In the summer of 1937, the japanese attacked china and started the battle shanghai. The japanese WANTED to defeat china in just three months AND GET SOME OF CHINA'S TERRITORY. The japanese attacked china WITH tanks, bombs, and MISSILES But, the battle went on from summer to fall and both sides suffered many deaths. tHE JAPANESE THEN WERE CONTROL After the battle, the japanese were furious that the battle lasted more than three months and caused many CASUALTIES. therefore, the japanese plotted their revenge and planned the nanking massacre. THEY PLANNED TO ATTACK NANKING FOR MORE CONTROL AND LAND OF CHINA. the Japanese Imperial Army TRAVELED TO THE CAPITAL CITY AND attacked NANKING. The massacre lasted for six weeks and BY the end of the war, tHE JAPANESE murdered 50% of the civilians in Nanking. Around this time, Adolf Hitler was gathering his army back in Germany AND Because of this, the whole world didn't pay much attention to the massacre happening in Nanking. The united states and europe did try to help CHINA BY SENDING A COUPLE DOCTORS, MISSIONARIES AND BUSINESSMEN TO MAKE AN INTERNATIONAL SAFETY ZONE. tHEIR PURPOSE WAS TO AID THE CHINESE IN NANKING AND THEY ENDED UP SAVING 30,000 PEOPLE DURING THE MASSACRE.