The Blitz: what it meant. Above Forty-five children killed , Catford, 1943, Below A man and a dog com back from a A Sunday walk to find...

 　“The Blitz” refers to the large-scale, indiscriminate aerial bombardment (massive air raids) carried out by Nazi Germany against major British cities—particularly the capital, London—from September 1940 to May 1941 during World War II. The term derives from the German word “Blitzkrieg” (lightning war).

　Although the German military initially targeted military facilities, the campaign eventually evolved into a terror bombing campaign aimed at demoralizing the civilian population. London was bombed for 57 consecutive days, and over 40,000 civilians lost their lives during the war. Even after 1941, intermittent air raids and damage caused by new types of weapons, as described below, continued until the very end of the war. This refers to the tragic air raid on Sandhurst Road School in Catford, southeast London, on January 20, 1943. 

　On that day, a German Fw190 fighter-bomber flew in at low altitude during the daytime and dropped a bomb directly onto the school, which was in the middle of lunch. The attack killed 38 children and 6 teachers (44 people in total) instantly, with several more dying later in the hospital. This incident, which claimed the lives of more than 45 children, is deeply etched in the British memory as a symbol of brutality. 

　The scene witnessed by a man and his dog returning from a Sunday stroll powerfully conveyed the horror of everyday life being mercilessly destroyed in an instant. A man and his dog, returning home from a peaceful Sunday walk, found their neighborhood reduced to a pile of rubble by the bombing. There lay the bodies of their beloved family members and the unrecognizable ruins of their city. Ordinary life suddenly became a battlefield, and in a single day, they lost everything. Such harrowing personal tragedies were repeated countless times in London at that time. This was not merely a historical record; it served as an indictment of the atrocities of war—a war on a national scale (the Blitz) that robbed children of their futures (the Catford tragedy) and utterly destroyed their modest happiness.

On February 10, 1942, during the Pacific War, the Bukit Timah junction—just a stone’s throw from downtown Singapore—became the scene of fierce fighting. After catching their breath, Japanese troops advanced along the road littered with corpses.

　　On February 10, 1942, during the Pacific War, Japanese forces were just one step away from Bukit Timah Junction, the heart of Singapore, which had become a fierce battleground. After catching their breath, the Japanese troops advanced along the road littered with corpses.

　　Immediately after the outbreak of war on December 8, 1942, the Japanese Army’s 25th Army, led by Lieutenant General Yamashita Tomoyuki, landed on the Malay Peninsula. Advancing southward at breakneck speed during the Malayan Blitz, they covered approximately 1,100 km in just 55 days, reaching the southernmost tip of the Malay Peninsula. On February 8, 1942, the Japanese forces crossed the Strait of Johor and launched a fierce assault on Singapore, the British fortress island. Bukit Timah is the highest hill range located in the central part of Singapore Island. It housed massive British underground fortifications, the island’s only reservoir, and a cluster of warehouses storing large quantities of military supplies. Bukit Timah was a key defensive stronghold leading to downtown Singapore, and a Japanese breakthrough there would deal a fatal blow to the British forces.

　　On February 10, 1942, fierce fighting broke out at the Bukit Timah junction in Singapore. From the night of February 10 through the 11th, the most intense battles of the campaign were fought in the Bukit Timah area. The Japanese main forces, the 5th and 18th Divisions, advanced toward the Bukit Timah junction, which led to the city center. A mixed force of British, Australian, and Indian troops, retreating from across the Malay Peninsula, also mounted a fierce defensive battle to hold the line at all costs. 

　　On the road littered with corpses, intense artillery duels and brutal hand-to-hand combat unfolded along narrow roads and in the jungle, resulting in massive casualties on both sides. The Japanese forces, completely exhausted from days of non-stop marching and fighting, paused only briefly to catch their breath before continuing their advance. Having been breached at the Bukit Timah junction and having lost their reservoir and supply depot, the British forces completely lost their will to fight. Cut off from water, food, and ammunition, British Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Percival determined that further resistance was impossible. On February 15, a few days after the fierce battle at Bukit Timah, the British forces accepted an unconditional surrender. The fall of the Fortress of Singapore—the British Empire’s impregnable jewel—in less than a week signaled a historic turning point marking the decline of the British Empire and the end of colonial rule in Asia.

A Turkish farmer stood in the wilderness where the bodies of fallen Greek soldiers had been left unattended since 1922. In 1922, the wilderness of Asia Minor had become a silent, unmarked graveyard, bearing witness to the grim conclusion of the Greco-Turkish War that had raged for several years.

  Turkish farmers stood in the wilderness where the bodies of fallen Greek soldiers had been left unattended since 1922. In 1922, the wilderness of Asia Minor had become a silent, unmarked graveyard, bearing witness to the tragic conclusion of the Greco-Turkish War that had raged for several years. The Greek army, which had advanced deep into Anatolia under the banner of the “Megali Idea,” suffered a devastating defeat after encountering a fierce counterattack by the Turkish National Army led by Mustafa Kemal. Amid the chaos of the retreat, the bodies of many Greek soldiers were never recovered and were left abandoned in the wilderness as far as the eye could see.

  The contrast between life and death: In this land where fierce battles once raged, the bodies of the Greek soldiers symbolize the “failure of national ambition” and “death.” In contrast, the Turkish farmers standing there are symbols of “life”—those who survived the war and now intend to cultivate the land once more to make a living. The blood shed by the soldiers and the borders claimed by the state are nothing more than temporary upheavals in the face of nature’s relentless cycle. For the farmers, that wilderness was not a battlefield of ideologies, but the very place of gritty, everyday reality where they made their living. The year 1922 was not merely the year the fighting ended. It was a decisive historical turning point that led to the “population exchange” under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, completely severing the bonds between two peoples who had coexisted for centuries.

   The scene that greeted the Turkish farmers must have been one of the war’s essential emptiness—a feeling that could not be dismissed as mere jubilation over victory. The abandoned corpses, once spoken of as symbols of the “enemy,” were stripped of their clothes and covered in mud, reduced to the universal tragedy of “the deaths of young men.”

   Greek soldiers rotting away in the Anatolian soil, far from their homeland, and the Turkish farmer who could do nothing but watch. There lies a silence that transcends words and the deep scars left by the madness of nationalism. The stance of this single farmer eloquently conveys to us today the truth that what remains after the immense violence of war has passed is not the glory of victory, but senseless death and the heavy reality faced by the people who must accept it and carry on living.

On March 3, 2002, following the massacre of Palestinians by Israeli soldiers, Palestinian civilians sentenced to death in summary trials are carried away from the line. The remaining Palestinians stand before a wall, awaiting screening and interrogation.

 　　On March 3, 2002, following the massacre of Palestinians by Israeli soldiers, Palestinian civilians sentenced to death in summary trials are carried away from the line. The remaining Palestinians stand before a wall, awaiting screening and interrogation.

　　As if they were about to be shot, Nidal Abdallah (17) was detained. “They told everyone to come out of their homes. They said all men between the ages of 16 and 45 had to come out. Then they made us all sit on the ground.” They were subsequently divided into two groups, and Abdallah and about 150 others were detained overnight. During that time, “they would occasionally call someone outside, beat them a little, and then whip them mercilessly—slapping them in the face.” Al-Nazar Maternity Hospital in Ramallah was in the midst of Israeli military shelling. There were many wounded people around the hospital, but medical staff could not reach them.

　　Zionist murders must not be publicized. On March 31, the Israeli military announced that “Ramallah has been designated a closed military zone” and expelled European human rights activists and journalists from the town. So that Israeli soldiers could freely kill large numbers of people. The Israeli military also expelled journalists from the bureaus of foreign news agencies, including Reuters, and seized those offices. They had to completely shut down the media in order to massacre Palestinian civilians at will. The Foreign Press Association (FPA) issued a statement protesting the Israeli military’s orders. “The media has the right to report on this major incident. We demand transparency regarding these operations in the Palestinian autonomous area.”

In April 1945, Mussolini and his mistress were captured while attempting to flee to neutral Switzerland and were executed by Italian partisans.

   In April 1945, Mussolini and his mistress were captured while attempting to flee to neutral Switzerland and were executed by Italian partisans. Although the Italian partisans hoped to liberate large swathes of Italy from German control, in reality they achieved success only in carrying out small-scale operations. In the spring of 1945, guerrilla activity resumed in Italy, but the only tangible achievement of the Italian Resistance was the execution of Mussolini and his mistress as they attempted to flee to Switzerland in April 1945.

   In contrast, in Italy, although partisans who began operations after the surrender sided with the Allies, they were unable to establish liberated zones. Their attempts were easily suppressed by German forces between September and October 1944, and in November 1944, General Alexander, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, broadcast a call to the partisans to cease large-scale operations.

  From a military standpoint, the resistance against German forces in Yugoslavia was of greater significance. Resistance to the Nazis triggered a military coup on March 27, 1941, leading to the overthrow of Prince Paul, the regent of Yugoslavia, just two days after he had brought the country into the Axis alliance. In response, Germany invaded on April 6 with the support of Italian forces.

    The challenges of organizing resistance within the ethnic melting pot that was Yugoslavia, combined with the German army’s ruthless reprisals, appear to have been the primary factors that led the Chetniks, under Mihailović’s command, to refrain from taking action against the German forces and instead wait for a future opportunity to reestablish Serbian dominance in the postwar situation. Mihailović, who had likely already adopted this strategy by the fall of 1941, was increasingly forced into full cooperation with the Italian and German armies due to the rise of the rival communist guerrilla movement.

A terrifying toll: The civil war claimed 8 million lives, with most victims succumbing to starvation and epidemics.

   The civil war following the Russian Revolution of October 1917 claimed a staggering 8 million lives. Famine and disease claimed even more lives. In addition to combat deaths, the forced requisitions associated with the Bolsheviks’ “War Communism” policy devastated rural areas and triggered an unprecedented famine. Deteriorating sanitary conditions allowed epidemics such as typhus to rage, claiming some 8 million lives. This tragedy represented the ultimate humanitarian crisis brought about by the clash of radical ideologies and the collapse of social infrastructure.

   The advent of the Russian October Revolution also marked the beginning of a horrific civil war. The Bolsheviks, who had been a tiny minority, clashed with Kerensky’s supporters and their former allies from the early days of the February Revolution. In particular, they came into violent conflict with the White Army, which was supported by the Allied Powers—fearing the spread of Bolshevism to their own countries—as they reorganized. Against Admiral Kolchak’s forces along the Volga, General Yudenich threatening Petrograd, and Denikin, who had seized control of the Don River and Ukraine before laying siege to Tula, Trotsky organized a disciplined army supported by powerful partisan units. Neither side showed mercy. Allied forces landed: the French in Odessa, and the Japanese and American forces in Vladivostok. Even in Moscow itself, it took six days to secure control.

  Trotsky’s Red Army, having appointed a large number of former Imperial Army officers and introduced conscription, saw its ranks swell from 150,000 in 1918 to 3 million by 1920. On July 16, 1918, the imperial family was massacred in Yekaterinburg. The White Army was virtually insignificant in the civil war, despite receiving support from the Allies. Lenin prophesied to the White Guards defending the Kremlin: “Did you think the path of revolution was strewn with roses? No, revolution is no game. That path is covered with thorns and brambles. Clinging to the ground with our claws and teeth, we must march toward communism. Only then can we overcome these trials.”

The figure lying on the ground in the Russo-Japanese War could be a soldier who fell before the main force arrived, or an enemy soldier, symbolizing the harsh realities of the battlefield.

The uniforms and equipment of the Russian soldiers marching through Manchuria are characteristic of the Imperial Russian Army of that era. The soldiers are marching in a line across the desolate plains of Manchuria. The figure lying on the ground may be a soldier who fell before the main column or an enemy soldier, symbolizing the harshness of the battlefield. During the Russo-Japanese War, the Russian army utilized the Trans-Siberian Railway to transport massive troop numbers into Manchuria. 

August 30, 1904. The fall of Port Arthur to Japanese forces appears imminent. The Japanese army had captured all surrounding fortresses and, north of Liaoyang—located about 250 miles northeast of Port Arthur—had effectively cut off the Trans-Siberian Railway. Within the harbor, three Russian battleships were sinking under torpedo and artillery fire from the mainland. More than 22,000 Japanese reinforcements were expected to arrive in Port Arthur shortly. The small number of Russian troops remaining in the city are expected to launch a brave but ultimately futile assault. These losses, combined with the defeat of General Kuropatkin’s corps earlier this month, have dealt a devastating blow to Russia. 

The Japanese victory may be due to a strange new tactic. The night attack threw the Russian army into confusion. Searchlights were focused on the Russian encampments, blinding the soldiers and plunging them into terror. The Japanese army chose to destroy strategic facilities rather than leave them in Russian hands. On the outskirts of Liaoyang, after the Russian army withdrew, they burned bridges and shelled the railway station. The Japanese strategy was so inscrutable that Russian officers were unable to formulate any countermeasures. Even when the Russian army won battles, the gains were minimal. Japanese prisoners of war refused to give the Russian army any sense of satisfaction by committing suicide. August 10. The Russian battleship Askold sailed north in search of safety, leaving Port Arthur to the Japanese conquerors. Dozens of people died when a railway bridge collapsed.

 

The scene depicting Simba and his companions basking in triumph before the bodies of the two dead mercenaries symbolizes the moment when the myth that white soldiers were invincible was shattered.

 　　The depiction of Simba and his men basking in triumph before the bodies of two dead mercenaries symbolizes the moment when the myth that white soldiers were invincible was shattered. Believing themselves to be impervious to bullets through a magical ritual, Simba and his men demonstrated their legitimacy and power by publicly displaying the corpses of their enemies—particularly those of the much-feared white mercenaries.

　　This is the caption for a photograph capturing a harrowing scene from the Congo Crisis of the 1960s. It encapsulates the geopolitics of the Cold War, the decolonization of Africa, and the insane aspects inherent in the very existence of “mercenaries.” The attack on Albertville (now Kalemie) marked the first deployment of the mercenary forces sent to suppress this Simba rebellion.

　　The Congo Crisis and the Simba Rebellion: In 1960, immediately after gaining independence from Belgium, the Republic of the Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) plunged into a fierce civil war, marking the outbreak of the Congo Crisis. In 1964, armed forces advocating Lumumbism (leftist and anti-Western) rose up in the east. Known as “Simba” (meaning “lion” in Swahili), they seized control of much of eastern Congo under a banner of radical anti-imperialism.

　　Many of the mercenaries at the time were former soldiers who had fought in World War II, as well as white men from apartheid-era South Africa and Rhodesia. Under the pretext of “preventing the spread of communism,” they went to the battlefield in pursuit of high pay. However, their conduct was largely chaotic, and they were notorious for repeatedly committing massacres and looting against the local population.

　　The defeat at Albertville and “The Rejoicing Simba” refer to the “Lakebourne Attack” mentioned earlier, an operation that attempted to retake Albertville by crossing Lake Tanganyika. However, this initial battle ended in a disastrous failure for the mercenaries.

　　“Siegfried Müller,” who appears in the latter half of the caption, is one of the most iconic and sinister figures of the Congo Crisis. He was always seen wearing his World War II “Iron Cross” on his chest, and his image—drinking beer while coldly recounting the state of the war—was featured in the documentary film *Africa Addio* and shocked the world.

The description that he “dug and decorated the graves of his dead subordinates himself” reveals his peculiar chivalric spirit on the battlefield, or perhaps a morbid fascination with death. He attempted to portray his mercenaries not as a mere group of money-grubbers, but as a kind of “elite warrior corps”; in reality, however, their actions amounted to a relentless series of brutal massacres.

　　Credits such as “The Photo Source” and “Agence Dalmas” indicate that this scene was distributed worldwide through the media. The Congo Crisis was also one of the earliest conflicts in which war photographers captured gruesome corpses and execution scenes at close range, and these images were consumed by Western society through weekly magazines and other outlets—part entertainment, part horror. These images capture a moment in post-colonial Africa where a proxy war of the Cold War, racial hatred, and the madness of mercenaries who called themselves “professionals of war” collided. Their story, which began with the defeat at Albertville, would subsequently escalate into a brutal mop-up operation that bathed the entire Congo in blood.

This is the scene of an airstrike carried out by U.S. and Israeli forces on a school in Minab, southern Iran, on February 28, 2026. More than 100 Iraqi girls were killed. The hand of one of the girls who died was exposed amid the rubble.

 This is the aftermath of an airstrike carried out by U.S. and Israeli forces on a school in Minab, southern Iran, on February 28, 2026. More than 100 Iraqi girls were killed. The hand of one of the deceased girls was exposed amid the rubble. The U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran have sparked strong criticism within the United States, particularly among Trump supporters (MAGA).

On March 1, 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump launched a military attack on Iran. This attack was carried out jointly with Israel. It was reported that a school in Minab, southern Iran, was struck during the attack, resulting in the deaths of over 100 children. The attack was described as a “completely abhorrent and evil act.” Members of the House of Representatives also strongly criticized it. On social media, he expressed his anger, stating, “Even if the government were to survey voters on how many casualties they would accept in a war with Iran, the answer would be zero.” This contradicts the Trump campaign’s pledges of “America First” and ending wars abroad. 

Meanwhile, reactions within the U.S. political sphere are divided. Republican House members criticized the attack, calling it “contrary to America First.” Both Republican and Democratic senators supported the Trump administration’s decisive action against the threat of Iran’s nuclear development. This attack took place in the midst of diplomatic negotiations. Negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program had been ongoing, mediated by Oman. During the 12-day war between Israel and Iran the previous year, the U.S. had already attacked three Iranian nuclear facilities. The attack on Iran created a serious rift in U.S. domestic politics. Trump’s long-held principles of “diplomacy to avoid war” and “America First” were severely called into question by this military action.

During World War I, the bodies of people who had been victims of German poison gas attacks lay scattered in the woods near Dunce, along the Meuse River in France. War, including the use of poison gas, is a crime against humanity.

 During World War I, the bodies of people killed by German poison gas attacks lay scattered in the woods near Dunce, along the Meuse River in France. War, including the use of poison gas, is a crime against humanity. The Women’s Peace Union (WPU) distributed this leaflet in the 1920s to remind the American public of the human toll of World War I.

This is an anti-war appeal issued by the Women’s Peace Union, a peace movement organization, after World War I; it is a declaration that strongly asserts war is a “crime against humanity.” The text calls on those who understand the horrors of war to take action for peace.

First, it speaks to those who are willing to face the reality of humanity suffering due to war. It specifically recalls that approximately 10 million soldiers lost their lives in World War I, emphasizing the immense sacrifices war has exacted. The appeal was directed at those who had the courage to face this cruel reality, rejecting sentimental views that glorify war as something “glorious.” 

It criticizes the current state of affairs, in which preparations for war continue worldwide despite the fact that eight years have passed since the armistice was signed. It warns that if war were to break out again, many more people would be killed in ways even more brutal than before. It states that new weapons such as “death rays,” “poison gas,” “pathogens,” and “even more terrifying machines” would be used, indiscriminately killing not only men but also women and children, suggesting that future wars could be even more destructive. It further argues that even beloved family members would be unable to escape this destruction.

She asks readers whether we should not do everything in our power to rid the world of war—this “black plague of unnecessary death and suffering.” As a concrete action, she calls on them to send donations to the Women’s Peace Alliance, a peace movement organization.

Finally, the organization’s fundamental philosophy is presented. It is the belief that “violence and bloodshed are always wrong in principle and lead to catastrophic results in practice.” They are working toward the goal of making war illegal through legislation and achieving world peace. This serves as a powerful anti-war message that strongly conveys the horrors of war and encourages participation in social movements for peace.

Below: Serbian victims of the reprisals by Austria after the assassination of Franz Ferdinand,

In August 1914, on the Eastern Front of World War I, Russian forces invaded German East Prussia. The Russian army planned to attack from two directions: the First Army under General Rennenkampf and the Second Army under General Samsonov, aiming to encircle the German forces.

The German Eighth Army was initially commanded by General Prittwitz, but later command was taken over by Hindenburg and Ludendorff. The Russian army advanced through the terrain of East Prussia, which was full of swamps and lakes, but supplies were insufficient, and the soldiers were exhausted and half starved. Even so, Samsonov's army fought fiercely against the German Francois Corps for four days. 

However, on August 27, the German von Bellow Corps attacked the northern flank of Samsonov's army, and the Mackensen Corps followed suit, forming an encirclement.

Realizing that his army was being surrounded, Samsonov decided to retreat, but the German army pursued him fiercely. The particularly aggressive commander Francois continued to advance and on August 30th, he launched a surprise attack on two Russian corps while they were marching. As a result, about 60,000 soldiers were taken prisoner, and the total number of prisoners eventually reached nearly 100,000. Despairing over the crushing defeat, General Samsonov committed suicide on the battlefield.

Meanwhile, the First Army, led by Rennekamp, was unable to provide sufficient support to Samsonov's army during the crisis at Tannenberg. Isolated, Rennekamp positioned his troops along the defensive line around Lake Masurian and prepared for a German counterattack. The German Eighth Army's advance was delayed due to fatigue from a month of fighting, and the Russian army fought while preventing an encirclement on its right flank. Ultimately, the Russian army retreated towards the Niemen River, but managed an orderly withdrawal, avoiding complete annihilation. 

The subsequent Battle of Masurian Lakes resulted in a German victory, effectively driving the Russian army out of East Prussia. While not as dramatic as Tannenberg, this victory liberated East Prussia and allowed the numerically inferior German forces to seize the initiative on the Eastern Front. Moreover, this victory elevated Hindenburg to the status of a national hero.

For Russia, however, it was a catastrophe. The Second Army was effectively destroyed, and its commander was killed in action. The defeat at Tannenberg had a profound impact on the Russian army.

According to the ministry's statement, Israeli forces entered the cemetery at dawn on Thursday, demolished graves with bulldozers, exhumed bodies, and removed the remains of martyrs and ordinary deceased individuals.

　　In July 2025, the Gaza Endowments Ministry, which manages religious sites and cemeteries in the Palestinian Gaza Strip, strongly condemned the Israeli military for digging up graves and removing bodies in the southern city of Khan Younis.

　　According to the ministry's statement, Israeli forces entered the cemetery at dawn on Thursday, using bulldozers to destroy graves and exhume bodies, removing the remains of martyrs and ordinary deceased. The statement condemned this act as a “horrific crime” and “a blatant violation of religious and humanitarian values and norms.” It further condemned these actions as exceeding the minimum standards of human ethics and international values, calling them “barbaric acts that trample on the dignity and sanctity of the dead.”

　　The ministry also claims that the Israeli military is systematically destroying cemeteries in the Gaza Strip under various “pretexts.” It states that while there are approximately 60 cemeteries in Gaza, 40 of them have been deliberately destroyed.

　　This incident is one of many reported during the ongoing fighting in Gaza since October 2023. Israeli military attacks have reportedly killed approximately 57,800 Palestinians to date, many of whom are women and children. Ongoing airstrikes and military operations have inflicted severe damage on Gaza's cities and infrastructure, drastically worsening living conditions for residents. Food shortages have also intensified, with some areas reportedly nearing famine conditions.

　　Amid these circumstances, the destruction of cemeteries and the handling of remains have drawn strong criticism from the perspectives of humanitarian norms in war and religious values, further heightening regional tensions and international concern.

 

This report details the military situation and humanitarian crisis during the initial stages of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Sixteen days after the invasion began, Russian forces continue to attack civilian areas in cities across the country while gradually advancing toward the capital, Kyiv.

    This report covers the military situation and humanitarian crisis during the initial stages of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Sixteen days after the invasion began, Russian forces continue attacking civilian areas in cities across the country while gradually advancing toward the capital, Kyiv. The international community warns of an “unimaginable tragedy” looming, with the United Nations and others pointing to the possibility that Russian forces are committing war crimes.

   Particularly in the southern port city of Mariupol, the Russian military's siege continues. Local authorities announced that over 1,500 people have been killed in 12 days of attacks. The city's water and heating supplies have been cut off, and food is scarce. Citizens are attempting to escape in the bitter cold, but many are left behind. Doctors Without Borders stated that “hundreds of thousands are effectively trapped.” The situation is extremely dire, with unburied bodies left in the streets.

   Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on NATO for military intervention, but U.S. President Joe Biden has refused, stating that direct conflict with nuclear-armed Russia would lead to “World War III.” Instead, the U.S. and the European Union have strengthened economic sanctions against Russia, halting normal trade relations and deciding to ban imports of Russian products like vodka, seafood, and diamonds, as well as halt exports of luxury goods.

   The war has caused a sharp increase in refugees, with approximately 2.5 million fleeing abroad and about 2 million internally displaced within Ukraine. In the second-largest city, Kharkiv, and the industrial city of Dnipro, missile attacks have destroyed residential buildings and civilian facilities like kindergartens, causing casualties among many civilians, including children.

A bag packed with explosives was placed at the scene and may have been detonated remotely. The sudden explosion caused panic among the crowd, leading to widespread chaos as people fled in confusion. The death toll was initially reported as over 100 but was later revised to 84.

　　On January 3, 2024, a double explosion occurred during a memorial ceremony for Qasem Soleimani, former commander of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, in Kerman, southeastern Iran, killing at least 84 people and injuring more than 200. Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2020. This day marked the fourth anniversary of his death, with many supporters gathered around the cemetery.

　The explosions occurred near the Martyrs' Cemetery close to the Sahib al-Zaman Mosque in Qom, Soleimani's hometown, about 15 minutes apart. The first explosion reportedly occurred about 700 meters from the graves, and the second about 1 kilometer away. According to Iranian reports, bags packed with explosives may have been placed and detonated remotely. The sudden explosions caused panic among the crowd at the scene, leading to widespread chaos as people fled. The death toll was initially reported as over 100 but was later revised to 84.

　　The Iranian government declared the incident a terrorist attack. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed severe retaliation, accusing “evil and criminal enemies” of involvement. President Ebrahim Raisi also strongly condemned the attack, canceling his planned visit to Turkey and designating the following day as a national day of mourning. Iran claimed the United States and Israel were behind the attack.

　　However, the United States explicitly denied involvement, with a State Department spokesperson stating neither the U.S. nor its ally Israel was involved. Israel also refrained from official comment, with a military spokesperson explaining they were currently focused on combat operations against Hamas.

　　The incident occurred amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, including ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the killing of a Hamas leader in Lebanon the previous day. After the incident, crowds gathered again in Kerman, protesting and chanting “Death to Israel” and “Death to America.” Thousands also gathered in Tehran for a memorial rally.

　　Condemnation poured in from the international community. UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the European Union (EU) strongly criticized the incident. Josep Borrell, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, conveyed condolences to the Iranian Foreign Minister. Furthermore, Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned it as a brutal act that killed people who had peacefully visited a cemetery. Hamas and Saudi Arabia also condemned the incident, with many countries expressing condolences for the victims and solidarity with the Iranian people.

  

The remains of a U.S. Army officer, who had been killed in action, were transported after being recovered from the rubble of a U.S. Army bachelor officers' quarters in Saigon that had come under attack by Viet Cong forces during the 1968 Tet Offensive.

　　The remains of a U.S. Army officer, dug from the rubble of a U.S. Army bachelor officers' quarters attacked by Viet Cong forces in Saigon during the 1968 Tet Offensive, were transported.

　　The Vietnam War reached a decisive turning point in 1968 with the Tet Offensive. The Tet Offensive, a coordinated communist assault launched in violation of the Lunar New Year (Tet) ceasefire, left scars on American public opinion and military morale beyond the immediate military outcome. The damage at the U.S. Army Bachelor Officers' Quarters (BOQ) in Saigon and the transport of the American officer's remains symbolized the chaos where the front lines had vanished and the supposedly safe rear had turned into hell.

　　In the early hours of January 31, 1968, the Tet Offensive saw the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (Viet Cong) simultaneously attack major cities and military installations across South Vietnam. For the American public, who believed the U.S. military leadership's reports that victory was near, the shock came as the heart of the capital, Saigon, and even the U.S. Embassy itself became battlefields.

　　　The Bachelor Officers Quarters (BOQ) and military lodging facilities scattered throughout Saigon became prime targets for Viet Cong urban guerrillas. Soldiers, away from the front lines and engaged in rest or administrative duties, were suddenly trapped beneath rubble, caught completely off guard. Attacks on Saigon's BOQs often involved vehicle-borne explosives or targeted rocket fire (B-40s) from nearby buildings. These quarters were residential facilities, not fortresses. 　　American soldiers digging comrades from the rubble felt not just anger toward the enemy, but profound confusion at the collapse of safety and deep loss at the death of their friends. The fighting in Saigon's densely packed urban streets became a chaotic free-for-all where friend and foe were indistinguishable. Bodies dug from the rubble became the front lines.

　　The return of the bodies was reported to the American homeland through the media. Militarily, the U.S. military repelled the Tet Offensive, inflicting heavy damage on the communist side. However, the images and photographs of the bodies of American soldiers being carried out from the rubble of the barracks, watched over by their comrades, were shocking.

　　The loss of these comrades suggested the end of the “just army” and the invincibility of the U.S. military, a perception unseen since World War II. The tragedy at BOQ during the 1968 Tet Offensive also foreshadowed the “vulnerability of rear support facilities” in modern asymmetric warfare. The bodies being carried out from the rubble presented the loss of each individual soldier's life and the brutal truth of war.