Summary
The Rape of Nanking, published in 1997, is Iris Chang's groundbreaking account of one of the most horrific massacres of the 20th century. The book vividly details the atrocities committed by Japanese troops when they captured the Chinese city of Nanjing in 1937, resulting in the systematic rape, torture, and murder of hundreds of thousands of civilians. Chang's exhaustive research and unflinching prose brought international attention to this often overlooked chapter of World War II history.
Drawing from survivor accounts, historical documents, and diary entries, Chang presents the Nanjing Massacre from three perspectives: the Japanese soldiers who perpetrated the violence, the Chinese civilians who endured it, and the Westerners who tried to intervene. The book became an unexpected bestseller, spending 10 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and selling over half a million copies. It sparked intense debate, especially in Japan, where some disputed Chang's death toll estimates and use of photographic evidence.
While The Rape of Nanking has not been directly adapted for film, it helped inspire renewed interest in the subject. The 2007 documentary Nanking, produced by AOL executive Ted Leonsis after reading Chang's book, uses letters and diaries to recount the experiences of Westerners who stayed in the city to establish a safety zone for civilians. Chang's passionate work ensured that the victims and survivors of Nanjing would not be forgotten, cementing the massacre's place in the historical record.
Plot
In The Rape of Nanking, Iris Chang recounts the horrific events that took place when the Japanese army invaded Nanjing, China in December 1937. Over a period of several weeks, Japanese soldiers systematically raped, tortured, and murdered an estimated 300,000 Chinese civilians in one of the worst atrocities in modern history.
Chang tells the story from three perspectives: the Japanese soldiers who committed the atrocities, the Chinese civilians who suffered through them, and the Westerners who stayed behind to try to help. She provides graphic details of the extreme violence and cruelty inflicted on the population of Nanjing, including mass executions, brutal torture methods, and widespread rape of women and girls.
The book also focuses on a group of Westerners who established a safety zone in Nanjing that managed to save close to 300,000 Chinese lives. Chang highlights the efforts of John Rabe, a German businessman and Nazi Party member who led the safety zone committee and worked tirelessly to protect civilians. She also discusses Minnie Vautrin, an American missionary who sheltered thousands of women and girls at Ginling College.
In addition to recounting the events of the massacre itself, Chang examines why knowledge of this atrocity remained little known for decades afterward. She criticizes the Japanese government's refusal to fully acknowledge or apologize for the massacre and argues that there has been a systematic effort to downplay or deny what happened in Nanjing. The book aims to expose this “forgotten holocaust” and ensure the victims are properly remembered.
Themes
Documenting and exposing wartime atrocities
Preserving historical memory
Confronting denial and historical revisionism
Depicting extreme human cruelty and suffering
Heroism and moral courage in the face of evil
Cultural and political factors enabling mass violence
Long-term impacts of trauma on individuals and societies
Setting
Set against the backdrop of 1930s China, The Rape of Nanking takes place during a tumultuous period of Japanese imperial expansion. The book focuses on the ancient city of Nanking (now Nanjing), which served as the capital of China at the time. In December 1937, Japanese forces invaded and occupied the city, unleashing a wave of atrocities against its civilian population.
The broader geographical context is the Second Sino-Japanese War, part of the lead-up to World War II in Asia. While centered on Nanking, the book also touches on Japan's wider campaign of conquest in China and its impact across the country. Chang vividly describes specific locations within Nanking that became sites of mass murder, torture, and rape, including execution grounds, makeshift brothels, and the Yangtze River where many bodies were dumped.
A key setting in the book is the Nanking Safety Zone, a demilitarized area of the city where Western missionaries and businesspeople attempted to shelter Chinese civilians. Chang draws on eyewitness accounts to depict both the relative safety within this zone and the horrific violence occurring just beyond its borders. Through these contrasting environments, she illustrates the stark choices facing Nanking's residents as they struggled to survive one of history's most brutal military occupations.
Key Figures
Iris Chang: The author of the book. Chang spent two years researching and writing this account of the Nanjing Massacre, drawing on interviews with survivors, diaries, and historical records. Her goal was to bring greater awareness to this often overlooked atrocity. The book propelled Chang to fame but also subjected her to criticism and threats from Japanese ultranationalists.
John Rabe: A German businessman and Nazi Party member who led the Nanking Safety Zone that sheltered Chinese civilians during the massacre. Rabe kept a detailed diary that Chang discovered during her research, providing a crucial eyewitness account. Chang dubbed him the “Oskar Schindler of Nanking” for his efforts to save lives.
Minnie Vautrin: An American missionary who protected thousands of Chinese women and children at Ginling College during the atrocities. Her diary, also uncovered by Chang, offered another vital perspective on the events. Chang called Vautrin the “Anne Frank of Nanking” for her writings.
Emperor Hirohito: The Japanese emperor during World War II. While not directly involved in the massacre, Chang examines his role and culpability as Japan's head of state.
Prince Asaka: A member of the Japanese imperial family who commanded troops in Nanjing. Some sources implicate him in ordering the massacre, though his exact role remains disputed.
Quick facts
The Rape of Nanking was on the New York Times bestseller list for 10 weeks when it was first published in 1997.
Iris Chang spent two years researching and writing the book, including traveling to Nanjing to interview survivors.
The book helped uncover the diaries of John Rabe and Minnie Vautrin, two Westerners who witnessed the massacre.
Chang dubbed John Rabe the “Oskar Schindler of Nanking” for his efforts to protect Chinese civilians.
The book sparked controversy in Japan, with some right-wing groups attempting to prevent its publication there.
It took 10 years after the English publication for a Japanese translation to be released in Japan in 2007.
The book has been translated into several languages including French and Chinese.
Chang received death threats and hate mail after publishing the book, primarily from Japanese ultranationalists.
A memorial to Chang was added to the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall in China in 2005.
The book helped renew public interest in Japanese wartime conduct and brought wider attention to the Nanjing Massacre in the West.
About the Author
Iris Chang was a Chinese-American historian and journalist best known for her influential 1997 book The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II. Born in 1968 to Taiwanese immigrant parents, Chang grew up in Illinois and graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in journalism. She went on to earn a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University before embarking on a career as an author and activist.
Chang wrote three major books exploring the experiences of Chinese people in the 19th and 20th centuries. Her first book, Thread of the Silkworm (1995), told the story of a Chinese rocket scientist falsely accused of being a Communist spy. The Rape of Nanking (1997) brought widespread attention to the atrocities committed by Japanese forces in China during World War II. Her final book, The Chinese in America (2003), examined the history of Chinese immigrants in the United States.
As an author and public figure, Chang campaigned passionately for greater recognition of Japanese war crimes and compensation for victims. She confronted Japanese officials and worked to raise awareness of historical atrocities. Chang's work made her a prominent voice on these issues, but also subjected her to criticism and took an emotional toll. In 2004, while researching a book on the Bataan Death March, she suffered a mental health crisis.
Tragically, Chang died by suicide in November 2004 at the age of 36. Her death shocked many and drew attention to the psychological impacts of researching traumatic historical events. Chang left behind an important legacy as a historian who brought forgotten chapters of history to light. Several memorials have been dedicated to her, including a wing at the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall in China and Iris Chang Park in San Jose, California.
