Chang

This is coolbert:

I see that Iris Chang has died.

Wrote an interesting history of the "Rape of Nanking". The Japanese atrocity [among many] perpetrated on the Chinese people during the 1930's era war between China and Japan.

[Upon capturing Nanking, the Nationalist capital, the Japanese troops embarked on a thirty day episode of mass rape, murder, and general mayhem. This is one of the most sordid and depraved incidents of the entire war between China and Japan.]

Iris also wrote several other histories and her death at the age of thirty six will be counted as a tragic loss.

It seems that a dramatic incident in Iris's life changed her perspective on World War Two [WW2], the atomic bombing of the Japanese cities that ended the war in the Pacific, and the whole nature of the relationship between China, Japan, and other Asian countries in the period before, during, and after WW2. This change in perspective provided a marked stimulus that resulted in the history on the "Rape of Nanking".

A number of years ago, Iris and several of her relatives fell into a discussion about the American atomic attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And the opinion of Iris was that the atomic bombings were while perhaps necessary, were excessive. Suddenly, Iris's Chinese aunt, born and raised in China, and who has been listening quietly all the time, blurts out something that Iris had not expected. According to what Iris remembered, the aunt says to the effect that:

"My older aunt, my dah ahiee (big aunt), is actually very small. Her wrists are the size of napkin rings, as delicate as rice paper--and the clothes we pass around in our family do not fit her slight frame. She is shy, especially in English. And during one heated family discussion on the American bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in a mid-peninsula Sizzler, she kept quiet. I had pointed out to her rather talkative husband that the U.S. government was still the only government that had dropped the atomic bomb on human beings. Hiroshima, I could maybe see, but Nagasaki too? At this point, my petite aunt spoke up. "I think they should have bombed the whole country!" she bellowed, and then lapsed back into silence."

THIS IS INDEED HEAVY STUFF!!

"It was the first time I realized how profoundly the Chinese were affected by World War II. Even then, I was not familiar with what had happened in the country of my mother's birth during the war"

After this outburst, the aunt then clammed up and was silent on the topic after that.

And this is all true. Undeniably, the Japanese DID in WW2, as been mentioned in previous blog entries, behaved as sadistic beasts and crazed rapists. Carrying the act of rape as a weapon of war to an unprecedented level. This of course was not just sex-crazed soldiers lusting after Chinese women. This was an act of power. The Japanese are saying [whether they realize it or not], "we dominate you and can abuse you and do with you as we please."

WHAT IS MOST SURPRISING IS THAT IRIS SEEMED TO HAVE ONLY BEEN VAGUELY AWARE OF THIS. THAT THE CHINESE WOMEN WERE SUBJECTED TO BARBARIC ABUSE WAS SOMETHING SHE KNEW ABOUT, BUT AS TO WHAT EXTENT IS JUST NOT CLEAR!!!!!

After doing much research, Iris, probably ashamed at her lack of knowledge, devoted an entire book to the "Rape of Nanking". Iris's entire perspective on the war and Japan's role in same was changed totally about face based upon a single statement of fact by her aunt.

[to discuss even with family such shameful incidents as mass rape is probably a taboo in Chinese society. People know this stuff happened, but are hesitant to talk about it, for fear of shame. My appraisal. That Iris's aunt responded as she did was due to being provoked by her family members for perhaps being so ignorant and seemingly sympathetic toward the Japanese].

coolbert.