".
The significance of porcelain vases is so great that we have only given this precious gift to a few people so far.
The first is Bethune, an international communist fighter and famous doctor, the second is Rabe, who specially established a shelter during the Nanjing Massacre and protected the lives of 250,000 ordinary people, and the third is Kyle, who donated the photo album to us free of charge!
epilogue
Chinese has always attached great importance to emotions and adhered to the principle of "Gratitude Pictorial". For every kindness, we will return it wholeheartedly.
At the same time, as netizens said, there is no lack of evidence for the Nanjing Massacre, what is really missing is the investigation and apology of the culprit. For many years, the liquidation of Japanese war criminals was inadequate, but the descendants of war criminals controlled the Japanese political situation for a long time.
Therefore, Japan has always denied history and tried to cover up war crimes and glorify its actions.
The appearance of each historical document once again highlights the cruelty of the war and the damage caused to Chinese people. No matter how time changes, as long as the people exist, the pursuit of historical truth will never stop.
We must remain vigilant, live in the present, learn from history, and always be vigilant against Japan's actions.