Reviewed by Lily Bond
Commenting on The Rape of Nanking (Iris Chang, 1998, Penguin Books, 290 pages) becomes a daunting task, given the nature of the book’s contents.
Let’s begin by quoting George Fitch, a resident of Nanking, who prefaced his diaries: “What I am about to relate is anything but a pleasant story. In fact, it is so very unpleasant that I cannot recommend anyone without a strong stomach to read it.”
Iris Chang, whose grandparents survived the Japanese defeat of Nanking, wrote and researched The Rape of Nanking. She heard stories from her parents, who had settled in the U.S. Photographs, newsreels, magazines, newspapers and personal diaries all documented the horrific events of six weeks in November and December, 1937.
The world needs to know the details. Sadly, such events tragically replay elsewhere. Chang tells of the atrocities committed by ravaging forces and of human courage beyond belief. She explores many “what ifs” and “buts”. Slightly different circumstances might have prevented the terrible events.
Factual accounts about weeks full of rapes and brutal killings by rampaging Japanese troops moved me to tears. The tales of bravery among foreign expatriates living in Nanking touched me. I was outraged that the Japanese imperial family never needed to account for what happened. Readers take away deep impressions of horror and shame.
Sadly, Chang committed suicide on November 11, 2004, seven years after the book first appeared. At the time, she researched another project and suffered from bi-polar disorder. Presumably, writing the The Rape of Nanking took a heavy emotional toll.
For more information: www.irischang.net
(December 6, 2006)
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Iris Chang conveys
horror and tragedy.
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