Customer Reviews

A Plague upon Humanity: The Secret Genocide of Axis Japan's Germ Warfare Operation

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During World War 2 over 500,000 people died not from the war itself but biogtry and evil. Barenblatt's well researched book takes a glimpse back to a little known chapter in history;Japan's biological warfare development and experimentation on humans in other countries. What's sad about this heinous crime is that those involved in subjecting innocent men, women and children to these inhuman experiments went on to affluent positions in the pharmaceutical industry in Japan, political power and respect from their peers. They were essentially rewarded for the same horrible behavior that the Nazi's were arrested, tried and convicted for--treating captive humans as lab rats.

Barenblatt documents the rise of nationalism in Japan and how the social stratification of its society gave rise to Unit 731 where much of this work was carried out. Many of the participants had a sense of superiority that made them believe other humans were somehow no better than animals. The main mover and shaker behind this horror was a doctor named Ishii who came from a privilaged background, married into power and cultivated social relationships to increase his power and climb the social ladder of Japan. His beliefs made him as dark and evil as Hitler and Gobbels.

Under Ishii's direction Unit 731 would routinely spray toxins over parts of China, Taiwan and other captured countries. His men would also contaminate food with bacteria and deadly virues and hand them out to people. The worst part of this story was the treatment of children; they were frequently subjected to "innoculations" that consisted of a deadly cargo of bacteria and disease.

War always has casualities. But Ishii's victimization of innocent babies, children, woman and men who were guilty of being inferior in his eyes, puts him in the save league as other monsters throughout history. These innocent victims didn't know what was happening and couldn't stand up for themselves. Until now, their voices were lost in the din of history. Barenblatt's book allows them to finally point out the monsters who did this to them.

Why weren't these monsters punished? Some of these people were tried and executed in Russia after the war. What did the United States do? Nothing. When MacArthur liberated Japan, he struck a deal with the doctors of Unit 731 that allowed them to go unpunished and resume their respectful careers in society. This is a sad example of how ego, bigotry and ignorence can be rewarded. MacArthur and the United States participated in this horror by covering it up.

Barenblatt should be applauded for giving a voice to those who couldn't cry out for themselves and for finally uncovering the identities of the cowards who committed these acts of evil against innocents.

Like many people, I've heard stories over the years about Japanese experiments on unwilling human captives (called 'maruta' or wooden logs, by the Japanese) during WWII. But I had no idea just how widespread and systematic the abuse really was until I read this book. As Barenblatt ably details it, in addition to the infamous "Unit 731", there were many other Biological Warfare units operated by the Japanese throughout Manchuria and other areas occupied by Japanese forces before and during WWII.

In addition to illegally conducting experiments on prisoners, POWs, and others inside these units, the Japanese Biological Warfare technicians also conducted "field tests" of bubonic plague, cholera, anthrax, etc. on unwitting civilians using airplanes, specially-made ceramic bombs, and poisoning of wells and food supplies.

Barenblatt uses compelling research to detail all of these atrocities and the men who were behind them, most notably Shiro Ishii. He also details how the U.S. government agreed not to persecute these Japanese "doctors" for war crimes after WWII in order to get the details of their experiments.

All in all, this book is an eye-opening but very necessary look at how Biological Warfare can wreak destruction upon unwitting civilians when applied by a war-mongering, power-hungry, fascist government. A powerful history lesson for all of us.....

I recently attended a lecture by Daniel Barenblatt in NYC. The subject was of course Barenblatt's new book A PLAGUE UPON HUMANITY. Whereas the use of human medical experimentation is now a well known aspect of the Nazi extermination program, the fact that
Japan innovated these same techniques, as well as implementing a lethal biological warfare unit, directed by Dr. Ishii Shiro & imposed upon the Chinese population in Manchuria & Occupied China, prior & parallel to the Nazi regime, is less known in the Western World.
Whereas some books on this topic have been published, Mr. Barenblatt, with integrity & the detachment necessary to cover the terrain, has written a contemporary & updated version of the material That he does so fills an important gap in our historical understanding but moreover, underlies the situation in which we now live.
The 25 photographs speak without words. The 10 chapters & for this reader, in particular the last chapter `What The Deal Brought' wherein the implication of this program for our current policy is clear become apparent.. In an era of lethal indifference , poisoned ambients, both intellectual & environmental, a voice such as Barenblatt's must be heeded.

An absolute must read for students of 20th century or WWII history. While I feel it could have easily been twice the length, the author lays the facts out clearly, exposing a story so awful that it ranks with the final solution as an example of mans' capacity for genocide and horror. Should be required reading in high school history all over the world, but especially in the United States and Japan.

The author Dan Barenblatt has his special background in chemistry and the most precious common human values to complete such a wonderful book. I can image how much efforts he put to overcome the difficullties since the auther does not read and write Chinese.
The most impressive from in this book is the auther try to understand the facts of the history and the cause of it. Unless we understand the cause of the historic tragedy, it will repeat again.
For example he spent a good amount of efforts to analyze what cause the head of Unit 731 - Dr. Shiro Ishii to commit such a huge crime on germ warfare from his family, social background and political environment at that time and how America knew about it, how the secret deal was made later. The auther wanted to present the whole true history base on the individual has right to know, without knowing the fact, the justice and human values are easily betrayed by interest or other purpose.
You will be touched by this most forgotten or unkown history presented in the book; but as a Chinese auther I was touched and amazed by his efforts and unbiased humaneness

I came from the city where the Japanse secret germ army operated during the second world war. What the author stated in the book is true. The truth can not be denied by the Japanese Government. Don`t judge anything as lie or truth, unless you find out with yoru own eyes.

This is an excellent written book about germ warfare experiments by the Japs durning WWII. Very well written and easily read. Might make some people mad at our goverment after WWII for not doing any thing to the Jap personel who performed the expirments.

I would never understand the tragedy that doctors DIED trying to save these victims of Japanese germ warfare. Without Sars present in our lives today, this very important victim pool of Japanese murdering Chinese would have been forgotten by most and not heartfelt. Sars makes us FEEL without pointing the finger at Japan. Japanese foreigners quarantined in Hongkong for pig flu became hysterical immediately whilst the Chinese pun ti people endured and the Japanese consulate sent a Mandarin speaking operative immediately to gain information and to establish Japanese victimhood in Hong Kong. How ironic.

It is very difficult to beileve that one person would cut open another as standard operating procedures to ensure the organs were in the best state, with out drugs for the patient. Makes Dr Mangela look mild. they were some sick people.

The author has an agenda to bash America in this work, all the more incredible since one would think the nation of Japan, which has never officially apologized for the atrocities described in this bood, would more than suffice as a punching bag for him, the author. His determination to get that bashing in, in the second half of the work, distracted him from delivering the proper scope and balance in telling the story the author is probably capable of. Worth the price though (especially if you can get it at a discount).