SDHF Newsletter No.347 Primary Historical Sources Reveal The Truth About The Nanjing Incident (Revised Version) Series No.7: Chapter 6 The background of the American Missions in Nanjing supporting the Chinese Army

Primary Historical Sources Reveal The Truth About
The Nanjing Incident (Revised Version)
Series No.7: Chapter 6 The background of the American Missions
in Nanjing supporting the Chinese Army

Ikeda Haruka

(Translated by The Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact)

The National Christian Council, representing Chinese Protestant churches, was established upon the union of all Protestant sects in 1922. On May 6, 1937, at the National Council General Assembly, resolution was passed supporting cooperation to the extent possible with Chiang Kai-shek’s “New Life Movement”.

However, the “New Life Movement” was not just about cultural reform. The first of its three slogans was “Militarization of Life.” “Militarization means to have the military organization, disciplines, spirits, actions and life permeate through economy and society, and by doing so, to make the entire society one combat unit.”

Consequently, the New Life Movement was incorporated into the Nationalist Party’s wartime scheme of fighting the enemy for the purpose of nation-building, “as planned,” after the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Movement was to be involved in “War Area Service” and other actions.

Some Protestant churches hesitated in officially joining a political movement. But Chiang Kai-shek’s political leadership was established by this time and because of his profession of his Christian faith while he was held prisoner during the Xi’an Incident, the NCC decided to fully cooperate with Chiang’s “New Life Movement.”

As mentioned in Chapter 2, 3. (2) of this book, Minnie Vautrin wrote in her diary that, as a secret matter, Mr. Mills, leader of the American missionary group in Nanking, emphasized encouragement and comfort of the Chinese army. Mill’s intention along was the NCC’s policy.

As to the Chinese side, Colonel Huang Jen Lin was appointed general secretary of the “New Life Movement”. Colonel Huang was the very person missionary Mills informed of the American missionaries’ intention to support and protect the Chinese Army within the Nanking Safety Zone.

Therefore, what happened in Nanjing Safety Zone, which pretended to be something similar to that organized by Catholic priest Jacquinot in Shanghai, was not the result of neutral missionaries but of American missionaries who actively cooperated with the Chinese.

URL: 　 https://www.sdh-fact.com/book-article/1885/
PDF: 　 https://www.sdh-fact.com/CL/Primary7E.pdf

MOTEKI Hiromichi, Acting Chairman
for KASE Hideaki, Chairman
Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact