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The Rape of Nanking

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In December 1937, in the capital of China, one of the most brutal massacres in the long annals of wartime barbarity occurred. The Japanese army swept into the ancient city of Nanking and within weeks not only looted and burned the defenseless city but systematically raped, tortured and murdered more than 300,000 Chinese civilians. Amazingly, the story of this atrocity- one of the worst in world history- continues to be denied by the Japanese government.

The Rape of Nanking tells the story from three perspectives: that of the Japanese soldiers who performed it; of the Chinese civilians who endured it; and finally of a group of Europeans and Americans who refused to abandon the city and were able to create a safety zone that saved almost 300,000 Chinese. It was Iris Chang who discovered the diaries of the German leader of this rescue effort, John Rabe, whom she calls the "Oskar Schindler of China." A loyal supporter of Adolf Hitler, but far from the terror planned in his Nazi-controlled homeland, he worked tirelessly to save the innocent from slaughter.

©1997 Iris Chang (P)1997 Blackstone Audiobooks 20th Century Asia China Genocide & War Crimes Military Modern Politics & Government War & Crisis Wars & Conflicts World War II
The narrator was excellent. I read just 5 chapters, one-third of the book. Iris Chang took enormous pains to research and bring to light the Nanking Holocaust. The disgusting brutality of the Japanese soldiers is exhaustively depicted. In our childhood, 15 years after the end of World War II, we had the distinct impression that the Japanese Army was terribly cruel. Far more cruel than the Germans. But over the years, we have been brainwashed to believe that the Japanese are a very civilised people, and they are amazingly clever and talented - a truly advanced nation - that they suffered terribly from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

But after reading Iris Chang's descriptions of the Rape of Nanking, I know now why those two atom bombs were dropped on Japan. Divine judgement!

The Japanese Government has not admitted its guilt in the repulsive slaughter of at least 300,000 helpless Chinese victims. If Japan is truly a morally advanced nation, they will repent over this frightful holocaust. But so far, there is neither repentance nor reparation.

Iris Chang was attacked by rightwing elements in Japan and by jealous purblind historians for speaking the truth. Poor thing, she died committing suicide.

The Rape of Nanking should be compulsory reading for all who who study humanities in college. I have nothing against Japan, nor do I speak for China, but the beastly brutality of the Japanese soldiers horrifies me.

I don't think I will be able to complete this book since the images of the horrors of the Nanking Rape are mind-searing.

Compelling!

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Truth will triumph, only if common people do the right thing, even in face of monsters, thus rising up like heroes like John Rabe in Nanjing and Irish Chang for writing this book

The book is truly well written and very well read

More than the horrors of war, the book shows that common people when given enough power turn in to monsters,
Becoming a monster is Especially true if those people with power come from a society which conforms to being polite, disciplined by strict social adherence, then those same people with unbridled power during war will release their bottled up hate, like the rape of Nanking

And after the war, that very outwardly polite disciplined society tries to hide truth.
Lies for decades, justifies the horror, only to be shown that they are no different than any other human civilization

Unfortunately Japanese seem far worse than the German
Unlike the German population and its descendents who took responsibility apologised , paid repatriation, honoured the victims
Not that apology will reduces the horrible horror of Holocaust in any way,
but it indicates that something like holocaust will never be allowed by people in again in Germany
the Japanese continue to deny, failing to take responsibility.

This is a must read

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Before this book my understanding of sino-japanese war was very limited. This opened my eyes to the atrocities committed and the limits of human malevolence. John Rabi is a hero.

A heart wrenching documentation of history

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Iris and Anna have together brought out a very gripping though gruesome account of the Nanking massacre which wasn't known to me despite having read multitude of books and watched movies on WW 1 and WW2, which primarily focused on Jewish holocaust and British/Allied heroism. Unfortunately, it is the financial economics that sets the rules over humanity. I also feel it's is also due to West's intentional blind-sight pertaining to atrocities perpetrated on orient civilizations including India, China, south asia etc. Most unfortunate is the Chinese establishment's and general public's disinterested attitude to reclaim it's loss by writing, filming, speaking on the subject. I see similar trends to suppress or spread disinformation concerning atrocities on Bangladesh, Kashmir/India, Vietnam etc by Western sponsorship. Quite contrast to this is the way Jews have kept alive their history. Thanks for bringing out this piece of history for public consumption.

an eye opener for me and well researched

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the story is so gripping......I couldn't sleep for few days....I can hear the screamings of those innocent people

unbelievable.....can human be so much inhumane?

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Our history books have largely been ignorant of Japanese atrocities in China and Korea. History has always been written by the ink of the Victor and hence most of it is one sided. This account is hence quite different because it is from the side of the Vanquished..

Disturbing account of Japanese atrocities in China

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A deeply disturbing and terrifyingly haunting work of brilliant non-fiction. ‘Almost unputdownable,’ I’d say.

Absolutely Riveting

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A tale of horror and crime depicted with most simple and elegance of Pain


The book left an everlasting impact on myself and me aware of the horrors people faced during war. It shows how a war is purchased by the wealthy and people of power but it is the common man that pays for it all.

If you are looking for a literature masterpiece that stumps you with its complex and mystical art this isn’t the book for you but if you are looking for a book that showcase the horror that happened in Nanking during the war and to realise the pain as well as the heart of some brave people in face of the biggest monsters the world has ever seen then this is the perfect book for you.

It’s one of those books that will make you physically I’ll and show you an instance of horror that I for one never knew

The book left an everlasting impact on myself and me aware of the horrors people faced during war. It shows how a war is purchased by the wealthy and people of power but it is the common man that pays for it all.

If you are looking for a literature masterpiece that stumps you with its complex and mystical art this isn’t the book for you but if you are looking for a book that showcase the horror that happened in Nanking during the war and to realise the pain as well as the heart of some brave people in face of the biggest monsters the world has ever seen then this is the perfect book for you.

It’s one of those books that will make you physically I’ll and show you an instance of horror that I for one never knew

A tale of horror and crime depicted with most simple and elegance of Pain

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value of a human depends on his origin, many deaths of Asians in world war 2 is neglected, the performer details the incidence with a detachment but invokes the right emotions

ignorance of humans

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