Memorial tells China's anti-Japanese war history in San Francisco

San Francisco, Aug. 17, (People's Daily Online)----A WWII Pacific War Memorial Hall opened in San Francisco attracted hundreds on August 15, its opening day, also the 70th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II.

"On Aug 15, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender. Seventy years later, we choose this same date, as the day to have the grand opening of this first Overseas China WWII Pacific War Memorial Hall," said Florence Fang, curator of the memorial hall during the opening ceremony.

The memorial hall, the first and only one of its kind outside China, is located at 809 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, center of the Chinatown. Hundreds of historical photos and artifacts exhibiting in the 3-story building tell history from the pre-Japanese-invasion period between 1931 and1937 to the Chinese people's anti-Japanese endeavors from 1937 to 1945.The exhibits also show the cooperation and friendship of China and the United States in fighting against the militarism during the World War Two.

Chris Nurss, a construction worker in San Francisco stopped and asked about the memorial hall. He told the reporter that he watched documentaries at the history channel on TV. "I know how brutal and cruel they were when they treated the Chinese prisoners. They starve them, beat them, they didn't treat them like human," He said "But I don't think many Americans know so much about that history."

"This memorial hall’s spirit and goal is to respect history and to cherish peace," Fang said, "to commemorate all WWII soldiers and civilians, who sacrificed and even gave their lives, fighting for liberty and peace. Without respecting history, there's no justice in the world; without learning from war's lessons, there's no peace in the world."

These artifacts are mainly from Fang's own collection, American private collectors' donation, China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage, and donations from the Flying Tigers Historical Organization.

James Whitehead, president of the Flying Tigers Historical Organization told spoke at the opening ceremony that for most Americans, most of them know that the World War Two began in Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941. For China, their World War Two began with the Japanese invasion battle of the Marco Polo Bridge in July 7, 1937. "Believe or not, there are too many people in the United States do not know today that China was an ally of the United States in World War Two. "

Liu Lei, a private collector in San Francisco, said that he put one of his collection pieces for the exhibition. " The exhibit which was given to the leader of the aggression war as a gift in 1937 actually is a masterpiece of Japanese painter Takeuchi Seihō. It can fully demonstrate what Japan has done." He also told the reporter that the exhibiting sword of the Class A war criminal and mastermind of the Nanking Massacre, Iwane Matsu is also a hard evidence of Japan's crime.

Ms. Fang told the reporter that the building of the memorial is to protect the truth, memorize the history and show overseas Chinese patriots and spirit. "I experience the war, I know how cruel the war is," said she.

She started the project on July 7, 2014. After a 400-day preparation, the white building used to house a Chinese newspaper, now carries out new mission: telling Chinese stories to people visiting Chinatown in San Francisco.