▁the ▁U . S . ▁Emb ass y . ▁This ▁is ▁approximately ▁the ▁same ▁size ▁as ▁Central ▁Park ▁in ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁To ▁coordinate ▁their ▁efforts , ▁the ▁Western ers ▁formed ▁a ▁committee , ▁called ▁the ▁International ▁Committee ▁for ▁the ▁N ank ing ▁Saf ety ▁Zone . ▁German ▁business man ▁John ▁R abe ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁its ▁leader , ▁partly ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁status ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Naz i ▁party ▁and ▁the ▁existence ▁of ▁the ▁German - J apan ese ▁bil ater al ▁Anti - Com intern ▁P act . ▁The ▁International ▁Committee ▁for ▁the ▁N ank ing ▁Saf ety ▁Zone ▁was ▁formed ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁ ▁Rec ogn ition ▁The ▁City ▁of ▁N ank ing ▁aff ir med ▁the ▁existence ▁of ▁the ▁Saf ety ▁Zone , ▁sent ▁c ash ▁and ▁food , ▁and ▁staff ed ▁security ▁personnel ▁in ▁the ▁zone . ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁the ▁mayor ▁of ▁N ank ing , ▁Ma ▁Ch ao - ch un , ▁ordered ▁all ▁Chinese ▁citizens ▁remaining ▁in ▁N ank ing ▁to ▁move ▁into ▁the ▁" S af ety ▁Zone " ▁and ▁then ▁fled ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁The ▁Japanese ▁army ▁did ▁not ▁recognize ▁its ▁existence , ▁but ▁they ▁agreed ▁not ▁to ▁attack ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁that ▁did ▁not ▁contain ▁Chinese ▁military ▁forces . ▁The ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Committee ▁for ▁the ▁N ank ing ▁Saf ety ▁Zone ▁managed ▁to ▁persu ade ▁the ▁Chinese ▁government