Throughout China, events were held Saturday to mark the 73rd anniversary of what's known as the "September Eighteenth" incident.
On September 18, 1931, Japanese troops landed in the northeastern city of Shenyang, marking the beginning of a brutal invasion. As part of the nationwide commemoration, hundreds of dignitaries from home and abroad gathered at a symposium in Beijing to call upon Japan to admit to its act of aggression.
In a solemn atmosphere, a wreath was placed at the Memorial of Chinese Resistance War against Japanese Invasion.
Hundreds paid their respects to the tens of millions who lost their lives at the hands of the Japanese invaders. Decades have passed, but for many, the pain is still there.
Honorary President of Society of China's Resistance War against Japanese Invasion Bai Jiefu said, "More than 30 million Chinese were killed by Japanese invaders. In the Nanking Massacre alone, 300,000 died. Even now, some Japanese still do not own up to such historical facts."
Nearly 300 war victims, their lawyers, veterans and historians from China and abroad gathered at one of the largest conventions ever held in the memorial.
Many condemned Japan's brutalities in the harshest terms, and years later, they are still looking for ways to heal the scars. For many of those who fought the invaders, recent acts by Japanese leaders have added insult to injury.
WWII American veteran Dan Winn said, "A few Japanese want the history corrected. But the administration is still controlling the people including Koizumi, who keeps visiting the Yasukuni shrine."
They denounced the Japanese government's attempts to cover up the atrocities through altering history books. Some of the strongest words came from the Japanese participants.
Japanese scholar Arai Shinichi said, "Japan is not properly reviewing their invasion atrocities, especially when the prime minister and his officials keep visiting the Yasukuni shrine. The Japanese public is treating the government's behavior with ambiguity and connivance, and that is the worst."
More than 7 decades have passed since the 9/18 incident in 1931. But time has not erased the painful memories. On the contrary, the pains are likely to get even worse in the absence of a proper solution by the Japanese government to the historical issues.
Similar events are held in other parts of the country.
In Shenyang, thousands of students gathered in front of a monument on which the date "September 18th" is carved. They're here for part of a series of patriotic lectures usually held during the anniversary. Local artists use public performances to give visitors an idea of what happened in the "September 18th Incident".
In Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang Province, new books about the "9/18 Incident" are published and sold at local bookstores for people to learn and understand history. Museums and exhibits vividly display pictures and artifacts of the Japanese invasion.
Tour guide of Northeast China Revolutionary Martyrs Museum Wang Dong said, "We're offering a free admission today. Apart from the exhibition in the museum, we also have a mobile team doing exhibitions in local schools and counties."
In city of Zibo in east China's Shandong Province, students held a ceremony pledging to remember the past and build China into a strong and prosperous nation.
(CCTV.com September 18, 2004)
