The Rape of Nanking
by Iris Chang
List Price: $14.95
Pages: 290
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 0140277447
Publisher: Penguin USA
Once encircled by an ancient, immense stone wall built during the Ming
dynasty, Nanking was a city of imperial palaces and lavish tombs. Temples
perched on the surrounding mountains and lotus blossoms studded its lakes.
In the summer of 1937, relics of the old Nanking mingled&—and clashed&—with
the new Nanking. Automobiles sped past rickasha pullers and an occasional
water buffalo or camel wandered into the street. People escaped their
sweltering houses by spending their evenings in the open air chatting
with neighbors. No one could know that these lazy summer nights would
usher in six weeks of terror, and that the majestic Yangtzee River would
soon run red with blood.
"If the dead from Nanking were
to link hands, they would stretch from Nanking to the city of Hangchow,
spanning a distance of some two hundred miles. Their blood would weigh
twelve hundred tons, and their bodies would fill twenty-five hundred railroad
cars. Stacked on top of each other, these bodies would reach the height
of a seventy-four-story building."&—from the Introduction of The
Rape of Nanking
In December of 1937, the Japanese
army swept into Nanking and left a trail of carnage surreal in its horror.
The death toll was staggering, far exceeding that of the American raids
on Tokyo (an estimated 80,000-120,0000) and even the combined death toll
of the two atomic blasts at Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the end of 1945
(estimated at 140,000 and 70,000 respectively). If not just for the numbers
of dead, the Rape of Nanking should be remembered for the cruel manner
in which most of its victims met their end. Japanese soldiers used Chinese
men for bayonet practice and often engaged in killing competitions. Some
victims were buried alive, others were buried up to their waists and then
torn to pieces by German Shepherds. It is believed that between 20,000-80,000
Chinese women were raped; fathers were forced to rape their daughters,
and sons were forced to rape their mothers. It seems that the hearts of
the Japanese soldiers had decomposed completely&—no act was too evil
to commit.
While the Rape of Nanking represents
one of the worst instances of mass extermination in the annals of world
history it is also one of the most obscure. In the United States, only
a scant few World War II textbooks mention the Nanking slaughter, and
almost none of the "definitive" World War II histories include the episode.
The Japanese, in addition to editing any reference to the massacre out
of their school curriculum, have aggressively campaigned to prevent the
Nanking atrocities from becoming common knowledge. In her courageous and
important book, Iris Chang both chronicles the massacre of this once proud,
imperial capital city, and exposes the historical amnesia that she astutely
characterizes as a second rape.
"Those who cannot remember
the past are condemned to repeat it."&—George Santayana
While most of us are painfully
aware of the frailty of human life, many of us display tremendous naiveté
about the tissue thin nature of civilization. The Rape of Nanking
is, indeed, a desperate attempt to salvage the memory of the countless
souls lost in that bloodbath, but it is also a cautionary tale for anyone
lulled into a false sense of national security. The question lurking between
the lines of every page of this book is: can we prevent the reoccurrence
of such unchecked cruelty? The first step, says Iris Chang, is exploring
the darkest days and nights of world history. By doing this we will learn
that no one nation is unique in its capacity for savageness&—hence
the atrocities of Rwanda, Yugoslavia, and the Holocaust. A mere tear in
veneer of society&—even our own&—can give way to episodes of
unparalleled barbarity.
Only by remembering can we
glean lessons from these massacres&—and the one that befell Nanking
nearly sixty years ago. And if memory lies at the root of forgiveness,
than the victims of the Rape of Nanking have only just begun their journey
toward healing.
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1. Throughout The Rape of Nanking, Iris Chang emphasizes that by not remembering the past, we become victims of it. What do you think she means by this? Other than the Rape of Nanking, can you think of any profound injustices that have gone unnoticed in the world&—and that as a result have become even more sinister and dangerous? How about in your own country&—or even in your own city?
2. If remembering is the first step to repairing the damage incurred by a holocaust, what do you think might be the second? The third? Is there ever a time for forgiving and at least attempting to forget wounds of war?
3. It is true that one of the most distressing facets of the Rape of Nanking&—and in our own day the Yugoslavian conflict and the Rwandan massacre&—is the manner in which the people of the world became merely passive spectators. And as the death toll climb once again in Kosovo, one senses that history will, no doubt, repeat itself. What is America's responsibility to the civilians caught in the crossfire of these civil wars? Do you think the United Nations has the capacity to cope appropriately with these conflicts?
4. How has the media portrayed these conflicts to the rest of the world, and how have you and your family reacted to having visuals of them brought into your home? Do you think that the extensive media coverage of war encourages interest in world events or contributes to the numbing of our conscious?
5. Do you think that a holocaust could occur on American soil? Why or why not? What type of protection against such events does the United States government offer to its citizens? Are these checks and balances sufficient?
6. The epilogue of the book discusses steps being taken by the U.S. government to heighten awareness of the Rape of Nanking, including plans by the San Francisco school district to include the Rape of Nanking in its curriculum. How might you discuss the Rape of Nanking with your children? What are some ways that you could foster in your children an interest in world events? At what age do you think that this type of education is appropriate?
7. One of the most peculiar aspects of the Rape of Nanking was the presence of John Rabe, the Nazi official who risked his life to save the Chinese from the marauding Japanese soldiers. Were you able to reconcile his heroism with his adulation for Hitler? How?
8.. The Rape of Nanking illustrates the absolute depths of war&—a place where humans become inhuman. Is it possible to prevent these episodes, or are they an unavoidable component of war&—one that will exist as long as nations exist?
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" 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. "
—The Wall Street Journal
"[An] unflinching reexamination of one of the most horrifying chapters of the second world war. "
—Newsweek
"A powerful new work of history and moral inquiry. Chang takes great care to establish an accurate accounting of the dimensions of the violence. "
—Chicago Tribune
"A compelling account of a horrendous episode that, until recently, has been largely forgotten. "
—The Philadelphia Inquirer
"Iris Chang... recounts the grisly massacre with understandable outrage. "
—The New York Times Book Review
"Stomach-turning, tear-wrenching, thoroughly riveting. "
—The Baltimore Sun
