Immediately, without the approval by the Japanese headquarters, Matsui gave orders to divide the troops into three routes to invade Nanjing. On November 22, he told the General Staff: "We must capture Nanjing," and with available forces, "the goal can be attained within two months at the latest." Two days later he made the second battle plan. On December 1, requested by Matsui, the General Staff cabled the Central China Area Army to attack Nanjing. Matsui issued the operation order the same day.
On December 1, Japanese troops seized the fortress of Jiangyin. On December 5 they pushed forward to Nanjing"s outside defense line. Two days later they launched an attack on all fronts, broke through the defense line and moved forward to the city"s outskirts. On December 10, Matsui sent planes to airdrop his ultimatums to the besieged city, while the 18th Division captured Wuhu, cutting off the defenders" retreat. On December 12, fierce bombing made several breaches in the city wall, and Japanese troops came pouring in. Nanjing fell into Japanese hands. On December 17, a gigantic ceremony was held for Matsui to lead the Central China Area Army to enter the city.
After occupying Nanjing, Japanese troops carried out an exceedingly brutal massacre. During a period of about six weeks, they committed murder, arson, rape and every crime imaginable. Over 300,000 people, mostly civilians and POWs, were brutally slaughtered. And more than 20,000 women were raped. The aggressors plundered wantonly and set fires everywhere, destroying one-third of the well-known historical city and causing innumerable property damages. As Commander-in-Chief of the Central China Area Army, Matsui had given orders to "mop up resistances district by district" after seizing the city. He intentionally winked at those atrocities committed by his troops without stopping them. Therefore, he had unshirkable responsibility for the massacre.
Awarded for brutality
The outrages committed by the occupation troops in Nanjing shocked the international community. The then German diplomatic resident in Nanjing reported to his government, Japan"s then ally, that "the atrocities were not committed by individuals but by the whole Japanese army." "They"ve erected a monument of shame for themselves," he said. Under enormous pressure of world opinion, the Japanese government on March 5, 1938 recalled Matsui and some 80 of his subordinates. He took up the post of Privy Councilor on July 20 and resigned in 1940. He was decorated by Emperor Hirohito on April 4, 1942 for his role in the war.
After Japan surrendered, Matsui was arrested by the Allied forces on September 19, 1945. Beginning May 1946 the International Military Tribunal for the Far East staged interrogations of 28 Class-A war criminal suspects including Matsui that lasted more than two years.
During the interrogation Matsui quibbled that he fell ill at that time, so was not able to stop his troops from committing outrages. The International Military Tribunal for the Far East refuted his argument with ironclad proofs. The tribunal said: "His illness was not sufficient to prevent his conducting the military operations of his command nor to prevent his visiting the city for days while these atrocities were occurring. He was in command of the army responsible for these happenings. He knew of them. He had the power, as he had the duty, to control his troops and to protect the unfortunate citizens of Nanjing. He must be held criminally responsible for his failure to discharge this duty."
The International Military Tribunal for the Far East decided Matsui to be a Class-A war criminal. On November 12, 1948, the International Military Tribunal for the Far East found him guilty of war crimes and sentenced him to the gallows. He was hanged December 23 at Sugamo Prison.
