Occupation of Nanking by the Imperial Japanese Army, 1937-1938

This paper focuses on the Japanese occupation of the Republic of China's capital, Nanking, in year 1937, and especially on the Nanking Massacre. It contains a summary of the developments in Sino-Japanese relations prior to the Second Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945 and of the various interpretations of this conflict's events, mainly focusing on the Nanking episode. The author uses literature in Czech, Chinese and English languages and his primary source is the diary of John Rabe, a German citizen who witnessed the Nanking Massacre. After the introduction of the historical context, the author describes the events in Nanking in years 1937-1938, the activities of the International Committee for the Nanking Safety Zone and finally analyzes possible causes of this dark part of Asian history. Key words: Sino-Japanese War, Nanking, Nanking Massacre, John Rabe, Nanking Safety Zone