Rape of Nanking
Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang is an illustrated edition published by Basic Books on January 10, 2012. This 360-page work presents a detailed account of one of history’s most brutal massacres, focusing on the events that unfolded in December 1937 when the Japanese army invaded Nanking, then the capital of China. The narrative is constructed from a wealth of eyewitness reports, providing a comprehensive overview of the atrocities committed against Chinese civilians and soldiers during this dark chapter of the Sino-Japanese War.
In this seminal work, readers will find a multifaceted exploration of the massacre, told from the perspectives of Japanese soldiers, Chinese victims, and Westerners who established a safety zone to protect those at risk. Iris Chang draws on extensive interviews with survivors and previously undisclosed documents, creating a historical account that sheds light on the horrors of wartime violence and the impact of these events on both individuals and society. The book delves into themes of history, memory, and the importance of acknowledging past atrocities, making it a significant contribution to the understanding of World War II and its aftermath in China.
Official synopsis Publisher
The New York Times bestselling account of one of history’s most brutal—and forgotten—massacres, when the Japanese army destroyed China’s capital city on the eve of World War II, “piecing together the abundant eyewitness reports into an undeniable tapestry of horror”. (Adam Hochschild, Salon)
In December 1937, one of the most horrific atrocities in the long annals of wartime barbarity occurred. The Japanese army swept into the ancient city of Nanking (what was then the capital of China), and within weeks, more than 300,000 Chinese civilians and soldiers were systematically raped, tortured, and murdered. In this seminal work, Iris Chang, whose own grandparents barely escaped the massacre, tells this history from three perspectives: that of the Japanese soldiers, that of the Chinese, and that of a group of Westerners who refused to abandon the city and created a safety zone, which saved almost 300,000 Chinese.
Drawing on extensive interviews with survivors and documents brought to light for the first time, Iris Chang’s classic book is the definitive history of this horrifying episode.
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