The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II |  | Author: Iris Chang
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Category: Book
List Price: $16.00
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Seller: snowlionbooks
Rating:  647 reviews
Sales Rank: 4053
Media: Paperback
Edition: Reprint
Pages: 328
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.2 x 0.9
ISBN: 0140277447
Dewey Decimal Number: 951.042
EAN: 9780140277449
ASIN: 0140277447
Publication Date: November 1, 1998
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| • | ISBN13: 9780140277449 | | • | Condition: NEW | | • | Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark. |
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Amazon.com Review
China has endured much hardship in its history, as Iris Chang shows in her ably researched The Rape of Nanking, a book that recounts the horrible events in that eastern Chinese city under Japanese occupation in the late 1930s. Nanking, she writes, served as a kind of laboratory in which Japanese soldiers were taught to slaughter unarmed, unresisting civilians, as they would later do throughout Asia. Likening their victims to insects and animals, the Japanese commanders orchestrated a campaign in which several hundred thousand--no one is sure just how many--Chinese soldiers and noncombatants alike were killed. Chang turns up an unlikely hero in German businessman John Rabe, a devoted member of the Nazi party who importuned Adolf Hitler to intervene and stop the slaughter, and who personally saved the lives of countless residents of Nanking. She also suggests that the Japanese government pay reparations and apologize for its army's horrific acts of 60 years ago.
Product Description
In December 1937, the Japanese army swept into the ancient city of Nanking. Within weeks, more than 300,000 Chinese civilians were systematically raped, tortured, and murdered--a death toll exceeding that of the atomic blasts of Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined. Using extensive interviews with survivors and newly discovered documents, Iris Chang has written what will surely be the definitive history of this horrifying episode. The Rape of Nanking tells the story from three perspectives: of the Japanese soldiers who performed it, of the Chinese civilians who endured it, and 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. Among these was the Nazi John Rabe, an unlikely hero whom Chang calls the "Oskar Schindler of China" and who worked tirelessly to protect the innocent and publicize the horror. More than just narrating the details of an orgy of violence, The Rape of Nanking analyzes the militaristic culture that fostered in the Japanese soldiers a total disregard for human life. Finally, it tells the appalling story: about how the advent of the Cold War led to a concerted effort on the part of the West and even the Chinese to stifle open discussion of this atrocity. Indeed, Chang characterizes this conspiracy of silence, that persists to this day, as "a second rape."
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 647
 A great author gives back the truth to the history November 12, 2004
Y. ren (Los Angeles, CA USA)
186 out of 189 found this review helpful
I read the book and was greatly shocked and moved by the author's nice work. But very sadly to hear that she passed by a few days ago. May her stay in peace forever in the heaven.
First, I would like to emphasize that the slaughter in Nanjing is a unforgivable, unforgetable, actual history for everyone who have justice. I am from Nanjing which is a city bear a tragic history. When I was in the high school, I took part in an activity which was to search for the witness of slaughter in Nanjing. When those old people shows their scar to us, telling the true story of themselves, almost all of us felt a kind of heartquake. We took some pictures and recorded the words of those old people. When they recalled the memory of those sad periods, they can't bear their angrys and pains. Maybe some of them have already passed by, but every evidences have been saved. If anyone is interested in these first hand material, you can visit the Nanjing in China. There is a memorial museum in Nanjing. You will find out the truth of history there by yourself.
Secondly, I am also greaty scared by some reviewer's irresponsible words here. I am not to blame them. But I wish they can bravely face the truth of history, face the crime of their ancestors,and correct them bravely.
Thirdly, the world is becoming more dangers today. There are more and more weapons build out every year. The earth already can be destory for thouands of times. I love peace, you must love peace too. So we must to settle the conflicts among countries and people by civilized methods. It is a responsiblity for all of us, no matter where you are from and who you are.
Finally, Only people can save people.
Good Book, and Chinese people should not forget November 12, 2004
Danny Li (Pleasanton, CA)
125 out of 126 found this review helpful
I am buying this book to make sure my next generations will never forget such atrocities done to the Chinese people. Forgive is one thing, but make sure the truth is being told is also important. I don't understand why many Japanese people just don't want to admit the war crimes done by their ancestors in the past. Compare to the Germans, some Japanese people just earn me nothing but disrespect. However, I also met Japanese people who are honest about the issue. I have great respect to them. I don't believe all Japanese people are bad, but some of them are just morons.
shouldn't the value of human life outweigh that of ideology? November 12, 2004
L. L.
145 out of 148 found this review helpful
Look at what some reviewers said: communist propaganda, PRC propaganda... Shouldn't the value of human life and human rights outweigh that of the ideology? Shouldn't truth be revealed instead of being covered? A tragedy that happened in China is as sad as one that happened in US, or in any other place. Does the ideology matter at all?! It's probably worth mentioning that the author herself wasn't even born in China. She was born in US, grew up in US, and received her education in US.
Please read the following comments which are cited from anna (san diego, CA): "The biggest reason why Iris' book does not have any iota of credibility is that she only repeats PRC China government's official claim of Nanjing war victims of 300,000". So you use this single number of "300,000" to conclude that this book has no credibility at all? How objective you are! Why some people just draw their conclusions in such haste without more meaningful evidences and arguments?
I recommend people to read this book. Don't let other people mislead you or judge for you.
"We seek the truth, and will endure the consequences".
History shall not be forgotten November 12, 2004
Ying Cao
109 out of 110 found this review helpful
Although some people will argue about the statistics, this tragedy should be remembered by Chinese people, by Japanese people and by the whole world.
Good books for everyone!!! November 12, 2004
CPTERM (DC,USA)
155 out of 159 found this review helpful
Lets face the real scene in the war,know the guilty of the war,and suffer the pain of those poor people.These should never
happen again.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 647
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