AformerJapanesesoldierdescribesa"pacification"expeditionhetookpartin:
"On28December1937,aforceof25menwasdispatchedtoavillageinLingshih,Shansi,forpacificationactivity.Whilewewereresting,weweresuddenlyhitbyaconcentratedattack.Theenemynumberedmorethanahundred.Weretreatedandassembledinasafelocation.Threeweremissing.
"Wereturnedtoheadquarters.Arescueunitof300menwasassembledandimmediatelysetoff.Reachingthevillage,theyfoundoutthatourthreefellowsoldiershadbeentakenprisonerbytheenemy.Inthe-10°centigradecold,theywerestrippedoftheirarmyuniformsandmassacred.Itwasunbearabletolookatthenumerousscarsofbeatingsandstabbingsontheirbodies."
日本一名退役軍人談到他參與的一次「敉平」征戰:
「一九三七年十二月二十八日,二十五人奉命前往敉平山西靈石縣一個村莊。我們休息時,突然遭猛烈襲擊。敵軍有一百人以上。我們退到一安全地點集合,三人失蹤。
「我們回到大本營。一支三百人救援隊馬上組成出發,來到那村莊,發覺敵軍把我們三個同袍俘虜之後,在攝氏零下十度嚴寒之中,脫去他們的軍服,然後宰殺。他們曾遭毆打、刀刺,身上傷痕纍纍,令人不忍卒睹。」