The Japanese Invasion of Manchuria and the Rape of Nanking: The History of the Most Notorious Events of the Second Sino-Japanese War

by Charles River Editors

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the events written by people on both sides *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents Though scarcely mentioned in the world of early 21st century politics, Manchuria represented a key region of Asia during the first half of the 20th century. Once the heartland of the fierce Manchu empire, this northeastern Chinese region's rich natural resources made it a prize for nations in the process of entering the modern age, and three ambitious nations in the midst of such a transformation lay close enough to Manchuria to attempt to claim Japan, Russia, and China. For countries attempting to shake off their feudal past and enter a dynamic era of industrialization, Manchuria's resources presented an irresistible lure. With immense natural resources coupled to economic activity more concentrated than elsewhere in China, this region, abutting Mongolia, Korea, the Yellow Sea, and the Great Wall “accounted for 90 percent of China’s oil, 70 percent of its iron, 55 percent of its gold, and 33 percent of its trade. If Shanghai remained China’s commercial center, by 1931 Manchuria had become its industrial center.” (Paine, 2012, 15). Thus, it’s not altogether surprising that Japan's invasion of Manchuria in 1931 resulted from a long, complex chain of historical events stretching back to the late 19th century. Approximately 380,000 square miles in extent, or 1.4 times the size of the American state of Texas, Manchuria came into Imperial Russia's possession in 1900 due to the “Boxer Rebellion” in China, but the Russians held it only briefly; their defeat in the Russo-Japanese War shook loose their control from important parts of Manchuria by the end of 1905. The Japanese gained two important footholds in Manchuria thanks to their victory. One consisted of Port Arthur (renamed Ryojun by the Japanese), an economically and strategically vital harbor city on the Liaodung Peninsula, plus the peninsula itself. The other comprised the South Manchurian Railway, which the Russians gave to the Japanese as a prize of war, in lieu of a cash indemnity. Three days of plundering traditionally befell cities taken by storm, a fate usually avoided by those surrendering before the first attacking soldier penetrated beyond the outer walls. In Europe and areas influenced by Enlightenment thinkers, this practice faded rapidly after the Napoleonic Wars. In 1937, however, as the Imperial Army of Japan invaded China, this custom returned in a horrifying new form – the Rape of Nanking or the Nanking Massacre, a bloodbath lasting more than six weeks and possibly claiming more than a quarter of a million lives. Even the Japanese participating in the Nanking Massacre provided no rationale for their actions. They made no effort to explain it as a measure to terrorize other Chinese cities into surrender, or even to extract the location of hidden valuables. Instead, the Rape appears on the page of history as a psychopathic orgy of sadism for sadism's sake. Insatiably driven by hatred and, apparently, an unabashed relish for cruelty, the Japanese soldiery abandoned any semblance of restraint. Women of every age, from small children to ancient elders, suffered innumerable rapes, in many cases dying from the mass raping alone. Those who did not die from sexual assault suffered death in other forms – shot, decapitated, or tortured to death once the soldiers found themselves sexually exhausted. Other women suffered fatal sexual torture involving the introduction of sharp foreign objects into their vagina or the placement of firecrackers or live grenades inside.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

168 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 17, 2016

About the author

Charles River Editors is an independent publisher of thousands of ebooks on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Apple iBookstore & provider of original content for third parties.

Reviews

[Emerson (Ariel) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. I'm surprised how few people know about this bit of history. I am amazed to say that the Japanese soldiers involved here and Unit 731 made the Nazis almost look like Boy Scouts. And yet, only a few saw any consequences at all. Should everyone know Nazi history? Of course. However, somehow this has been almost forgotten and it's *just* as important.

[John Feret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read on a gashly subject

A concise and horrifying story of man's inhuman treatment of other humans.

How can people be so,so cruel to others.

[Cashie]

Sometimes the worst monsters that haunt the earth are people.

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our family was in Shanghai during this time and heard horror stories from colleagues in Nanking but didn’t know the depth of depravity of the Japanese military at the time.

[Bryan Nann MBA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throughout human history doctrines of principle, religion and governance have been perverted by individuals to justify committing atrocities. In this case, Japanese Bushido and Nationalism used to justify horrific acts upon the Chinese people. A chapter of WWII often overshadowed by the acts of the Nazis but one that should not be lost to the lessons of history.