The Rape of Nanking The capital of the Republic of China fell to the Imperial Japanese Army on December 13, 1937. Following conquest of the city, a massacre ensued. The duration of the massacre is not clearly defined, although the violence lasted at least until early February 1938.

So Why Don’t I Know About the Rape of Nanking? The Chinese were plunged into a renewed civil war right after WWII- many records were lost The Chinese were deeply ashamed of the events Western Racism While the Japanese government has acknowledged the massacre did occur, some Japanese nationalists have argued that the death toll was military in nature and that no such civilian atrocities ever occurred The Cold War pitted the US against communist nations- including the People’s Republic of China, making what happened there (at the hands of a now-US ally) seem less “relevant”.

Photographic Evidence of the Horror

Questions for Discussion Consider the saying, “History is written by the victors.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Is this universal, or are there exceptions? Should the US do more to acknowledge the Nanking Massacre? Should it pressure Japan into taking more direct responsibility for the massacre? What lessons can be taken away from Nanking, both in terms of preventing such cruelty, and dealing with its aftermath?

Information taken in part form “Iris Chang Movie Study guide”