Review of the Rape of Nanking

Iris Chang discuses a somewhat bias view of what happened during WWII between the Japanese and the Chinese. There terror that the tiny village of Nanking was subjected to was not only the fault of the brutal Japanese army but the Chinese army that fled. The city and its inhabitants were left to be massacred in multiple, but equally grotesque, ways. What made the book bearable for me to read were the few foreigners that stayed behind to shelter and protect the Chinese people from the unrelenting Japanese army. Even a Nazi, today seen as most evil political party to date, named Rabe sheltered Chinese in his own home chasing away the Japanese soldiers who dared to trespass. I thought the worse was over when the depictions of the actual "rape" took place but to learn that this devastation lost steam in the history books is heart-breaking. I think of previous history classes and the rape of Nanking was never thought to me. While reading book I would talk to friends about it but no one knew what I was talking about. A few even seemed skeptical about the information that I explained to them. I think the book could have been a little less biased, perhaps Chang could have used more Japanese sources though it seemed that those are hard to come by. I would have liked to hear some stories of the Japanese soldiers that were sent to Nanking or maybe just Japanese soldiers being trained during the time this was happening. After reading the book I am finally informed about the rape at Nanking but I cannot believe it took this long to hear about it.

An American reading about atrocities committed

Reading the Rape of Nanking is difficult for many reasons. One is the content, but the reason that's been most prevalent on my mind is the images of destruction and despair coming out of Japan in recent days. Iris Chang makes a strong case against the Japanese in her book, citing the psychology of its entire culture.
However unfair it sounds, reading the early chapters and introduction of this book, it's difficult not to hate the Japanese a little bit. As an American of German descent, however, WWII is a bit of a sore spot, as it is. It is impossible to discuss the Japanese without the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the back of my mind. I feel somehow unjustified in judging.
Rachel Maddow tells me that once again, nuclear radiation is floating around Japan during this already tragic time. I am also reminded that during the quake in Haiti, Japan raised and donated a lot of money for the clean-up effort. I was impressed by their actions, and dismayed that donations for Japan have been "slow" and small.
Coming from a powerful country where atrocities against us are propagandized into action, it's difficult to imagine already being at war with an invading army when something of the magnitude of the Nanking Massacre occurs. While my own inexperience, and lack of private research on the Massacre gives me pause, Iris Chang's arguments seem sound, and her impassioned speech inspires. However, I suppose all arguments on such an 'obviously' one-sided issue encourage the same response.
My sympathy for the Japanese in 2011 gives me guilt for my judgment of them in 1937, and their inaction for reparations since. While I do not believe that we can judge an entire country, people, or culture on their attitude in one or a couple of events, I come from a culture that encourages (arguably) individual thought, and one where up to 49% of the population can disagree with the course our country is taking. The minority can be as vocal about their views as they please, without (in theory) stepping on the 'liberties of others.' Based on the writings of Iris Chang and basic research into Samurai culture, and a brief introduction into the history of Japan, our cultures do not appear parallel. Which again gives me pause. How much can a Westerner, with a Western education, truly make informed, intelligent decisions about an Eastern culture?
To follow it up, here's some links to charities doing work for Japan,:
UNICEF
American Red Cross

Further Research on the Rape of Nanking

I know that Wikipedia is the end of reliable information (blah blah blah), and that by citing it I am damaging my reputation as a data source for the remainder of world history. However, the site's article on Iris Chang's controversial book The Rape of Nanking, is a solid jumping-off point for anyone looking for more on the author or the Nanking Massacre.

The article (linked here), offers a couple of perspectives on the writing of this important chronicle. First, it discusses Chang's research methods, revealing her discovery of diaries belonging to two Westerners previously unstudied. The author's research opened up this shadowy part of world history for discussion in the West, and, as is covered by the Wikipedia entry, began a dialogue between scholars on both sides that was previously not happening.

It also covers Chang's death as "the latest victim of the Nanking Massacre."

Valuable for the hobbyist researcher- the article mentions her sources, related activist works (though these are also covered in her book's introduction), and works inspired by her- specifically the film Nanking.

In the introduction of her book, Chang cites examples of just how little information was readily available on the Massacre when she began researching. While Chang's book is not cited in the bibliography of his book, I was proud of author Curtis Andressen for including the event in his book A Short History of Japan: from Samurai to Sony. At 222 pages of historical narrative, Andressen's history is truly brief. Despite this, he dedicates almost an entire page to this previously censored military action. The information this author cites may have been harder to find before Iris Chang published her book, making this publication yet another history declining to comment on Japan's brutal actions in China. On top of coverage, A Short History of Japan offers a summary of both sides of this ongoing conflict.

I hope this is useful to anyone looking for more on this important work.

-JMY-L