The Making of the "Rape of Nanking"

“Yoshida does the field a service in bringing myriad insights together in one manuscript. He succeeds in opening windows on the psychologies behind all positions in the debates, and in highly readable prose.”–James Orr, Pacific Affairs”The Nanjing Massacre is now an iconic event in international history. This book adroitly summarizes how this state of affairs came to pass.“–Laura Hein, Northwestern University”This is by far the most comprehensive and judicious survey of how Japanese, Chinese, and American journalists, scholars, and propagandists have interpreted and polemically exploited this tragic atrocity from its occurrence in 1937 to the present day. Yoshida’s incisive, sensitive, and even-handed account is a must-read for anyone interested in World War Two, modern Sino-Japanese history, and East Asian current affairs.“–Bob Tadashi Wakabayashi, York University”A serious, sobering dissection of the shifting and conflicting images of the Nanjing Massacre. Yoshida’s eye-opening account shows how the popular media in each country have helped to frame the debates and stir controversies about Nanjing ever since.“–Tom Havens, Northeastern University

Takashi Yoshida was educated in both Japan and the United States and is an Assistant Professor of History at Western Michigan University.