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Summary: A breathtaking, can't-put-down book.
Review: The author brings to life the abject terror that was visited upon an innocent people by the Japanese Army during their occupation of Nanking. This book is not for the fainthearted because it describes the variety of Japanese atrocities in gripping detail. It should be a "must read" for anyone interested in the history of the Pacific War; it should be required reading in Japan.
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Summary: This book should be required reading in all public schools
Review: I was first made aware of this book while watching Csp Booknotes. The author seemed to have difficulty articulating her answers to a pretty vigorous interview. In particular photographs that were graphic and ghastly were hard for her to explain. I wanted to shout " They are there because people need to see what was done to these people." The book may not be the best written or organised book in the world but it's relentless pursuit of what happened has brought it to the worlds attention. Bravo to ms Chang. I throughly enjoyed it for the historical content. I am English and have lived here for 42 years, maybe I will not have to explain to my friends why there was a recent protest march in London on the occasion of the Japanese Ambassadors visit. As the protesters said "It is too soon to forgive the Japanese for all the lives they took on the Burma Road."l
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Summary: A part of history that should never be repeated
Review: Although the book does lack organization of facts and style but the rich contents and the importance of the topic more than made up for the imperfections. It is about time the world know more about Japanese War crimes and atrocities. More importantly, the new generations of Japanese should be exposed to their own history and the legacy of destruction left behind by their forefathers. One of the purpose of history is to learn from past mistakes and refrain from commiting them again in the future. Although whats' done cannot be undone, but there is absolutely no excuse for refusing to admit one's misdeeds. The facts and stories from the book are intense and gripping. The details of torture, rape and killings etc. made me feel very sad and at the same time angry. While comparing the fate of the Europeans and Americans that helped protect the many Chinese civilians and the fate of the Japanese officers who did the damage and got away unpunished, it just make you ponder over what is justice. It is suprising that it took so long for someone to come up with a book that focus on "The Rape of Nanking", one of the worst atrocity mankind ever witness. The Rape of Nanking is a part of history that everyone should know, more importantly a chapter in history that should never be repeated. It is more than a war crime, it is a crime against humanity and morality. An event so brutal that should never be forgotten. If history is the subject for you then this is a must read.
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Summary: It's time to force the Japanese to face their historic crime
Review: THE RAPE OF NANKING is a long overdue book written in English that documents this unspeakably atrocious crime of historic magnitude, committed by the Japan's army deliberately set loose by their high command and endorsed (could it be otherwise?) by their emperor. Aside from its massive scale and designed cruelty, what made this genocidal crime singularly the most debasing in human history were the unimaginable varieties of sadistic tortures and humiliations inflicted on the innocent victims, carried out by the beastly murderers with gleeful smile on their faces. Too often the blame has been directed only at the right-wing radicals for the failure of Japanese government to officially admitted, let alone apologize and compensate for, the Nanking Massacre (and other war crimes). I think we should lay the blame squarely where it really belongs: The overwhelming majority of Japanese people (excluding a few adults who dared to speak out their conscience in public and the young children before entering high school) since 1945. It is the Japanese voters who wilfully allowed their government to behave so despicably about their war crimes for the last five decades. There is no way the right-wing radicals can dictate the national policy unless the silent majority connive conveniently. Iris Chang has rightly called the unabated Japanese efforts of shameless denial and cowardly coverup of the Nanking Massacre as the Second Rape. Those who have been participating the Second Rape are morally no better than the ones who committed Nanking Massacre, since the former are under nobody's order but their own. For any reader who is unfamiliar with the typical emperor's-new-dress mentality of Japanese toward their war crime, it will be an eye-opener just to take a look of the following Customer Comments made by two Japanese: Wasada on 5/11/98 and Soka (he made comment without even having read the book) on 12/15/97. While I can only guess these surnames sound like Japanese, what really reveal their national origin beyond any doubt are their ridiculous denials and Wasada's vicious but utterly groundless charges that Iris Chang's book is "filled with vicious forgery". Less the reader think this is only the rare occasion that someone is blinded by fanatic patriotism, let me point out that Kunihiko Saito (Japanese ambassador to the US) attacked RON, in his routine press conference in Washington D.C. on April 21, as full of errors, biased and one-sided view. Yet he did not have the courage to accept Iris Chang's public challenge for a televised debate. Just like numerous Japanese officials did before him, he resorted to lie and false accusation rather than to face the ugly fact. For too long the international community has been too lenient on Japan's war crimes and ignored its institutionalized denials and distortions of history. It is about time for all the justice-loving people of the world to confront their lies and let them know that they aren't wearing clothe.
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Summary: A truly horrific tale of a forgotten Holocaust.
Review: The Rape of Nanking presents so many details and is so easily written that it draws the reader into the story. Iris Chang's choice of anecdotes immerses the reader in a barrage of sights, sounds, and feelings. This is truly one of the best books I have ever read. The horrific stories of the atrocities of the Japanese is clearly presented, I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN! How can so many people still deny such an event as happening? It is truly sad to realize that today, there are still people that defend the grisly acts of violence that the Japanese committed toward innocent Chinese civilians -- men, women, and children. A must read.
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Summary: The best history book I've ever read!
Review: This book documented horrible human behaviors that erupted during World War II. I was not shocked because I heard about the story many times. I particully like her "politically correct" conclusion saying that Japan's behavior during World War II was less a product of dangerous people than of a dangerous government, in a vulnerable culture, in dangerous times, able to sell dangerous rationalizations to those whose human instincts told them otherwise.
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Summary: Every one Needs to Know About This!
Review: The subtitle of this book is "The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II". While I consider myself an avid student of modern day history, I was completely unaware of the Nanking Holocaust until reading Ms. Chang's book. It is important that we all have some sense of modern history. An essential element of that understanding is to understand HOW CRUEL one race of humans can be to another. We all know of the Nazis and their "final solution". However, Ms. Chang's brings to light the EVIL inflicted on the Chinese at Nanking by the Japanese Imperial Army. Though there are some minor stylistic flaws with the book, it is a readable account of a SHAMEFUL and IMMORAL part of human history. I would recommend this to anyone trying to understand the history of this century. Well done Ms. Chang!
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Summary: Stylistically poor, but details are vivid
Review: I agree with the readers who found poor editing and awkward writing in Iris Chang's book. However, those faults are easily ignored when one just follows the story and realize that the details contained in the book are not fiction. I had nightmares after reading this book, and felt as angry as Ms. Chang against those who tried to hide this horrific period. Indeed, many people still have no idea what happened in Nanking. When I mentioned the title of the book, someone refered to it as a book on "obscure Chinese history." I encourage everyone to read this in order to make sure the rape of Nanking will no longer be considered obscure.
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Summary: An eye opener...
Review: As a modern history student I thought that I knew a great deal about history and WWII in particular. I was shocked to read about the atrocities that occurred in the city of Nanking. Iris Chang's book is one of the first major attempts to uncover and understand what happened in Nanking. Her book is hard to put down as she takes the reader, first through eyewitness accounts, and then through her own analysis of why the massacre happened and who has played a role in the cover up. This book is telling on the actual massacre, as well as the Japanese mindset regarding their role in WWII atrocities.
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Summary: Chang does a superb job of bringing this tragedy to light...
Review: Chang's book reveals the mind-set of the Japanese during these terrible years. The words are so clear and haunting-Chang portrays the Japanese war machine as it truly was-more barbaric than anyone has dared proclaim. A socialogical mystery-the culture that bred these atrocities...
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