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Education is the foundation of peace.
WHO WE ARE
ALPHA's mission is to foster awareness of an often overlooked aspect of World War II history, in the interest of furthering the values of justice, peace, and reconciliation, both for survivors of the past and for those who shape the historical narratives of the present and future.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day
Sunday, December 13, 2020
On December 13, 1937 the Japanese Imperial Army invaded and conquered Nanjing, then Capital of China and was merciless to both civilians and captured soldiers, inflicting an estimated death toll of 300,000 in six weeks. It is estimated 20,000 – 80,000 women, including children and the elderly, were raped during the occupation of Nanjing. Most were immediately killed after the rape occurred.
Mass murders and torture were commonplace during the Nanjing Massacre, entire families were erased, and city blocks were burned to the ground. Bodies were burned, many thrown into mass graves, or tossed into the Yangtze River turning it red. The Nanjing Massacre is often referred to as the Rape of Nanjing, a testament to the cruelest forms of inhumanity at the same time there were those who provided humanity in the face of intense fear and terror.
The Nanjing Massacre is a confirmation of how war yields brutal acts of violence, death, and sufferings. We need to remember the victims and the history, not the hatred. For this reason, in 2017 the Government of Ontario passed motion 66, declaring December 13 as Nanjing Massacre Commemorative Day to remember and honour the victims and families of the Nanjing Massacre and to uphold humanity, reconciliation, and peace.
As we remember Nanjing, we remember all victims of all massacres.
2020-2021 ALPHA Education Webinar Speaker Series
Connecting History to Contemporary Issues
You are invited to join us for our second webinar!
Racism and Military Aggression:
Lessons from World War II & The Cold War.