The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II

Product Information

The Man Who Ended History", a story in The Paper Managerie by Ken Liu about uncovering the history of Unit 731, is dedicated to the memory of Chang. [14] The book also received praise from news media. The Wall Street Journal wrote that it was the "first comprehensive examination of the destruction of this Chinese imperial city," and that Chang "skillfully excavated from oblivion the terrible events that took place." The Atlantic Monthly described the book as "a crushing indictment of the Japanese army's behavior." The Chicago Tribune called it "a powerful new work of history and moral inquiry" and stated that "Chang takes great care to establish an accurate accounting of the dimensions of the violence." The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that it was a "compelling account of a horrendous episode that, until recently, has been largely forgotten." [35] The Rape of Nanking is, indeed, a brutal account of the Japanese atrocities committed on the Chinese population in Nanking. Iris Chang describes violent actions taken on innocent people, and offers photographic evidence to further substantiate her claims. It is brutal, and it is real.

She notes that although the world knew about what was happening, Japanese propaganda portrayed a different picture (150). Additionally, although the worst of the massacre took place in the first six to eight weeks (159), Japan occupied Nanking and subjected the citizens to numerous brutal acts until Japan surrendered World War II in August of 1945 (167). Finally, Chang notes that one of the worst implications of this event is the dispute between China and Japan over what actually occurred. Because of the secrecy of the massacre, and Japan’s ability to hide the events from the people of Japan, there is a major conflict over what actually took place in Nanking. Chang notes that even “sixty years later, the Japanese as a nation are still trying to bury the victims of Nanking…into historical oblivion” (220). In the concluding words of her book, Chang suggests that “the Japanese government needs to issue and official apology to the victims…and, most important, educate future generations of Japanese citizens about the true facts of the massacre” (225). This book is also a must read for anyone who believes that these kinds of brutal happenings are anomalies for as Chang points out in the epilogue, "The Rape of Nanking should be perceived as a cautionary tale...." She goes on to say that human beings are capable of the worst kind of inhuman behavior if the circumstances are right. The subject of the Nanjing Massacre entered Chang's life again almost two decades later when she learned of producers who had completed documentary films about it. One of the producers was Shao Tzuping, who helped produce Magee's Testament, a film that contains footage of the Nanjing Massacre itself, shot by the missionary John Magee. [9] The other producer was Nancy Tong, who, together with Christine Choy, produced and co-directed In The Name of the Emperor, [10] a film containing a series of interviews with Chinese, American, and Japanese citizens. [9] Chang began talking to Shao and Tong, and soon she was connected to a network of activists who felt the need to document and publicize the Nanjing Massacre. [11] :8–9 The book attempts to explain the events leading up to and during the atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers that occurred in the city of Nanking, China from 1937-1938. Overall the book is very clear and well written and the reader comes away with a general understanding of the event and also pondering the questions of how humanity can be suspended in times of war.a b "American Goddess at the Rape of Nanking". Southern Illinois University. Archived from the original on 2007-05-25 . Retrieved 2007-07-23. In general, the book is very readable and accessible for students of a variety of levels. The teacher could assign small sections of the book without having to modify the language if students are given support with vocabulary.

In December 1994, she attended a conference on the Nanjing Massacre, held in Cupertino, California, and what she saw and heard at the conference motivated her to write her 1997 book . [12] As she wrote in the book's introduction, while she was at the conference: Le viol de Nankin – 1937: un des plus grands massacres du XXe siècle. Payot. ISBN 978-2-228-90520-6. After publishing the book, Chang received hate mail, primarily from Japanese ultranationalists, [5] and threatening notes on her car and also believed her phone was tapped. Her mother said the book "made Iris sad". Suffering from depression, Chang was diagnosed with brief reactive psychosis in August 2004. She began taking medications to stabilize her mood. [5] She wrote:John Rabe (1998). The Good Man of Nanking: The Diaries of John Rabe. Random House. ISBN 0-375-40211-X. The Nanjing Incident". Electronic Journal of Contemporary Japanese Studies. 2002-04-04 . Retrieved 2007-07-21. Whatever the course of postwar history, the Rape of Nanking will stand as a blemish upon the honor of human beings. But what makes the blemish particularly repugnant is that history has never written a proper end for the story." Iris Chang, Who Chronicled Rape of Nanking, Dies at 36". The New York Times. November 12, 2004 . Retrieved November 26, 2007.