Unit 731 - Laboratory of the Devil: Auschwitz of the East: Japanese Biological Warfare in China 1933-45

by Yan-jun Yang

This book exposes Unit 731 as being the largest bacterial warfare force in the history of the Second World War. Manufacture and the use of biological weapons, the entire process of preparation and implementation of germ warfare, with the reflection on war and human nature, medical and ethical issues, is given by the testimony of the veterans of Unit 731. This evidence is provided by the surviving Chinese labourers and the families of the victims. The book focuses on five aspects: first, the inhuman medical crimes of Unit 731 weapons, the biological combats, and human experiments; secondly, the war damage and the postwar effects of biological war by Unit 731 brought to China and other Asian countries; thirdly, the survey and cover-up at the Khabarovsk War Crime Trials; fourthly the protection status of the site with development status of the exhibition and international exchanges of the Unit 731 Museum; fifthly and finally, there is a separate chapter discussing Japanese chemical warfare.

Genres: History, War, Science, World War II

144 pages, Hardcover

Published May 30, 2018

Reviews

[Brian West · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent eye opening book, to atrocities that the world has tried to hide and everyone forgot. Japan was awful during world war 2. the world should know about this. A must read for people interested in history or any aspect of world war 2. History must always be remembered.

[Dani Rojas · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I read this book and learned about this part of history, many questions flowed through my mind. "Why was this not known? How were they not punished more severely?" As soon as I found my answer for the latter, my inner voice sarcastically yelled out "Of course!"

I love this book and the message behind it. My one, singular, complaint is that there were, four if my memory is correct, typos in beginning-middle, middle, and middle-end.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thoroughly disappointed in this book. It was dry, repetitive and poorly organised with lots of typos. I felt the tone was wrong for a history book with too much of a personal response from the writer. I also felt it was far too simplistic and basically just went with 'they were just born evil.' Not sure it will achieve the aim of raising awareness about Unit 731.

[Tachikoma22 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can understand the disgust and the horror, quite less the badly masked revanchist sentiment

[Lyam Brabson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but found it very clunky and got bogged down in the number