Ha+Jung+and+Sam+Dr.+M.+S.+Bates+89-97

=Dr. Miner Searles Bates =


 * Host**: Good morning Dr. Bates, and thank you for the interview today. Now, describe to us a little about your life before you went to Nanking, and tell us the reason why you went to Nanjing.


 * Bates**: My name is Miner Searles Bates. I was born on May 28th, 1897 in Newark, Ohio. To simply explain my educational background, I graduated from Hiram College in 1916 and went to St. John's College to study history. Later on, I got a Ph.D. in history from Yale. In, 1920, I was hired as a missionary faculty to teach students at the University of Nanjing.


 * Host**: You seem like you had a successful early life with all the degrees and being hired a missionary faculty to Nanjing. However, what was your position in the Safety Committee? What did you do to help the people of Nanjing?


 * Bates**: I wasn't in actual part of the Safety Committee. However, as the major part of the university moved to Chengdu by the invasion of Japanese army, I had to take the chair of the University Emergency Committee to remain in Nanjing. I was responsible for not only university-related things but also general parts of society such as hospital, schools, and agricultural enterprises. Also, I was very active in building the Safety Zone for Chinese refugees. The Safety Zone was able to provide refugees' basic needs such as food, shelter, and protection.


 * Host**: Your responsibilities must have played quite a role for the Safety Committee and the Chinese citizens. It's also nice that you helped the other foreigners build the safety zone. During your stay at Nanjing, what were some of the experiences that you encountered after setting up the safety zone in Nanjing?


 * Bates**: My friends and I put great efforts on facing against the Japanese authorities. I wrote numerous letters and written documents to inform horrific massacres. A tremendous number of innocent people died and were both physically and mentally abused by the Japanese soldiers. Everything in the city such as buildings, cars, and embassy building were burned. I saw a total chaos and disaster in Nanjing.


 * Host**: You and your friends were quite determined to save the Chinese citizens. Now, do describe the actions of the Japanese soldiers more, in what ways did the Japanese soldiers violate the privacy and rights of the Chinese civilians?


 * Bates**: There were numerous cases that Japanese soldiers violated privacy and rights of Chinese people. As I mentioned before, almost everything was destroyed including their properties. Rights of Chinese people were completely ignored. They were abused by the Japanese soldiers. Especially, in case of women, Japanese soldiers sexually harassed and raped them. It was not right for Japanese soldiers to ignore the rights of Chinese people.


 * Host**: Must have been some horrific scenes. I am curious, how do you view brutal actions of Japanese soldiers in Nanjing?


 * Bates**: As I was writing numerous reports and written documents relevant to all the brutal events happened in Nanjing, I was profoundly disgusted about the Japanese soldiers. What they've done to Chinese people weren't the actions of normal human beings. Those actions were only possible for insane and abnormal people. Japanese soldiers looked like satanic beings to me because of all the things that I've heard and seen in Nanjing. Their brutal actions were selfish and demonic.


 * Host:** Well, thank you for your time this morning Dr. Bates. It was nice interviewing you.