Six Weeks of Horror Summary and Analysis

By the time the Japanese invaded the city of Nanking, all who could had fled, leaving the population at less than half a million. Many left behind were the elderly, children, or the physically weak, and those who convinced themselves the Japanese would treat them well. Some even ran to welcome the soldiers, and were immediately shot down. Following entry to the city, the soldiers shot thousands in the streets at random. Chang notes that wartime transcripts report the same scenario countless times. The Japanese would take any males prisoner and starve them for days. Weak and dehydrated, they would then take them to the outskirts and kill them either by gunfire or sword. While there were stories of heroism and a strong will to live, the majority of the Chinese citizens were too weak...