In December 1937, one of the most brutal massacres in the long annals of wartime barbarity occurred in the capital of China. The Japanese army swept into Nanking and not only looted and burned the defenseless city but systematically raped, tortured, and murdered half of the city’s remaining population, some 300,000 Chinese civilians. Amazingly, the account of this atrocity was denied by the Japanese government.
The Rape of Nanking tells the story from three perspectives: that of the Japanese soldiers who performed it, that of the Chinese civilians who endured it, and finally, that 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 John Rabe, the tireless German leader of the rescue effort, whom Iris Chang called the “Oskar Schindler of China.”
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"Eye opening and gut wrenching. So often we read and learn about what happened to the United States, Germans, Japanese or Jewish during WWII. And not that it wasn't a terrible war, but there are many that have been forgotten during that time. This is the only book out there, that I know of, that writes about what happened to the Chinese during this time. You cannot ignore the history of this." — Katherine (5 out of 5 stars)
"Eye opening and gut wrenching. So often we read and learn about what happened to the United States, Germans, Japanese or Jewish during WWII. And not that it wasn't a terrible war, but there are many that have been forgotten during that time. This is the only book out there, that I know of, that writes about what happened to the Chinese during this time. You cannot ignore the history of this."
“A powerful new work of history and moral inquiry. Chang takes great care to establish an accurate accounting of the dimensions of the violence.”
“The first comprehensive examination of the destruction of this Chinese imperial city…Ms. Chang, whose grandparents narrowly escaped the carnage, has skillfully excavated from oblivion the terrible events that took place.”
“A story that Chang recovers with raw urgency…An important step toward recognition of this tragedy.”
“Stomach-turning, tear-wrenching, thoroughly riveting.”
“For giving voice to their terrifying and crippling experience and for writing this timely remembrance of those who did not live to tell about it, Chang has joined the heroes of Nanking in a great service to humanity and history.”
“Chang reminds us that however blinding the atrocities in Nanking may be, they are not forgettable—at least without peril to civilization itself.”
“Compelling in its emotional breadth, impressive in its intellectual width. From the first page, it seizes hold of your emotional and intellectual centers and will not loosen its grip until the last page, if even then.”
“Fields keeps her narrative from overreaction, using a finely tuned ear for inflection to emphasize the worst horrors. This is a real accomplishment, as it would be hard NOT to express indignation. Her intelligent performance makes this a remarkable and compelling experience.”
“Chang has written a forceful narrative that not only reconstructs the grisly events in detail but analyzes Japan’s reluctance to admit its responsibility.”
" Such an amazing book, it was a human tragedy. "
" Interesting topic, writing & analysis done by author not so great "
" a surprisingly easy read for what is obviously a very tough subject. everyone should know more about this subject, and this book is a great place to start. "
" This is a detailed and graphic account of the actions of the Japanese military in China during WWII. It's chilling, and must be taken with a grain of salt (like all history) as it's written by someone named Chang. However, this story is not told enough. "
" Not for the faint of heart or stomach. I think this is a story which should not be left out of a historical education. "
" boring. repetitive. the book felt like an excuse for the author to rehash and rehash the past out of bitterness. maybe because i grew up hearing about it from the perspective of my parents and i'm lumping them together because it all sounds familiar to me. no matter. this book was a waste of my time. "
" I cried a million times reading this book. Probably the only book I had to close several times in the middle of reading it, since my hands were shaking so badly. "
" This was one of the hardest books I've read. The descriptions of sheer brutality were unbelievable. But equally important is knowing that this tragedy occurred. "
" This book made me feel ashamed to be human. "
" Extremely graphic history of the Japanese invasion of China pre-WWII. Hard to read. Stressed the Western residents (including Nazis) who attempted to help the Chinese people, the risks they took, and their documentation of the atrocities. Difficult to read! Be fore-warned!! "
" Informative, horrifying, very interesting.. but everything you need to know is in the first chapter. Too much of this book is padding or self-indulgence on the part of the writer. "
" This ranks high on my list of books I think everyone should read. Really shocking, and it's hard to shock me when it comes to war stories. "
" A harrowing tale, a brave author, and an important contribution to the historical record. "
" Thanks to a friend for recommending this book.. it was heart wrenching.. but an important read. Not sure that many people know about this holocaust. "
" incredibly upsetting. "
" I am humbled that before I read this book, I didn't know that this atrocity occurred. What an eye-opening book to another chapter in our history. Chang did a fantastic job of not holding back and 'prettifying' the horrors of the Rape of Nanking. The mental images will stick with me for a long time. "
" A book about an incident during the chinese-Japanese war that that was the start of WWll in the far east. Students ought ti be required to read about the war crimes that JAPAN commited. "
" As a Chinese, I do think we need more books on this topic. It is a shame when this part of history is lost in the coming generation. A must read for all Chinese, especially for the younger generation. "
" Shocking!!! I love the way she writes ... as if she is struggling to hold back a tsunami of anger in order to give a dignified presentation. "
" I bought the book at Changi departure hall on the way home. Iris Chang style of writing is admirable. Simple yet eloquent and expressive. This is her first book which I consider explosive....vividly describing the cruelties of the Japanese soldiers during the invasion of Nanking... "
" A friend lent me this book for 3 yrs and I never finished it so I'm giving it another try. He says it is a must read. "
" It's kind of awkward giving 5 stars to one of the most depressing books I've ever read. It even has pictures in the middle.Incredibly disturbing, but it's important, I think, that people read it and know what happened. "
" I read this book about 5 years ago, it's gripping pages are etched in my mind forever. "
" A vivid account of the Japanese occupation of Nanking, China, during World War II. "
" Invaluable story, but not nearly as literary or compelling as "Schindler's List." "
" Sure the book was well written and clearly a ton of research went into it. However, this is a truly disgusting account of the Japanese occupation of China. It is a true account of events in history but the details were so gruesome and disturbing to read. "
" Un document édifiant, même en prenant compte des ajouts de la préface. "
" If you haven't read it, then you should read it. Terrifying historical fiction about the massacre in Nanking. I hadn't heard about this holocaust before I read the book and therefore I think that this book is important. Read it. "
Iris Chang was a journalism graduate of the University of Illinoisat Urbana, and she worked as a reporter for the Associated Press and the Chicago Tribune before winning a graduate fellowship to the writing seminars program at Johns Hopkins University. Her first book, Thread of the Silkworm, the story of Tsien Hsue-shen, father of the People’s Republic of China missile program, received worldwide critical acclaim. She was the recipient of the John T. and Catherine D. MacArthur Foundation’s Program on Peace and International Cooperation Award and major grants from the National Science Foundation, the Pacific Cultural Foundation, and the Harry Truman Library.
Jennifer Van Dyck has appeared on Broadway in Hedda Gabler, Dancing at Lughnasa, Two Shakespearean Actors, and The Secret Rapture. She has been in new plays by Keith Bunin, Ellen McLaughlin, Catherine Filloux, Douglas Post, A. R. Gurney, and Albert Innaurato. Her film and television credits include Series 7, States of Control, Bullets over Broadway, numerous Law & Order episodes, Ed, Spin City, and The Education of Max Bickford. Her audiobook narrations have won her three AudioFile Earphones Awards.
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