We need constant attention, not momentary anger or thinking

Daphney 2022-01-22 08:03:47

On the 25th, Nanjing! Nanjing! On the 29th, Rabe’s diary. In just 5 days, my nerves received two strong shocks. Surprisingly, the two viewings were actually free. The former was invited by a friend, and the latter was an event organized by the "Beijing News. Friday". I feel a little guilty, I think I should contribute something to these two meaningful movies. Someone has already paid for the money, so I can only offer an essay.

The Nanjing Massacre, as an indelible page in our national memory, has been put on the screen many times. Those bloody and cruel images occupy our heavy memories and will never be forgotten. But for this catastrophe, my most intuitive impression is the number of 300,000, because for so many years, what we have been fighting with the Japanese is not the nature of the massacre and the size of this number!

Before I saw it, I had been looking forward to seeing shocking and realistic scenes of the massacre. The fantasy touched my increasingly numb nerves through these images, and the fantasy thus evoked my even more visceral hatred of Little Japan. However, when the images that stimulate the senses were actually screened, I still couldn't help shuddering, like a frightened bird. It was really an ambivalent mentality. Nanjing! Nanjing! The film machine gun shot in the movie, the "drink hot soup" and the hundred people cut in Rabe all made me close my eyes, and even so, I couldn't control the tears that drew my eyes. After watching movies for many years, I have watched a lot of themes of war, violence, and horror. I never reacted too uncomfortably. It was just that when I came to the theme of the War of Resistance, I couldn't extricate myself, because the people killed there were all Chinese! My nationality determines that I cannot maintain absolute objectivity in this period of history.

I am not particularly familiar with the details of this period of history. As mentioned earlier, our historical education only taught me to remember the number of 300,000 for a lifetime, and to remember the bloody feud between the Chinese and Japanese nations. As for the other truths, I learned bit by bit on my own. I firmly believe that the creators of the two films have done a lot of data retrieval to restore the historical truth as much as possible. Of course, different perspectives and differences in expression techniques may conflict with our value judgments. Think about it carefully, in fact, whether it is Nanjing or Rabe, they are all commercial films. Nanjing! Nanjing! Kadokawa in Zhong is a semi-fictional character. His role is to say what he wants to say for Lu Chuan. The ambiguous relationship between Lang Shu and Dr. Rosen in Rabe’s diary are all elements of commercial films. The whole movie is true and criticized. Nanjing! Nanjing! The emergence of evoked people's renewed discussion about this period of history. Rabe's release is more likely to cause the world to explore and think about the truth. Based on these social effects, I would like to pay tribute to all the creators.

Nanjing! Nanjing! At the end of the movie, there was a subtitle stating that Xiaodouzi was still alive, and the audience clapped with relief. Have you ever thought about the other victims of the disaster? Those comfort women, those slave laborers, those gas war victims, etc. More than 70 years have passed, and they have been seeking justice for themselves, for their dignity, and to see the perpetrators being punished with justice. However, they were greeted by the Japanese right-wing forces in every possible way, and behind them were the vast numbers of indifferent compatriots!

The subtitles were also played at the end of Rabe’s diary. Rabe donated most of his property in Nanjing and helped 200,000 Chinese. After the war, he wanted to quit the Nazi party, but was rejected by the Allies. He died of illness in 1950, and he was called "Chinese Schindler" and Schindler himself turned out to be the same. I noticed that when the subtitles were played, there was not much sorrow underneath. We really did, like our allies, selectively give sympathy and forgiveness.

Humans and history are always strikingly similar. Ironically, we all habitually choose paranoid hatred that is easier to learn. In the face of big right and big wrongs, we are all unitary value judgments, either completely negating or thinking too rationally. People always ignore the people and things that really need to be paid attention to. Temporary anger or thinking can only bring me psychological satisfaction and relief, but it cannot solve practical problems and let those who need help get our help.

The first anniversary of the 5.12 Wenchuan Earthquake is coming soon. Recall, everyone, how long have you been paying attention to this historical event? How much help has been provided to compatriots in those disaster areas? Did the trivial life make you gradually forget the tears at that time? Did the numb nerves occupy your mind again? Let us stop unnecessary quarrels, stop blindly hatred, look at the moment, do what we can do seriously, pay attention to and help people around us who are in real difficulties, instead of loosening our upper and lower lips. Only when everyone is united can the country be stronger and avoid the recurrence of historical tragedies.

Temporary enthusiasm may be worthy of admiration, but long-term forgetfulness and indifference are downright terrifying.

View more about John Rabe reviews

Extended Reading

John Rabe quotes

  • Dr. Robert Wilson: I don't like Nazis.

    Valérie Dupres: He isn't a Nazi.

    Dr. Robert Wilson: Yes he is.

    Valérie Dupres: He's just a member of the party.

    Dr. Robert Wilson: Which makes him a Nazi.

    Valérie Dupres: Are you a member of the church?

    Dr. Robert Wilson: Yeah, so what?

    Valérie Dupres: What do you think of witch burning?

    Dr. Robert Wilson: Ah, well, looking at you, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea.

  • Dr. Lewis Smythe: This is a war, not a dancing class. We can't save everyone.