▁to ▁move ▁all ▁their ▁troops ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁area . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Min er ▁S ear le ▁B ates , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁mission aries , ▁" The ▁Chinese ▁authorities ▁agreed ▁to ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁the ▁Zone , ▁though ▁the ▁military ▁were ▁naturally ▁rel uct ant ▁to ▁move ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁before ▁the ▁very ▁last ▁minute ." ▁B ates ▁described ▁the ▁Japanese ▁position ▁on ▁the ▁Saf ety ▁Zone ▁in ▁this ▁way , ▁" The ▁Japanese ▁authorities ▁never ▁formally ▁recognized ▁the ▁Zone , ▁but ▁did ▁say ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁not ▁attack ▁an ▁area ▁which ▁was ▁not ▁occupied ▁by ▁Chinese ▁troops . ▁On ▁this ▁narrow ▁margin ▁of ▁agreement , ▁the ▁Chinese ▁promise ▁to ▁ev acu ate ▁the ▁area ▁and ▁the ▁Japanese ▁statement ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁not ▁intention ally ▁attack ▁an ▁un occup ied ▁place , ▁the ▁Saf ety ▁Zone ▁was ▁finally ▁put ▁through ." ▁ ▁The ▁Japanese ▁army ▁did ▁not ▁subject ▁the ▁Saf ety ▁Zone ▁to ▁concentr ated ▁air ▁bomb ard ment ▁or ▁shell ing . ▁Only ▁a ▁few ▁shell s ▁land ed ▁in ▁the ▁Zone ▁throughout ▁the ▁sie ge , ▁which ▁wounded ▁about ▁ 4 0 ▁refuge es . ▁ ▁At roc ities ▁committed ▁by ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁Army ▁ ▁The ▁Japanese ▁did ▁respect ▁the ▁Zone ▁to ▁an ▁extent ; ▁no ▁shell s ▁entered ▁that ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁leading ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁Japanese ▁occupation ▁except ▁a ▁few ▁st ray ▁sh ots . ▁During ▁the ▁cha os ▁following ▁the ▁attack ▁of ▁the ▁city , ▁some ▁were ▁killed ▁in ▁the ▁Saf ety