Horror In The East

A short, yet riveting book. Its language is simple which is good and it probably isn't a serious historical study.

But neither am I a serious history person. It tells the story of World War II, specifically, events around Japan and Asia, and also features brief fragments of interviews of actual people who fought, and why did they do the horrible, as title suggests things they did.

The most horrible thing shown is probably how ideology and conditioning can make a regular person do normally unt A short, yet riveting book. The most horrible thing shown is probably how ideology and conditioning can make a regular person do normally unthinkable things, like raping or killing civilians or bombing cities etc. Most memorable parts for me were the ones about the comfort women and the recollections of a woman who survived firebombing of Tokyo, these touched me deeply for some reason.

This book is a very brutal example of the futility of war. It is an emotional rollercoaster as you read first-hand accounts of the brutality and cruelty meted out on all sides to women children and prisoners of war.

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We in the west for the past 65 years or so have lived with the impression of the atrocities handed out by the Japanese during WW2, howeverMr Rees has put together an eye-opening seminal study of the war in the east. In parts, I found it very hard to read due to the horror of the This book is a very brutal example of the futility of war. In parts, I found it very hard to read due to the horror of the unbelievable cruelty.

This is a must read for anyone with any interest in the war.

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A good read that covers the various atrocities done by the Japanese from the comfort women to the treatment of prisoners. Learned how some of the Dutch in Indonesia were treated and how the both sides were underestimating each other. Brief introduction to Japanese culture and war atrocities committed by the imperial army during the sino-japanese war and WWII. Rees is best known as a producer of several documentary series for television about the Second World War, with this book being based on one about Japanese atrocities.

I haven't seen the related series but the book seemed to follow its format quite closely, being chiefly based around interviews with Japanese soldiers, their Allied opponents and various civilians. Throughout, Rees' intention was to seek an explanation for why the atrocities occurred. He did attempt to produce a b Grim stuff indeed. He did attempt to produce a balanced account by mentioning moral lapses by the Allies where appropriate.

I found this to be a compelling read, though inevitably the horrific nature of the events related made it hard going at times. The context of the events was explained very well, with several reasons for the brutality of the Japanese soldiers being proposed: The latter was quite a compelling argument for why POWs were harshly treated, as in comparison civilians held at interment camps such as Lunghua near Shanghai seem to have been treated relatively benignly, although the regime there did become harsher towards the end of the war as food supplies began to run low for the Japanese administrators as well as their captives.

The book is relatively short so did not really have space to explore some issues in real depth. I would have liked to have read more on racial theories and the postwar trials and American occupation period. Rees suggests that as the Emperor was retained after the war this made it very difficult for people in Japan to be able to apologise for their conduct during the war but other factors may well be involved; emotionally there would be great loss of face in making apologies, and the postwar trials were only of a few thousand people with many being rapidly paroled, so there was arguably less of a sense of condemnation of wartime conduct than had been the case in Nazi Germany where most of the political leadership had been captured and put on trial at Nuremberg, events well publicised in the newsreels and popular press of the era.

There were only a couple of points I found somewhat contentious. Rees proposes that the high population density of Japan resulted in the emphasis on the group geri but there are many other societies which subscribe to similar notions which do not resemble Japan in terms of population density. Events such as the Cultural Revolution in China would not have been possible without most people agreeing to fit in with what the group wanted to do, no matter how irrational.

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I would also take issue with the description of Churchill as a highly moral leader. Churchill was a firm believer in the British Empire an institution which existed due to oppression of colonial possessions, sent out the army to deal with striking miners in and had actually considered the use of chemical weapons prior to the Second World War, stating "I am strongly in favour of using poisoned gas against uncivilised tribes.

On the whole though this was an impressive, thought-provoking book which provided a good introduction to the subject. Jan 26, Theresia Pratiwi rated it liked it. I haven't read the documentary to which this book is a companion.

Horror in the East (2001)

Was it the military, who might or might not propelled the Showa Emperor to the status of man-god? Was it the emperor himself? Was it the spite born out of the West's double standard in looking at and allowing permitting? What a kaleidoscope I really, really like this word of questions--to the point that the coverage of the organized mass suicide, brutal military recruitment and training, and aggression i.

Horror in the East () - Crime Documentary

Manchuria, Nanking, Saipan are compiled to lead to this kaleidoscope, and that's that. There are a brief mention of the racism in the Allied army and the bombing of Tokyo, but that doesn't balance the much colorful atrocities laid upon Japan. If it takes two to tango, it's only fair that the two that it takes to war have equal proportion of discussion.

Jan 26, Theresia rated it it was ok Shelves: I haven't watched the documentary to which this book is a companion. Was it the military, who propelled Emperor Showa to the godhood status? Was it Japan's Note: Was it Japan's post-Meiji nation-state concept, itself looking very much as if based on Renan-esque definition? This book compiles many atrocities--organized mass suicide, brutal military recruitment and training, and aggression to neighboring area Manchuria, Nanking, Saipan to provide examples to said kaleidoscope.

On the other side of the coin, there are a brief mention of racism in the Allied force and a bit of the bombing of Tokyo. If it takes two to tango, the two that it takes to war then deserve balanced proportion of discussion. Jan 05, Jake Larson rated it really liked it. Great historical book about a side of WWII that is usually not talked about. Interesting to hear the stories from both sides of what was going on. Should be for anyone who is interested in parts of history that aren't main stream. Dec 20, Steven added it. Good insight into the atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese in the Pacific theater.

Sometimes overlooked by WWII historians due to the sheer volume of war crimes committed in the European theater. That was the way we looked at it. Film taken by John Magee is shown. Men were set on fire, women beaten, bayoneted, raped. After Nanking atrocities followed in the Chinese countryside - the Chinese used for bayonet practice. Yoshio Tsuchiya imprisoned for war crimes: He was a god; in the name of the emperor we could do whatever we wanted against the Chinese. Even today opinion is divided among historians as to the extent the emperor knew of the barbaric crimes his soldiers were committing in China.

Representative examples are then given of pre- Pearl Harbor attitudes towards the Japanese amongst the British and Americans. But there was another western nation which did value the Japanese - Nazi Germany. Indeed, Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan wanted to form an alliance. A formal treaty of alliance was signed between Germany, Japan and Italy on 27 September Japan used the moment to move into northern Indo-China. This had been a French colony but the Germans had just overrun France so for the Japanese it was ripe for the picking.

Japan wanted to create a greater East Asia co-prosperity sphere. The slogan was Asia for the Asians - in essence the locals were swapping one colonial master for another. In Washington the American government, nervous about Japanese colonial intentions, announced that fuel sales to Japan would be suspended if Japan did not reconsider her aggressive actions.

With no fuel resources of its own Japan believed it could now either give up its imperial ambitions, or fight the Americans. They attacked Pearl Harbor and, moments after, attacked Hong Kong. As the Japanese advanced into Hong Kong the Chinese inhabitants of the city became a particular target.

Rees's film interviews too a British nurse who tells of how, on 25 December , the day of the British surrender, - nurses at the makeshift hospital at the Hong Kong Jockey Club were raped. Japanese newsreel and commentary: The prisoners consisted of soldiers from Britain, Malaya, Australia, India, a parade of mongrel troops. More than one in four died in captivity. Writer-producer Laurence Rees looks at the Kamikaze phenomenon - " What could be more impossible to understand? Marines tried to re-take Japanese-held islands like Tarawa in , the ferocious way in which the Japanese were prepared to fight to the death did not make the Americans respect them more.

To many Americans, their refusal to surrender, like their attack on Pearl Harbor and their mistreatment of prisoners, became another sign they were a dishonourable foe.

Horror In The East: Japan And The Atrocities Of World War - II

Japanese savages fighting the Australians in New Guinea committed cannibalism. Japanese forces were sent to New Guinea in but without sufficient preparation — they were simply abandoned. In late , forbidden to surrender and cut off from their supplies, they began to starve — some resorted to cannibalism of their own and enemy dead. According to Professor Yuki Tanaka: Japanese propaganda about Saipan emphasised the nobility of dying in the struggle against the British and Americans. The film is equally stark when a couple of American soldiers reveal views of the Japanese that mirror how the Japanese saw foreigners.

There is also a clear explanation of why the Japanese went on suicide missions when they really didn't want to die. Definitely worth a rental or taping should it show up on History or the Military Channel. Start your free trial. Find showtimes, watch trailers, browse photos, track your Watchlist and rate your favorite movies and TV shows on your phone or tablet!

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