World in Brief, Los Angeles Times, June 20, 2007
“Rape of Nanking toll disputed,” proclaims
The headline (seventy years later). Now
What have we here? Some Japanese, defamed
(It seems) by Chinese rancor, question how
Their Imperial Army’s escapade
Got to be such a big deal—a little
Loot, a bit of rape—doubtless, our troops strayed—
War’s like that, tends to make soldiers brittle.
To say we murdered three hundred thousand
Chinese innocents—that’s preposterous!
Simple propaganda. We need to end
Extortionate claims, historical fuss.
We’ve researched well, exposed that story’s cracks;
We killed no more than twenty thousand—max!
(6/23/07)