Consulate General of Japan in Shanghai.
Shanghai, New Year's Day.
Today is the day when the consulate invites personnel from foreign consulates and heads of foreign institutions to hold a New Year reception.
Simultaneously with the Nanjing Embassy.
This is a very important day.
This is Japan's best chance to re-present its image to the world.
On February 24, 1933, the League of Nations General Assembly voted 42:1 to adopt a statement denying the legitimacy of the pseudo-"Manchukuo" and requiring Japan to return Northeast China to China.
Japan, the only country that voted for itself, looked extremely aggrieved.
At the meeting, Japan’s special and plenipotentiary ambassador Matsuoka Yosuke spoke wildly:
In order to hold back the newly born communist Soviet Union and resist the Bolshevik expansion in the Far East, Japan established Manchukuo and took the lead regardless of bloodshed and sacrifice, but it could not get the understanding of Europe and the United States and other countries!
He announced Japan's withdrawal from the League of Nations on the spot, and then led his men to angrily exit the game.
When Matsuoka Yosuke returned to Tokyo, a large number of people gathered at the train station to greet him. Matsuoka Yoshitoshi, who withdrew from the League of Nations conference gracefully, walked through the crowd like a victorious general.
On March 27, the Japanese government issued a notice officially announcing Japan's withdrawal from the League of Nations.
After the outbreak of the Songhu Anti-Japanese War, Japan continued to suffer strong political and public pressure internationally, forcing them to put out fires everywhere.
Recently, there is some news that the Japanese troops who occupied Nanjing committed "very unbearable and terrible" evil deeds in this historic city of China.
Of course, Japan tried its best to deny it and always defended it as slanderous rumors.
For this reason, they specially instructed the officers on the front line to take a large number of photos and forge a large amount of evidence in an attempt to prove that the "Imperial Army" of the Empire of Japan was a "friendly army" that was used by the local Chinese people!
Shanghai and Nanjing have made full preparations to ensure the success of this reception.
Yusumasa Okamoto, Consul of the Consulate General of Japan in Shanghai, was personally in charge of the reception.
Just early this morning, he received a call from the Nanjing Embassy. The German named John Rabe. On the first day of the New Year, all the servants and employees solemnly paid their New Year's greetings to him. The refugees were in the courtyard. A neat line of people lined up to bow to him three times. Many young girls thanked Rabe for protecting them and saving them.
The Chinese presented him with a piece of red silk cloth 3 meters long and 2 meters wide, with the words "You are the living Bodhisattva of hundreds of thousands of people" written on it.
This is a bad sign.
And this also confirmed from another aspect how important today's reception was and how heavy the pressure was on me.
The situation inside and outside the consulate was like facing a formidable enemy, and the Japanese became more and more nervous.
Soon, the reception will begin.
At noon, foreigners were arriving at the consulate one after another...
…
Grand Bright Cinema.
Meng Shaoyuan walked into this cinema.
In the past, almost all of the movies shown here were American movies, and it was also a favorite place for Shanghai residents.
Wu Jingyi had arrived long ago.
The projectionist was brought over.
He looked a little scared.
Inexplicably, he has been controlled since yesterday.
Yesterday was New Year's Eve, and he actually stayed in the cinema all night.
Several specially armed men were watching over him all the time.
Of course, the attitude is still good.
His wife and children were specially taken to the cinema, wine and food were prepared for them, and he was told that as long as he successfully completed everything they asked him to do on the first day of the new year, he would be free.
But what on earth are these people going to do?
"name?"
Meng Shaoyuan looked at him and asked.
"Ma Guisheng."
"Shanghaiese? How many years have you been doing this?"
"Yes, I am from Shanghai. I have been doing this for three years."
"That's a veteran projectionist." Meng Shaoyuan said calmly: "Today, I want you to screen a few rolls of film, starting at two o'clock in the afternoon. You can go and debug it."
Along with the film, a check for three thousand oceans was also handed to Ma Guisheng.
Ma Gui has never seen such a large amount of money until he is so old.
"This...this is for me?" Ma Guisheng seemed to still not believe it.
…
"Your Excellency, Consul, there don't seem to be many reporters here today. Most of them are Japanese reporters."
"Go and take a look, what's going on?"
"Also, Yoshio Manda from the War Ministry came and said that there may be a terrorist activity against the reception today."
"Don't panic. Go ahead and call the Ministry of Industry Bureau. Continue to put pressure on them and ask them to send more patrols. Also, let our people take strict precautions."
"Yes."
…
"gentlemen."
After finishing the adjustment, Ma Guisheng came out, his eyes were red, and his voice was choked up when he spoke: "After preliminary adjustment, the film can be screened normally... I saw it, it's too tragic, it's too tragic... So many compatriots ah……"
He suddenly squatted on the ground and cried "Wow" loudly.
"Get up and wipe away your tears."
Meng Shaoyuan's voice was firm: "So, we must tell everyone clearly what happened in Nanjing, and show the truth to the whole world. Brother, you are an expert, please."
Ma Guisheng stood up, wiped his tears a few times, and took out the check: "Sir, I can't accept this money. I will give it to everyone for free today."
"This is what you deserve……"
"No, sir." Ma Guisheng laughed miserably: "So many compatriots have died. If I accept this money, am I still considered a person?"
"Thank you." Meng Shaoyuan tried his best to control his emotions: "We asked people from Kodak Shanghai Company to edit these films for us, and added additional commentary text. Your responsibility is to screen them completely."
"Don't worry, sir."
At this moment, Ma Guisheng felt that he had no hesitation!
…
"The Deputy Consul of the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai, John Schwarz, is here!"
John S. Shivers, whose real name is Servis, was born in an American missionary family in Chengdu, China. He is an authentic China hand.
At the same time, he is also one of the foreigners who holds a strong sympathy for China.
"Mr. Vice Consul, welcome."
Okamoto Jimasei welcomed him in with a smile on his face: "Your arrival is our honor, and it will also greatly promote Japan-US relations."
"Maybe." Xie Weisi shrugged noncommittally.
He knew what the Japanese were doing today, which was nothing more than to glorify their war crimes.
What makes him very helpless is that the U.S. government has been too accommodating and weak in dealing with Japan, which also contributed to Japan's carefree attitude.
No matter what, it is this land that is suffering!
…
Meng Shaoyuan lit a cigarette.
People have come to the cinema one after another.
Reporters from the media, staff from various agencies working in Shanghai, and even several officials from the Ministry of Industry and bureaus.
Among them were Joey Freemont and Hawes, members of the Shanghai Public Mutual Aid Association.
Cai Xuefei also came down accompanied by Butler Qiu.
This is something Meng Shaoyuan did not expect: "Madam, you are not suitable to come here."
"Why?" Cai Xuefei asked.
"Because..." Meng Shaoyuan hesitated for a moment and then said: "Because the film shown in a while will cause you extreme discomfort."
"This is of my own free will." Cai Xuefei said calmly: "I, and everyone else, want to know the truth and what happened in Nanjing!"
…
"Dear gentlemen."
Almost all the invited guests had arrived. A cheerful Okamoto Jimasa gave a welcome as usual, and then quickly turned the topic to the real purpose of today.
He showed a large number of photos to the guests present.
In the photos, there are many Chinese people waving to welcome the Japanese troops entering the city. Some were Chinese people taking "intimate" photos with the Japanese troops there.
There is even a photo of a Japanese soldier carrying an old Chinese lady on his back.
What an amazing "goodwill"...
…
Grand Guangming Cinema, 2pm.
Most of the people have arrived.
In the loudspeaker, a voice slowly sounded: "Today is the traditional Chinese New Year. I should have said some words of congratulations, but I really can't. Let the video tell you. What I must remind everyone is, There are only three reels shown today, each reel is 37 minutes long. They were shot by a 16mm camera. There are many reels in total, but we only selected three reels for screening because the content may cause some confusion. Everyone’s extreme discomfort…”
After Meng Shaoyuan finished speaking, he looked at Ma Guisheng beside him, and then nodded slowly.
…
"Dear gentlemen and ladies."
Okamoto Yoshimasa's voice was impassioned: "What I just showed you is the strict military discipline displayed by the soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Empire in Nanjing. The Nationalist government was extremely corrupt and brazenly provoked this war. And wherever the Imperial Japanese Army went, it was generally welcomed by the Chinese people, which also proves..."
Sinclair, the police chief of the Shanghai Public Settlement Bureau of Industry, and Xie Weisi's assistant quietly walked in, and the two said a few words in the ears of Moyes and Xie Weisi, the general directors of the Bureau of Industry respectively.
The expressions of Moyes and Xie Weisi changed drastically.
The two people discussed quietly for a while, and it seemed difficult to make a decision.
In the end, Xie Weisi made up his mind: "Mr. Moyes, you should do something. Now that that person has done this, he will not stop. If we don't take action, we will fall into a lot of passivity. "
"All right."
Moyes sighed: "What a madman."
Then, he raised his voice sharply: "Dear Mr. Consul, please forgive me for interrupting your speech rudely, but something is happening at the Grand Guangming Cinema. I suggest that anyone who is interested can go to Go there and take a look.”
Okamoto Ji Zheng was startled: "Mr. President, what do you mean by these words?"
"The truth, aren't we always telling the truth?" Moyes said solemnly: "You have the truth, but the Chinese also have their own truth. However, I think we can only tell what the truth is with our own eyes!"
