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Firstly, I have to commend Iris Chang's tireless research. She and those that assisted her did so much work to make sure the events in Nanking were told with accuracy and clarity. She had to utilize documents and interviews from 5 different languages! She did not leave any stone unturned, even taking time to talk about those that tried to help during the massacre. I learned later that it was she who uncovered the journals of John Rabe, and she contributed a legendary amount of information to research about Nanking.
Secondly, I appreciate the fact that, while this book did not spare details about the atrocities experienced by the people of Nanking at the hands of the Japanese imperial soldiers, the book wasn't filled to the brim with horrific event after horrific event. Chang takes time to showcase what she's taken away from her research beyond the knowledge and much-deserved acknowledgement of the victims.
She extends to us a warning -- of the dangers of imperialism, dehumanization, propaganda, authoritarianism, and cultural hegemony.
In doing so, Chang bravely calls out the Japanese government and all those complicit in not only the events of Nanking but the subsequent propaganda campaign to erase the evidence, something that caused her to receive death threats and endless streams of hate mail.* To this day, the Japanese government still denies its actions in Nanking, the hundreds of thousands of victims, and thousands of trafficked comfort women from China (and many other countries not mentioned here). Even in the rare cases that the events are admitted, they are endlessly justified and defended by ultra-nationalists.
Chang's meticulous research and empathetic viewpoint make this book, as unenjoyable as the content is, accessible and deeply powerful.
*This book made me look into Iris Chang's life a little more, and what I learned was moving to me so I wanted to share it here. Beyond this book, Chang was an incredibly powerful activist for the plight of the Chinese victims of the war, and Chinese American issues in general. Seven years after this book was published, she (TW)
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Mass/school shootings, Abortion, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Incest, Cannibalism
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Murder, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War
Moderate: Suicide, Torture
Minor: Incest, Miscarriage, Kidnapping
Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt
Minor: Mental illness, Cannibalism, Abandonment
Over 20 years after Chang wrote that statement & it is still applicable to the state of the world, if not more so. Where we can see the daily personal accounts of Palestinians experiencing a genocide and those in power have done nothing tangible to stop it. While reading the sections regarding the coverup and propaganda used to quell the outrage around the massacre, I couldn't help but continually draw parallels to current events. It is incredibly disappointing to be reminded that history has and will continue to repeat itself.
Well written documentation on atrocities that many governments seem keen to forget/suppress. I gave this 4.5 stars because I felt some of the organization of events in the beginning was hard to follow.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Genocide, Gore, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Murder, Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Racism, Kidnapping, War
Minor: Drug use, Incest, Suicide, Cannibalism
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Incest, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Cannibalism, Murder, Colonisation, War
As long as you're aware of her bias, it's a good and informative book.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Incest, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Excrement, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, Classism
Graphic: Child death, Death, Drug use, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Cannibalism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail