Forward Summary and Analysis

The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II by Iris Chang follows the progression of Japanese soldiers from Shanghai to Nanking during World War II and gives account of the horrible atrocities committed by the Japanese military at Nanking. The book begins with a vast number of statistics that serve to show the true massacre of the Chinese people at the hands of the Japanese, and continues by analyzing the path the Japanese took on their path to Nanking, using true eyewitness accounts to paint a horrifying picture of destruction. The story is harrowing, moving, horrifying, and at times, disgusting as specific acts are described in detail. And yet, between these incidents, lies a strong message of power in individuals, and the overwhelming ability of humankind both to rise above and help others, and well as to fight...