Book Reviews

[Dennis143]

Cripes, the Candle has just been dead lately. Can’t anyone write a story? Can’t anyone share something about yourself that might provoke some real introspection within us? Neither a post of angst or tragedy nor even joy has been written lately. Well, at least, for once the CFL hook has loosened its hold and has allowed some freedom back in my life.

 

I introduced our local library to Leiqin, a few weeks ago. At first, she had a hard time understanding that this 'store' would lend us books, videos and CDs and we could walk out the door with them without paying a cent, “Yes honey. No money. Free. We bring back later.â€

 

We now visit the Library at least twice a month. I just have to be careful that she doesn’t go too crazy with bringing home too much, as I am finding CDs and videos mixed in with our personal collections now. It is easy to forget what we borrowed, as it has been shopping bags filled on each trip.

 

Anyway, it’s been an opportunity for me to read some books on China and China history that I have always wanted, but never took the time to do. Here’s my short book review of two books that I have read so far:

 

No Tears for Mao: Growing Up in the Cultural Revolution

Niu-Niu

Translated by Enne and Peter Amman

 

I read this book first. It’s an easy read about the first-hand eyewitness accounts of a young girl who was born in 1966 during the beginning of the Cultural Revolution and grew up witnessing cruelty inflicted by the Red Guards on its own people. It was a crazy time. One day you could be considered a hero to the revolution and the next day become cast out as being anti-revolutionary simply by someone saying something negative about you to those in charge. Public humiliation was normal. Fully shaved or half shaved heads were common for those who were forced to write and read aloud their self-criticism and confessions of crimes against the revolution at public hearings before being sent off for years at re-education camps. The story is more than just about growing up during the CR, however, it is an autobiographical accounting and often a self-criticism of herself and of the beurocratic hangover from the Cultural Revolution that continues through today.

 

I think this book would give a bit of insight to anyone who's SO is over 40 and grew up in China during this period.

 

 

The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II

by Iris Chang

 

Reading of the indiscriminate beatings and public humiliation in No Tears was mind boggling, until I read The Rape of Nanking. Say the words Nanjing Datsuka to your SO and see what their response is. It would be difficult for me to put into my own words to describe to you the accounting of horrors inflicted by Japanese soldiers. So, pardon me if I post excerpts to help those of you, who like me, never understood the scope and scale of these atrocities.

 

As the stories go --recorded in international newspapers, Chinese government and academic documents, Japanese photographs and in the diaries of Red Cross officials stationed in Nanking--the Japanese killed so many men, women and children with machetes that their arms became tired and they had to rest before they continued. Competitions took place among Japanese soldiers to see how many Chinese they could kill in one day. A Japanese newspaper wrote of a competition between two Japanese soldiers to see who could be first to behead 100 men. Decapitation was popular, evidenced by dozens of photographs in James Yin Shi Young's The Rape of Nanking (Innovative Publishing Group, 1996). Chinese heads were fed to the dogs. Babies were thrown in the air and bayoneted on the way down. The soldiers also used bayonets, machine guns, live burial and fire. Women were raped, forced to perform bizarre sexual acts, and then killed. Fathers were forced to rape their daughters, and sons, their mothers. Chinese men were forced to rape corpses. Some people were buried waist deep and torn apart by German shepherds. People were killed in any manner you could imagine; fire, freezing, mutilation, explosion. ... Prisoners were used for bayonet practice. Women's breasts were cut off and tacked on walls as trophies. Men were castrated.

 

More people were killed during the six to eight weeks of horror than all of those killed in both bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki or even the bombing of Dresden.

 

After World War II, while the Germans were preparing for trial at Nuremberg, the U.S., represented by General Douglas MacArthur, brokered secret deals with the Japanese government. In exchange for their research on germ warfare and human biology, the murderous actions of the Japanese in China and elsewhere in the Pacific would be ignored.

 

Unlike the outrage over the actions of the Nazis, there has been little international recognition of Japanese war crimes. While the Germans have formally apologized many times, the Japanese emperor still has not. Some conservative Japanese believe the massacre never happened. Many continue to honor war criminals at national shrines. In 1979, when the U.S. first compiled a list of 60,000 European war criminals who were not allowed to travel to the United States, there was no list of Japanese war criminals. There were no memorials erected to honor the Chinese dead, nor to sear the memory of atrocities committed in China into the American conscience.

 

I am still sickened, from reading this book. It was difficult to get through. I would often tear up, while reading of the carnage. And, equally, I am sickened and saddened of Japan’s attempt to rewrite history by pretending these atrocities never occurred.

 

Pictures of the horror:

http://www.bergen.org/AAST/Projects/ChinaHistory/rape1.html

 

Some like to call those persons who attempt to keep these atrocities alive in the memory of the world as Japanese bashers. I now firmly believe that it is all of our duty to sear the memory of atrocities committed in China into the American conscience. And, just the same as the Jewish Holocaust, never allow us to forget those atrocities committed during the Rape of Nanking. It is equally important that all of us understand what Nanjing Datsuka mean to our Chinese women and men too.

Edited August 1, 2006 by Dennis143 (see edit history)

[Randy W]

yes - an excellent post.

[SmilingAsia]

Dennis, thank you.

My tears dripped down.

The one who wrote the book would have had lots of his hair fall off and it's not surprising if the writer got some mental problems cuz he was experiencing the unbearable pain, struggling of a nation.

 

I think if you mention "Nan Jing Da Tu Sha" to a Chinese woman, a lot of them would respond in puzzle or "What's that?"

China has a long way to educate its large population.

 

Nan Jing people and northerners remember the history better than we southern Chinese. My sister used to work in Nan Jing and she observed some girls working in the restaurants were asked by some Japanese business men "Do you have a husband or boyfriend?" The answer was "Yes, got killed in Nan Jing Holocaust."

[skibum]

The museum in Nanjing is situated on one of the burial grounds and you can see the bones of the victims partly buried. It is not a great place to visit but is good to remind us of what some men can do.

The city gate that is in a famous picture of the Japanese soldiers on it is still standing also.

I have read that the Japanese were treated badly when they were kicked out of Nanjing at the time of the Boxer rebelion. Another factor was the fact that Jiang cut and ran taking his army with him and leaving the city unprotected. It was the capital at that time.

[SmilingAsia]

Another factor was the fact that Jiang cut and ran taking his army with him and leaving the city unprotected. It was the capital at that time.

235073[/snapback]

Jiang wasn't able to cover his ass. He left for Chongqing, hiding in the mountains, later supported by Flying Tiger.

 

Thanks to Japanese invaders, otherwise Chinese Commies would never have the opportunity to grow and come into power. Then there would not have been another holocaust during Tu Gai, Cultural Revolution.

[Yuanyang]

Iris Chang who authored The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II and many others (see link) committed suicide a couple of years ago.

 

She did more than anyone to try to bring forth the horrors inflicted upon the Chinese people.

Edited August 2, 2006 by Yuanyang (see edit history)

[Rakkasan]

Excellent post Dennis. I read about the Rape of Nanking years ago and like so many other war time atrocities commited by the Japanese throughout the pacific rim at that time, they were given a pass and allowed to continue life without ever having to admit wrongdoing or make restitution or face punishment for their war crimes.

 

Below is a link to 2 web sites showing a collection of photos taken during the Rape of Nanking. I warn you these photos are disturbing.

 

Enter this site at your own risk. Very disturbing photos

 

Rape of Nanking Photos (not for those with a weak stomach)

 

I fully understand any ill feelings that the Chinese people may have towards the Japanese people. For Japan to continue to deny this incident and make claims that the photos are doctored is insulting. Japan needs to admit to these atrocities and others committed in Korea and throughout the Pacific in the 30's and 40's. Of course I am almost 50 years old and they have been lyin and spineless on these issues for the past 60 to 70 years and there is no reason to expect the Japanese to be honest in my lifetime. I am not going to hold my breath. The Japanese are who they are after all.

 

Thanks again Dennis.