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

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Summary: Whoever reviewed this book for Kirkus ...
Review: First of all IRIS CHANG is a woman... "Chang fails because he rushes to simplify complex events." This person states that the book is "inadequate as history." What?! Did you even read the book? Hundreds of thousands of innocent people were systematically raped, mutilated, tortured, and killed! Their story is finally being told while the Japanese government continues to deny this - despite all the facts. In essence they are making light of this tragedy and denying the existence of these people. After reading your review, it's obvious you are doing the same.

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Summary: Long overdue work; an easy read
Review: Chang gives a detailed accounting of the horrific winter of 1937 in Nanking, and for that I am grateful. A full volume about the Japanese Rape of Nanking is a welcome addition to any history shelf. I am not one of the "most" Americans who had no prior knowledge of Nanking's plight, but Chang filled in many of the blanks. Sadly for Chang (and the rest of us) the book lacks a clear study of why the Japanese behaved as they did. (I mention this because Chang asks that rhetorical question early in the volume, but never gets around to saying much else about it aside from a brief outline of the brutality involved in the army's training; there is nothing unique about "brutal" training for an army.) While the Imperial Army's conduct throughout the war was less than honorable regarding treatment of POWs (Bataan, Malaysia, Singapore, Burma, etc.) and well documented, I had hoped to gain a little more insight. Helping to explain the lack of depth is the Japanese denial that Nanking was ever a problem of such magnitude. Still, Chang's work is important, very important, because it will tell that sad tale to many readers who otherwise would never have heard about the terrible loss of life in that old city. My thanks to the author.

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Summary: KR Reviewer Must Have Read Wrong Book
Review: I read "Rape", and then read the review by Kirkus Reviews. Did this guy read the same book? I have never disagreed more with an entire review than this one. I thought the book was excellent, and hope that it will raise the world's consciousness about this entire event. The sad thing is that all the time I was reading it I was thinking, "and now the Chinese have been doing similar things in Tibet." Perhaps Ms. Chang should explore the psychodynamics of that in her next book. I certainly agree with her about how thin is the veneer of civilization.

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Summary: Terrifyng examination of the Japanese military in WWII
Review: This is a most disturbing book--the photographs and descriptions of rape, murder and torture make it not for the faint-hearted. It is a look into what happens when an authoritarian government joins closely with a military elite. A must-read for all students of Japan's WWII history. The issues raised by this book will also help the reader to understand the on-going ultranationalist movement in modern Japan.

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Summary: Powerful account of an atrocity too often denied
Review: Were you to read only the Kirkus review, you would dismiss this book. However, the Kirkus review is biased, ignorant and incorrect. Unfortunately, in recent times, Kirkus has become home to opinionated, ill-informed microencepheletics, and its reviews are generally worthless. In this case, the Kirkus reviewer has completely misrepresented a powerful work that will stay with you long after you have turned the last page. Having lived in Japan and worked with the Japanese military post-war in an official training and advisory capacity, the subject of the Nanking horror came up more than once. The Japanese insisted it never happened, was merely Chinese propaganda. This book puts the lie to that assertion.

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Summary: Kirkus Needs to Fire Its Reviewer - For Shame
Review: Dr. Konnilyn Feig, author, Hitler's Death Camps: Kirkus Reviews often generates the respect of the popular and academic communities. Its review in this instance is stunning in its ignorance, aggressive in its disdain, hysterical in its criticism, horribly slanted in its slight account, and just plain STUPID. Iris Chan has produced a remarkable first at a critical time. Rather than a "catalog of atrocities" as the review sneers, the Chang book looks into the dark side of a nation that with all of its strengths has not faced its WWII past - unlike Germany. That denial is not only hurtful to its living and dead victims, but to its own people who must live with a stunted history. The writer is a distinguished author who did prodigious scholarship on a difficult subject. What should the author have done? Brushed over the atrocities which is the center of the story with a once over lightly? Jazzed up the "blandly" shocking anecdotes? Censored the natural "moral earnestness?" Dramatized the "lifeless clumps of facts?" Obfuscated the complex events which Kirkus charges as a rush to "simplify?" And then to suggest that these lumpless clumps were written to be a screenplay for a Schlindler type movie is the height of bias and slant, and of contradictory silliness. This author is a MacArthur Foundation "Genius" recipient. This author has shown enormous courage. And most important, perhaps, the reviewer did not read the book - which is shocking in its own right. He writes, "Chang fails because HE [my emphasis] rushes to simplify." Iris Chan, dummy, is a young WOMAN. Kirkus, FIRE YOUR REVIEWER for undermining your stature, creating the slanted bully image of your reviews, and simulating silliness where seriousness should prevail.

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Summary: The Japanese are still denying...
Review: When many Japanese politicians and, yes, ordinary people complain about the "injustice" imposed upon them during The World War II by the West, America in particular, we, Americans, should take a hard look at US-Japan relationship and re-think about our role and commitment in East Asia. Unfortunately, unlike Germans, the Japanese are still keeping denying what they have done to the peoples of Asia, and American P.O.W.s during the war. Iris Chang's book provides an excellent source of historical facts about the atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese military, which are unknown to most Americans. When you are joyfully buying Toyotas, Hondas, Sonys, and Panasonics this holiday season, please buy THIS book and read it, you won't regret it.

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Summary: History is a mirror
Review: Nanking is the capital of my home province. I have been told what terrible things Japan Army did before since I was very young. I can't forget the shock while I visited the museum in Nanking about the holocaust. I feel very angry that Japan government does not let their people know this terrible history. Who can guanrantee that this terrible thing will never happen again if we do not use this history mirror to warn us? I am very happy for the publishing of this book. I will buy two copies, one for my Japanese friend, another for myself. I hope there will be a Japanese version so that more Japanese people can read this.

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Summary: Forgotten
Review: I will admit that I am only a Grade 12 student reading this book as part of a English project, however while reading the reviews of this book on Amazon.com I came across somebody saying that this is not forgotten history. When I presented my report to a class of average Canadian high school students many of whom were in my History 12 class were totally oblivious to such acts of violence and sadistic rape,murder and degredgation of the Chinese. I believe that however bias Chang's writing maybe at certain points it is only because any decent human being cannot or would have a hard time writing of such atrocities without providing a hint of anger and frustration as to the events of Nanking. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO EVERYBODY, it is very much a book that is important and informative, but at the same time it is written with graphic detail as the reader is bombarded with constant stories and depictions of rape,murder and mutilation.

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Summary: Powerful look at Tragedy & Brutality
Review: This gripping expose' of Japan's brutality in China is not for the faint of heart. Author Iris Chang used official documents and interviews with aged survivors to narrate one of the most overlooked chapters of 20th Century genocide. When Japan's imperial army captured the Chinese city of Nanking in 1937, their soldiers exacted a blood-thirsty revenge. As this book shows, no Chinese were exempt from the seven-week (...) of murder and rape that followed. Japanese soldiers used Chinese prisoners for bayonet practice, shot entire families, and raped women by the thousands (usually killing their victims afterwards). Recoiling in horror, a handful of western officials, missionaries, and others (led ironically by (...) diplomat John Rabe) worked to establish an international safe zone that saved thousands of Chinese. Still this powerful narrative shows that Japan's army murdered an estimated 300,000 Chinese citizens in the space of less than two months.

I recently a television interview where an aged ex-soldier from Japan admitted to having participated in these brutalities and to having felt no remorse until years later. Gee. Author Iris Chang (1968-2004) was a talented journalist who unfortunately took her own life - one wonders if this powerful narrative may have contributed to her burdens.