This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, as well as the 10th anniversary of the “Nanjing Massacre Archives” being inscribed on the Memory of the World Register. On December 2, the Memorial Hall, in collaboration with various sectors, held the “Remember History and Cherish Peace — 2025 National Memorial Day Themed New Book Launch” in Nanjing. A collection of new publications highlighting the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, exposing the war crimes of Japanese militarism, and promoting the great spirit of the War of Resistance was released.

Curating Historical Materials for International Translation to Highlight Postwar Judicial Conclusions

To further enable international readers to understand the historical and legal conclusions of the Nanjing Massacre, underscore the Nanjing Massacre Archives as part of the “Memory of the World”, and use facts to refute erroneous claims that distort history, deny, or glorify the war of aggression, the Memorial Hall has selected representative archival documents on the Nanjing Massacre, taking into account foundational, international, and accessibility factors. In collaboration with the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration, it has launched a translated series of historical materials titled Memories of World War II: The Nanjing Massacre, published by Foreign Languages Press.

The first volume of the series, What War Means: Japan’s Atrocities in China, was published in 2023. This year, the second and third volumes were newly released: Tokyo Trial: Evidence and Judgment of the Nanjing Massacre and Nanjing Trial: Evidence and Judgment of the Nanjing Massacre. From numerous trial documents, these volumes respectively select key materials from the International Military Tribunal for the Far East and the Military Tribunal for War Criminals in Nanjing, including witness testimonies, court hearing records, and verdicts, with relevant annotations. Through the archival records of these two tribunals, readers can gain a clear understanding of the legal conclusions regarding the Nanjing Massacre.

At the launch event, three newly translated books published in Japanese were showcased.

The Japanese edition of the series Memory of the World Register: Archives of the Nanjing Massacre, compiled by the National Archives Administration of China and published by Nanjing Press, organizes the Nanjing Massacre archival materials and translates them into Japanese. The collection includes records from the perpetrators of Japanese militarism, the blood-and-tear testimonies and accusations of Chinese victims, and accounts from third-party observers from countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

The new book Research on the Nanjing Massacre: A Critique of the Japanese Fabrication School, edited by Cheng Zhaoqi and published by Tokyo Shobo in Japan, systematically deconstructs the arguments of the Japanese right-wing denialists from an evidence-based perspective, drawing on original Japanese archival materials.

Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art Publishing Ltd., in collaboration with Japan’s Kadensha, published the Japanese edition of the book Altered Lives: Oral Histories of Nanjing Massacre Survivors, a joint project of the Memorial Hall and the History School of Nanjing University. This is the first Japanese-published oral history of Nanjing Massacre survivors.

By the end of November 2025, the Journal of Japanese Invasion of China and Nanjing Massacre had released three issues in Chinese, two in Japanese, and one in English. Each issue is distributed to over 50 countries and regions, including the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Australia, Brazil, and South Africa, with more than 1,000 copies sent to internationally renowned universities, major libraries, key research institutions, and scholars, thereby promoting the global dissemination of the historical facts of the Nanjing Massacre. The Japanese edition received high praise during the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, held by Chinese embassies and consulates in Japan. After receiving the journal, the Kyoto Prefecture Federation of the Japan-China Friendship Association published a book review in a Japanese newspaper to express their appreciation. The journal’s English, Japanese, and French editions, along with foreign-language books compiled by the Memorial Hall, were showcased at major international book fairs, including the 34th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair in the UAE, the 31st Beijing International Book Fair, and the 77th Frankfurt Buchmesse. They attracted attention from the global publishing industry and readers, further promoting the international dissemination of the historical facts of the Nanjing Massacre.

The Chinese, English, Japanese, and French editions of Journal of Japanese Invasion of China and Nanjing Massacre

Enhancing Historical Compilation and Research to Expose the War Crimes of Japanese Militarism 

Diaries kept by Japanese invading soldiers constitute one of the most important firsthand sources from the perpetrators’ perspective. People’s Fine Arts Publishing House has brought out A Japanese Invader’s Diary: The Authentic Record of The Diary of Morioka Shuji written by former Japanese soldier Morioka Shuji. Morioka Shuji served as a Private First Class in the Transport and Special Service Unit of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 30th Brigade, 16th Division of the Imperial Japanese Army. The diary was systematically compiled and published for the first time. Discovered alongside it were three photo albums belonging to Morioka Shuji, containing a total of 306 photographs. This book selects more than 20 of these images, which corroborate Morioka’s hand-drawn route maps and operational sketches. The diary, recorded from the perspective of a perpetrator, exposes the inhumane brutality of the Japanese invaders and serves as a stark warning to future generations never to forget the suffering caused by history, and to remain vigilant against any attempt to revive militarism.

Jiangsu People’s Publishing House has also released revised editions of The Diaries of John Rabe (by John Rabe, translated by Liu Haining et al.) and Terror in Minnie Vautrin's Nanjing: Diaries and Correspondence (by Minnie Vautrin, translated by Zhang Lianhong, Yang Xiaming, et al.).

The revised edition of The Diaries of John Rabe builds upon the first Chinese edition published in August 1997. Through years of meticulous archival research and field investigation, the translation team has verified many personal names, place names, and historical events that could not be clearly identified at the time due to limited information. The new edition incorporates testimonies from the Chinese Military Delegation of the Allied Control Commission in Germany, adds 498 annotations, includes nearly 200 letters and official documents, more than 400 records of atrocities, and over 100 historical photographs. Through rigorous documentary research and field verification, the work accurately restores names, locations, and events mentioned in the diary, reconstructing history in rich detail and significantly enhancing both its historical value and readability.

The revised edition of Terror in Minnie Vautrin's Nanjing: Diaries and Correspondence faithfully records the experiences of American missionary Minnie Vautrin during the Nanjing Massacre, detailing her efforts to establish a refugee shelter for women and children at Jinling (Gingling)  College and protect tens of thousands of Chinese women. Her diary narrates the experiences of women and children in Nanjing from multiple perspectives (that of a woman, an educator, and a refugee protector) revealing the systematic violence of the Japanese army while also highlighting the resilience and moral courage of humanity under extreme circumstances. The 2025 revised edition, while remaining faithful to the original text, adds over 200 research-based annotations to help readers clarify the relevant names, places, and events.

Oral history research is one of the key areas of the Memorial Hall’s archival studies. Its scope extends from the personal experiences of Nanjing Massacre survivors to their postwar lives, encompassing not only firsthand witnesses but also researchers, educators, communicators, and international friends. The subjects and content of oral history continue to expand and extend. Law and Justice in Retrospect: Postwar Trial Participants in the Accounts of Family and Friends is the result of a three-year project by the Memorial Hall researchers, who conducted interviews with the descendants of judges and prosecutors across Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangxi Province, Anhui Province, and Jiangsu Province. The book, published by Unity Press, features 17 narrators who, from perspectives as children, grandchildren, relatives, students, and colleagues, recount the rigorous and professional legal spirit of eight Chinese judges and prosecutors. Their deeds and character will inspire future generations to uphold the conclusions of the post-war trials and continue to advance in the pursuit of justice through law.

The new 11-volume Collection of Documents on Biological Warfare and Epidemic Prevention during the War of Resistance, edited by Zhang Xianwen and Lv Jing and published by Jiangsu People’s Publishing House, presents the latest research findings of the School of History, Nanjing University and the Institute of National Heritage & International Peace on Japan’s biological warfare. The series systematically compiles archival materials from China, Japan, Russia, the United States, and other countries related to Japanese biological warfare during World War II. These multinational archives, cross-referenced through the evidence chain consisting of “perpetrator—victim—third-party witness,” comprehensively reveal the atrocities committed by the Japanese army in biological warfare.

Deepening Research on the War of Resistance and Promoting the Great Spirit of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance

The Complete Record of the Battle of Nanjing is the final volume in the “Historical Materials and Research on the Battle of Nanjing” series issued by the Memorial Hall. It was jointly completed by senior experts Sun Zhaiwei and researcher Yang Yingqi from the Institute of History, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, together with a team of young scholars. Unlike previous studies that approached the Battle of Nanjing primarily from the perspective of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance, this book emphasizes a military history perspective, covering the preparation before the battle, combat operations during the battle, and the retreat in the later stages. It highlights the bravery and selfless spirit of Chinese soldiers in the Battle of Nanjing, upholds and promotes the great spirit of the War of Resistance, and provides an objective and detailed analysis of the reasons behind the battle’s defeat.

War sites stand as witnesses to history. Suffering and Resistance: An Investigation of Nanjing War Sites During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, authored by the research team of Lv Jing, Associate Professor of the School of History, Nanjing University and researcher at the Institute of National Heritage & International Peace, selects over 200 war sites. Leveraging a methodology that combines archival research with on-site investigations and supplemented by Historical Geographic Information System (HGIS) technology, the study reveals the incremental and pervasive spread of atrocities committed by the Japanese army in China and traces the tragic and heroic trajectory of Nanjing amid the ravages of war.

Deepening Historical Awareness and Upholding Justice and Peace

Immortal Jinling: The Biography of Minnie Vautrin, edited by Zhang Lianhong and published by Nanjing Publishing House, narrates in accessible language, with detailed historical materials and fluid prose, the deeds of Ms. Minnie Vautrin in protecting Chinese refugees during the Nanjing Massacre.

A Return to Secular Life, produced by the Institute of National Heritage & International Peace and published by Unity Press, is the memoir of Niu Xianming, a Chinese military engineering battalion commander of the Instruction Corps who personally experienced the Battle of Nanjing and the Nanjing Massacre. The memoir was systematically excavated and organized by his son, Niu Zejian. The book chronicles Niu Xianming’s 240-day sojourn at Jiming Temple in Nanjing following the Nanjing Massacre, recounting his harrowing survival in the aftermath of the atrocities.

The 12th volume of National Memorial: A Compilation of Materials Interpreting the National Memorial Day for the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre, edited by the Memorial Hall and published by Nanjing Publishing House, comprehensively presents the 11th National Memorial Day ceremony in 2024 and related educational activities. It features interpretations by authoritative domestic experts and includes relevant reports and information from both domestic and international media. 

At the launch event, Zhou Feng, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of Nanjing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China and Director of the Memorial Hall, presented copies of the books to representatives from Nanjing Library, Jinling Library, students from Zhonghua High School, and international volunteers.