Rape of Nanking: An Undeniable History in Photographs [Hardcover]

James Yin (Author), Shi Young (Author), Ron Dorfman (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: Chinese, English --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Triumph Books (March 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 096322316X
• ISBN-13: 978-0963223166
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,287,742 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brutally explicit set of photos of horror in war., January 2, 1999

By 

Jerry Walston ([e-mail]) (Parker, Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rape of Nanking: An Undeniable History in Photographs (Hardcover)

This 319 page book, with over 400 photographs, graphically illustrates the many unbelievable horrors that befell the citizens of Nanking and its defending soldiers who unwisely surrendered to the Japanese in December, 1937. It is claimed that more than 350,000 Chinese died during the period of just a few weeks--death at a rate exceeding 8,000 per day. If you are the squeamish type with a weak stomach when it comes to blood and gore, this will not be your book. The photographs are explicit with no holds barred. Explanatory text is interwoven with the photos. The authors wanted to make sure that the horrors that the Japanese inflicted on the Chinese were clear and undeniable beyond a shadow of a doubt. Chapter headings are: 1. The Road From Shanghai to Nanking. 2. The Fall of Nanking. 3. The Systematic Massacre of Prisoners of War. 4. Killing Methods. 5. Brutal Assaults on Women. 6. Arson and Looting. 7. Heroic Foreigners. 8. The Undeniable History and the Responsibility of Japanese Royalty.

30 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well documented, graphic photos and survivor accounts, June 13, 1998

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Rape of Nanking: An Undeniable History in Photographs (Hardcover)

That the necessity for this book is recognized by Desmond Tutu speaks volumes.

Not nearly enough has been told of Imperial Japanese agression in Asia. Not many know that the Japanese were accountable for 20 million deaths in Asia in World War II. Fewer still know the gruesome details of the atrocities the Japanese committed in Nanking. Knowlegde of that event is restricted in Japan and World War II is glossed over if mentioned at all in secondary schools. Too often the Japanese are portrayed only as victims at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. If one is to understand why older (and a few younger) Chinese, Koreans and Filipinos bear such residual animosity toward the Japanese, this book is a good starting point.

It is good to see a counterpoint to the plethora of literature which casts the Japanese as victims. Hopefuly, one day research and documentation of Japanese atrocities will be completed in the depth which is needed. For example, very few people (outside of Korea) know of the merciless way the Japanese dealt with Korean Independence movements or of the several thousand Korean martyrs like the 15 year old school girl Yu Kwan Soon (who was beaten to death for making a Korean flag). Hopefully, the Rape of Nanking will inspire more of these stories to be written.

28 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Reader From Massachusetts (above) posts propaganda..., February 24, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rape of Nanking: An Undeniable History in Photographs (Hardcover)

to all Anti-Japanese books at Amazon. Check the identical posting at "Hidden Horrors : Japanese War Crimes in World War II". Don't be deceived by Japanese Nationalist lies.