On Wednesday, September 2, NYU Shanghai held a night of remembrance for the 70th anniversary of China’s liberation from Japanese aggression. To celebrate this anniversary Chen Jian, a Professor of History at NYU Shanghai and a world-renowned historian in modern Chinese history, and David Fitch, Interim Dean of Arts and Science at NYU Shanghai and a professor, held a lecture to discuss the events that occurred during Japan’s invasion, in general and particularly in Nanjing. To start off the night Professor Chen Jian took to the podium to discuss the importance of remembering the Japanese invasion and how it has influenced modern Sino-Japanese relations as well as China’s place and influence in the world. “History never ends. It is from remembering, critically and thoughtfully, the past that mankind learns how to better live today and tomorrow,” advised Professor Chen. Professor Fitch then brought the conversation onto a more personal level by focusing on the experiences of his grandfather, George Ashmore Fitch, who served as the Director of the International Committee for the Nanjing Safety Zone. George Ashmore Fitch was born in 1897 to a family of missionaries in Shanghai. He went to college in the United States, but later returned to Shanghai to help construct the first “Foreign” YMCA on East Nanjing Road in 1925. After the success of the YMCA in Shanghai, Fitch was relocated to Nanjing for the opening of another YMCA. It was there that Ashmore Fitch, along with Ernest Forster, Lewis Strong, John Rabe, Casey Smythe, and Eduard Sperling formed the International Committee for the Nanjing Safety Zone in November of 1937. The Nanjing Safety Zone was a demilitarized zone for Chinese civilians established on Dec. 13, 1937 -- the eve of the Japanese breakthrough in the Battle of Nanjing. It is estimated that the Nanjing Safety Zone saved around 250,000 lives. Professor Fitch relayed this information through a series of excerpts from his grandfather’s diary and through snippets of the historical film, “Nanking,” which documents the events that occurred during the Nanjing Massacre. These excerpts, images, and videos were able to vividly tell the story of the Nanjing Massacre through a first-hand perspective. At the end of his speech Professor Fitch highlighted three ideas: first, that individual acts are significant and can affect the lives of many; second, the concept of synergy, meaning that the creation of a whole is greater than the sum of its parts; and third, that benevolence and compassion can ultimately triumph over aggression and oppression. To commemorate this event, Professor Fitch honored NYU Shanghai’s Library Director, Charling Ning, for her hard work and dedication by donating some of his grandfather’s personal memoirs to the NYUSH Library. This article was written by Leidy Tapasco. Send an email to [email protected] to get in touch. Photo Credit: Asia Times