Today is a painful day that the Chinese people will always remember.It marks the 69th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre, committed by Japanese troops during World War II.
During the six-week-long massacre, over 300,000 Chinese people, including both disarmed soldiers and innocent civilians, were killed. In Nanjing, the capital of East China's Jiangsu Province, a long air attack alarm sounded across the city at 10 in the morning.
In the Italian city of Florence, a two-month exhibition about the Nanjing Massacre gets underway today (Wednesday).
The exhibition showcases more than 500 photos, 30 exhibits and 120 documents, as well as film footage. They document the facts of the massacre.and international rescue efforts. It is the first such exhibition in Italy. It will last two months and then move on to Rome.
Organizers say the aim of the exhibition is to reveal the truth of the massacre. And also to express the desire of peace-loving Chinese people to build a bright future with the peoples of the world.
The Nanjing Massacre occurred in December, 1937. That's when Japanese troops occupied the then capital of China. Historical records show that over 300,000 Chinese were killed. More than 20,000 women were raped. And one third of the houses in the city were burned down.
