| As the national crisis deepened, Chinese people meted out more and more severe punishment for "profiteers". In the summer of 1932, a large number of small militant groups calling themselves "the Corps for the Extermination of Traitors" emerged in Shanghai.They avowed themselves patriots. So they outrageously sent threatening letters, often accompanied by a bullet or a bomb,to Chinese shops or guilds dealing in or suspected of dealing in Japanese goods. In a short time, these groups had grown rapidly, their trace can be found across all major cities and commercial ports. Obviously, their action has an enormous impact on social order and Sino-Japanese trade. Terrified Chinese businessmen tried their best to take some measures to protect themselves against danger, but with little success.Chinese and foreign forces responded to and adapt to those challenges brought about by these groups from their respective positions and attitudes. In order to stop a bad situation from developing, Japan took tough action, but such actions exacerbate the deterioration of the situation. A widely reported rumor said that full-scale hostilities would break out again between China and Japan, resulting in greatly panic in local residents. For the sake of peace and stability, Chinese authorities finally decided to do their best within their power to curb all illegal and terrorist activities in connection with the anti-Japanese boycott movement. The various factions within the Kuomintang secretly took advantage of this form of organization to seek political interests. On the one hand,the Concession authorities and western powers arrested many members of these groups. On the other hand, they stood aside from this conflict at the risk of incurring Japan’s displeasure. Although some people accused these groups of breaking the law and disturb social order, most Chinese people expressed their deep sympathy for violent action, even support those "patriotic action". It is worth noting that the Chinese Communist Party severely criticized these groups cut themselves off from the masses by reckless action.And CCP tried to win the leadership of the anti-Japanese boycott movement.After Yun Hui-fang, Liu Chong-wu, Pan Hong-sheng and other members were sent to prison and put on trial, all forces engaged in a fierce battle in these cases. Hundreds of public organizations established "the Committee of Shanghai Various Circles to Support the Patriots", which played a crucial role in the rescue activities. Based on the principle of public trial, these trials were fully reported in the media. In the Yun"s case, the accused’s lawyers and the police prosecutors of the Shanghai Municipal Council argued about whether Yun’s patriotic motives could be taken as a reason for acquittal or light sentence, resulting in a sharp conflict between patriotism and the principle of rule of law. Judges at all levels no only defended the authority of the law, but also faced with public pressure for patriotism. Finally, they had to make hard compromises, to minimize Yun’s penalty. Outside of court, the public eager to demonstrate the legitimacy of Yun’s "patriotic act". And some people pointed out that it is difficult to reconcile a contradiction between the law and national feelings hidden behind the case. At the same time, the public also called on the government to allow them to participate in the judicial process of the trial of such cases. Compared to the Yun’s case, the Liu’s case was so complex that the three levels of courts heard the case for many times and eventually the trail lasted for around three years. Many public organizations have repeatedly appealed to Nanjing authorities to granted them a special amnesty, but the government and the KMT did not respond actively. Consequently, the public has a profound distrust of authority and courts. During this period, all sectors of the community broke through the obstructions to hold a grand funeral for Pan Hong-sheng, who was seen as a hero. In fact, there was an extensive political mobilization of the masses to participate in the anti-imperialist patriotic movement.However, due to inherent defects in the form of the Corps for the Extermination of Traitors, people were angry to discover that some criminals seek private gain under the cover of patriotism. As a famous businessmen and a gang leader, Zhang Zi-lian set up the "Blood and Soul Traitor Extermination Corps" to extort money from those merchants. The case destroyed these groups’good image in many Chinese people.On the basis of occupying a wealth of historical data, this paper uses an interdisciplinary approach, together with the theories, methods and achievements in history, law, social psychology, communication and political culture, to make a historical investigation of the Corps for the Extermination of Traitors. This paper reveals the following phenomena:more and more Chinese people attempted to express their patriotic enthusiasm, which finally pitched them into a legal quagmire. It is expected that this paper will be helpful for promoting our understanding of the anti-Japanese boycott movement. |
PDF Full Text Request