What Is The Theme Of The Rape Of Nannking By Iris Chang

The Rape of Nanking, written by Iris Chang, is a documentary style book that offers inside previews to the horrifying atrocities that occurred in Nanking, the capital of the Republic of China, between December 1937 and February 1938. Chang’s writing style is straightforward and unfiltered, offering no barrier between the reader and the horrific events that are unveiled in the text. The book begins with a brief introduction of Chinese and Japanese cultural background, explaining the beliefs of the Chinese Confucianism and the Japanese Samurai; both of which greatly affect the reasons the war was so gruesome. It also opens the eyes of the reader as to why Chang would want to pursue such a gripping and controversial topic. One reason for this

However, on numerous occasions they had been humiliated and shown that they were not the greatest nation in the world, which they truly believed themselves to be. Commander Matthew Perry is an example of a man who has caused the Japanese great humiliation. Perry not only forced Japan to open up trade with the United States, but he showed them their actual rank compared to other countries around the world. This event, among others, caused the Japanese to implement a plan to expand Asia and eventually conquer the entire world. It has been noted in many history books that the Japanese government was so confident in their ability to conquer and expand that they could do it is as little as three

Though the Chinese had just completed a bloody battle they still had a great number of soldiers that could defend the capital. The Japanese wasted no time in implementing aerial raids and penetrating the last line of defense in Nanking, The Wall. Chiang Kai-shek, a Chinese political and military leader, contemplated whether to stay in Nanking or relocate the capital to safer ground. Two days after Matsui had conquered the last line of Chinese defense, the Nanking Wall, Kai-shek made his decision and abandoned his post, relocating the capital and leaving the burden of defending Nanking to Tang Sheng-chih . Kai-shek believed that it was most advantageous for the officials, Chinese soldiers, and citizens to leave Nanking quickly in order to escape the sufferings that the Japanese army would surely inflict . Yet, this plan of escape was not feasible for all citizens, since a large number of citizens were elderly, young, and poor. These individuals, along with captured Chinese soldiers, would suffer the chilling acts of horror, all while their new leader was attempting to stand his ground in order to defend the Chinese citizens of