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Japan's Holocaust: History of Imperial Japan's Mass Murder and Rape During World War II Paperback – 19 June 2024
by Bryan Mark Rigg Ph.D. (Author), Andrew Roberts (Foreword)
3.4 3.4 out of 5 stars 42 ratings
Japan’s Holocaust is a comprehensive exploration of Japan’s mass murder and sexual crimes during the Pacific and Asian Wars from 1927 to 1945.
Japan’s Holocaust combines research conducted in over eighteen research facilities in five nations to explore Imperial Japan’s atrocities from 1927 to 1945 during its military expansions and reckless campaigns throughout Asia and the Pacific. This book brings together the most recent scholarship and new primary research to ascertain that
Japan claimed a minimum of thirty million lives, slaughtering far more than Hitler’s Nazi Germany.
Japan’s Holocaust shows that Emperor Hirohito not only knew about the atrocities his legions committed, but actually ordered them.
He did nothing to stop them when they exceeded even the most depraved person’s imagination, as illustrated during the Rape of Nanking as well as many other events.
Japan’s Holocaust will document in painful detail that the Rape of Nanking was not an isolated event during the Asian War but rather representative of how Japan behaved for all its campaigns throughout Asia and the Pacific from 1927 to 1945.
Mass murder, rape, and economic exploitation was Japan’s modus operandi during this time period, and whereas Hitler’s SS Death’s Head outfits attempted to hide their atrocities, Hirohito’s legions committed their atrocities out in the open with fanfare and enthusiasm. Moreover, whereas Germany has done much since World War II to atone for its crimes and to document them, Japan has been absolutely disgraceful with its reparations for its crimes and in its efforts to educate its population about its wartime past. Shockingly, Japan continues, in general, to glorify is criminals and its wartime past.
Read less
Report an issue with this product
Print length
400 pages
“Rigg’s thorough exploration of Japanese atrocities in China and during the Pacific War drives home the totality and scale of the utter depravity of the Japanese government and its armed forces. He makes it clear that this trait was ingrained in the very culture of the Imperial Army and pervasive in every locale and against everyone it encountered, civilian or military. One cannot fully understand the conflict without comprehending this aspect of the Japanese approach to war.” -- Colonel Jon T. Hoffman USMC (Retired), author of Chesty: The Story of Lieutenant General Lewis B. Puller and Once a Legend: Red Mike Edson of the Marine Raiders
“Once again Bryan Rigg has shown himself to be a distinguished military historian, writing with passion, power, and flair about Japanese actions in Asia and the Pacific during World War II. His grasp of the battles and atrocities are deep, his passion for the codes of war fierce as only one schooled in those codes and respectful of them as essential to the morality of war can be. His portrayal of the battles and mass-murder actions are vivid and his grasp of their geopolitical implications insightful. I learned a lot, and I thought ever more deeply about the ethics of war.” -- Michael Berenbaum, author of The World Must Know: The History of the Holocaust as Told in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and distinguished professor of Jewish Studies at American Jewish University
“Exploding onto the historical scene with Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers Bryan Rigg exposed a long-held secret. In this book, he exposes an international tragedy of epic proportions, and exposes the shameful, willful, and determined ignorance of the history he has chronicled by the nation responsible for it. An instant classic.” -- Colin D. Heaton, author of Above the Pacific: Three Medal of Honor Fighter Aces of World War II Speak
“Japan’s Holocaust is a very important and groundbreaking work. Rigg has done tremendous research once again.” -- Richard Frank, author of Downfall and Tower of Skulls
“Most discussions of the Holocaust of World War II center around the atrocities perpetrated by Nazi Germany. Much less studied or even acknowledged is the Holocaust perpetrated by Imperial Japan. Historian Bryan Rigg has documented in his exhaustive research possibly the definitive work on the subject. The reader will learn about the sick culture of Japan in the first part of the twentieth century that gave rise to a warrior society that decreed Emperor Hirohito an infallible god, and the Japanese race as the superior militaristic race destined to rule the world. Rigg documents the wanton killings of civilians, the widespread rape committed by the Japanese troops and the sickening treatment of POWs in violation of the Hague Convention to which Japan was a signatory.
Mass murder, rape, and economic exploitation was Japan’s modus operandi during this time period, and whereas Hitler’s SS Death’s Head outfits attempted to hide their atrocities, Hirohito’s legions committed their atrocities out in the open with fanfare and enthusiasm. Moreover, whereas Germany has done much since World War II to atone for its crimes and to document them, Japan has been absolutely disgraceful with its reparations for its crimes and in its efforts to educate its population about its wartime past. Shockingly, Japan continues, in general, to glorify is criminals and its wartime past.
Read less
Report an issue with this product
Print length
400 pages
===
“Rigg’s thorough exploration of Japanese atrocities in China and during the Pacific War drives home the totality and scale of the utter depravity of the Japanese government and its armed forces. He makes it clear that this trait was ingrained in the very culture of the Imperial Army and pervasive in every locale and against everyone it encountered, civilian or military. One cannot fully understand the conflict without comprehending this aspect of the Japanese approach to war.” -- Colonel Jon T. Hoffman USMC (Retired), author of Chesty: The Story of Lieutenant General Lewis B. Puller and Once a Legend: Red Mike Edson of the Marine Raiders
“Once again Bryan Rigg has shown himself to be a distinguished military historian, writing with passion, power, and flair about Japanese actions in Asia and the Pacific during World War II. His grasp of the battles and atrocities are deep, his passion for the codes of war fierce as only one schooled in those codes and respectful of them as essential to the morality of war can be. His portrayal of the battles and mass-murder actions are vivid and his grasp of their geopolitical implications insightful. I learned a lot, and I thought ever more deeply about the ethics of war.” -- Michael Berenbaum, author of The World Must Know: The History of the Holocaust as Told in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and distinguished professor of Jewish Studies at American Jewish University
“Exploding onto the historical scene with Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers Bryan Rigg exposed a long-held secret. In this book, he exposes an international tragedy of epic proportions, and exposes the shameful, willful, and determined ignorance of the history he has chronicled by the nation responsible for it. An instant classic.” -- Colin D. Heaton, author of Above the Pacific: Three Medal of Honor Fighter Aces of World War II Speak
“Japan’s Holocaust is a very important and groundbreaking work. Rigg has done tremendous research once again.” -- Richard Frank, author of Downfall and Tower of Skulls
“Most discussions of the Holocaust of World War II center around the atrocities perpetrated by Nazi Germany. Much less studied or even acknowledged is the Holocaust perpetrated by Imperial Japan. Historian Bryan Rigg has documented in his exhaustive research possibly the definitive work on the subject. The reader will learn about the sick culture of Japan in the first part of the twentieth century that gave rise to a warrior society that decreed Emperor Hirohito an infallible god, and the Japanese race as the superior militaristic race destined to rule the world. Rigg documents the wanton killings of civilians, the widespread rape committed by the Japanese troops and the sickening treatment of POWs in violation of the Hague Convention to which Japan was a signatory.
In addition, the Japanese military was instructed to die rather than surrender or else lose their honor.
Even more sobering is the failure of Japan, unlike Germany, to this day to acknowledge the horrors that they committed from the 1920s through the end of the war. Japan’s Holocaust is must reading for any student of World War II.” -- Retired Captain (USN) Lee R. Mandel, author of A Pacifist at Iwo Jima: Rabbi Roland Gittelsohn from Pulpit to the U.S. Marine Corps' Bloodiest Battle
"Bryan Rigg's Japan's Holocaust is an important book, and it deserves a wide readership." -- Sir Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny and The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War
"Dr. Rigg, a military historian, gives us an encyclopedic account of Japan’s reprehensible actions in Asia, from Manchuria to China to the Philippines and Burma [during WWII]. [In this book, Japan's Holocaust], we are told, it killed some 30 million of what they considered to be “inferior peoples” on its march through Asia." -- Wall Street Journal
About the Author
Bryan Mark Rigg completed his undergraduate studies in 1996 at Yale University, receiving honors in history and the prestigious Henry Fellowship which allowed him to conduct graduate studies at the University of Cambridge in England where he completed his master’s in 1997 and his PhD in 2002.
Bryan has served as a volunteer in the Israel Defense Forces and as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. He has served on the boards of the Iwo Jima Association of America, the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, and the American Jewish Committee Dallas office. He is the author of many works on World War II and the Holocaust, including Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers, Rescued from the Reich, Lives of Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers, The Rabbi Saved by Hitler’s Soldiers, Flamethrower, and Conquering Learning Disabilities at Any Age.
Product details
Publisher : Knox Press (19 June 2024)
Language : English
Paperback : 400 pages
3.4 3.4 out of 5 stars 42 ratings
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
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Bryan Mark Rigg
ABOUT BRYAN
Bryan Mark Rigg is the author of Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers, which won the William E. Colby Award for Military History, was featured on NBC-TV’s Dateline, and has been translated into eleven languages. He is also the author of Lives of Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers: Untold Tales of Men of Jewish Descent Who Fought for the Third Reich and The Rabbi Saved by Hitler's Soldiers
Rebbe Joseph Isaac Schneersohn and His Astonishing Rescue.
MORE FROM BRYAN
Fidelis et Veritas: Loyalty and Truth
I live by the themes I took to heart during my time in the U.S. Marine Corps (Semper Fidelis—Always Faithful) and Yale University (Lux et Veritas—Light and Truth). In fact, those underlying principals were the impetus behind the decision to set up my own firm.
I was raised by my grandmother and mother, served in the Marines, studied history at Yale and Cambridge, and later taught it at Southern Methodist University and American Military University. My background has shaped both my life and my business. As the child of a single mother, I have a passion for helping nontraditional investors. As a former Marine and teacher, I value trust and partnership. As a student of history, I have a strong distaste toward any social injustice and an interest in serving freethinkers.
Learning about others gives me insight into how to best live life, and so I have always been fascinated with the different ways in which people live their lives, earn their keep, and preserve their wealth. In 2006, I decided I wanted to serve people as a financial advisor. I began working in the private banking division of Credit Suisse as a relationship manager and financial consultant. Though I raised $100,000,000 of assets, my dedication to service, my historian background, and my commitment to social justice were not a good fit for a large firm that did not seem to learn from past mistakes, or to serve its clients with the absolute integrity I insist upon. I left the firm, and established Rigg Wealth Management in 2009. Today, as an independent, I am not pressured to steer clients into products that don’t serve their interests. I can tailor advice, understanding that a single mother will have different needs than a retired couple. I can offer a wider range of products and provide more individualized services. I can truly serve my individual clients.
I continue to indulge my passion for history and social justice by authoring articles and books (my latest, Honor Under Fire: The Amazing Biography of Medal of Honor Receipt Hershel Woody Williams and Iwo Jima will be published in 2017); speaking to groups across the globe about World War II, the Holocaust, and tolerance; and serving on the boards of the Hershel “Woody” Williams Medal of Honor Foundation, the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America, the Dallas Holocaust Museum, the American Council on Germany, and the American Jewish Committee. I also make time to practice Kung Fu, participate in mud runs and spend time traveling and doing sports with my two sons and one daughter.
Learn more about Bryan Mark Rigg at www.bryanmarkrigg.com
Read less about this author
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Ash
1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointment for every history literature loverReviewed in the United States on 11 June 2024
Verified Purchase
As a devotee of historical literature, The Japanese Holocaust motivated me to fact-check the historical assertions it contains. It seems the author frequently neglects to include well-substantiated facts. For example, while the book claims numerous instances of rape, it fails to provide specific evidence to support these allegations. This lack of concrete details raises serious questions about the historical accuracy of the claims and underscores the importance of critically revisiting historical events to fully understand their complexities.
15 people found this helpfulReport
nikkie
3.0 out of 5 stars Japanese HolocaustReviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 June 2024
Verified Purchase
I read this book because I don't think enough is said about Japanese crimes during ww2. The book is ok but I can't help feeling the author did go on a bit, in the way a politician would.
Report
Michael
5.0 out of 5 stars A sober, yet necessary, readReviewed in the United States on 29 April 2024
Verified Purchase
While some may find the title's comparison to the Holocaust unnecessarily provocative, the book soberly conveys the shocking scope and severity of Japan's crimes against humanity. The Rape of Nanking emerges as a horrific emblem of the widespread pattern of massacres, torture, human experimentation, sexual slavery and other unconscionable acts perpetrated by Japanese forces.
Perhaps most damning is the evidence presented of Emperor Hirohito and other Japanese leaders' direct knowledge and approval of these atrocities. Far from the detached figurehead he is sometimes portrayed as, the emperor appears complicit in greenlighting unthinkable brutality and doing nothing to rein it in even as it descended into utter depravity.
To those critics who give the book negative reviews, I would gently push back and encourage a closer reading. The author builds a persuasive case based on a wealth of credible sources and documentation. While the subject matter is undeniably grim and disturbing, the book performs an important service in unflinchingly bringing to light this dark chapter in history.
"Japan's Holocaust" is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the full scope of Imperial Japan's war crimes and the immense human tragedy they wrought. The author has made a valuable contribution in rigorously documenting these atrocities and the culpability of Japan's leadership. It's a difficult but necessary work of historical witness.
Read less
11 people found this helpfulReport
And nahid bin malek
1.0 out of 5 stars Such a disappointing bookReviewed in the United States on 10 June 2024
Verified Purchase
Play Video Reading Bryan Mark Rigg's The Japanese Holocaust feels akin to uncovering a cache filled with prejudiced perspectives. Despite boasting an impressive 1,563 footnotes that might suggest academic rigor, the book ultimately succumbs to the author's inclination towards sensationalism, overshadowing any attempt at objectivity.
11 people found this helpfulReport
Amazon カスタマー
1.0 out of 5 stars The Judgement for Tokyo Ttribunal was made from the evidence with no proof of facts.Reviewed in Japan on 24 March 2024
Verified Purchase
I think much less know, or almost nobody knows, that “International Military Tribunal for the Far East” has no charge of perjury.
The Judgement for this tribunal was made from the evidence with no proof of facts. The rule of this Tribunal was written in THE CHATER OF THE INTERNATIONAL MILITARY TRIBUNAL FOR THE FAR EAST in 19/1/1946. And in its ARTICLE 13 EVIDENCE, it says “a. Admissibility. The Tribunal shall not be bound by technical rules of evidence. It shall adopt and apply to the greatest possible extent expeditious and non-technical procedure, and shall admit any evidence which it deems to have probative value. All purported admissions or statements of the accused are admissible.”, “d. Judicial Notice. The Tribunal shall not require proof of facts of common knowledge, nor of the authenticity of official government documents and reports of any nation or of the proceedings, records and findings of military or other agencies of any of the United Nations.”
There were so much “hearsay evidence” in this tribunal, and cross-examinations by Japanese defense counsel were rejected. In fact, Mr. Rabe, who give the evidence of the Japanese Army’s systematic rape of 20,000, had no examination of a witness, because he never stood on the courtroom, never enter the witness box. Among evidences submitted to the IMTFE, there was nothing described as to 20,000 cases of rape.
Read less
203 people found this helpfulReport
"Bryan Rigg's Japan's Holocaust is an important book, and it deserves a wide readership." -- Sir Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny and The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War
"Dr. Rigg, a military historian, gives us an encyclopedic account of Japan’s reprehensible actions in Asia, from Manchuria to China to the Philippines and Burma [during WWII]. [In this book, Japan's Holocaust], we are told, it killed some 30 million of what they considered to be “inferior peoples” on its march through Asia." -- Wall Street Journal
About the Author
Bryan Mark Rigg completed his undergraduate studies in 1996 at Yale University, receiving honors in history and the prestigious Henry Fellowship which allowed him to conduct graduate studies at the University of Cambridge in England where he completed his master’s in 1997 and his PhD in 2002.
Bryan has served as a volunteer in the Israel Defense Forces and as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. He has served on the boards of the Iwo Jima Association of America, the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, and the American Jewish Committee Dallas office. He is the author of many works on World War II and the Holocaust, including Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers, Rescued from the Reich, Lives of Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers, The Rabbi Saved by Hitler’s Soldiers, Flamethrower, and Conquering Learning Disabilities at Any Age.
Product details
Publisher : Knox Press (19 June 2024)
Language : English
Paperback : 400 pages
3.4 3.4 out of 5 stars 42 ratings
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Follow
Bryan Mark Rigg
ABOUT BRYAN
Bryan Mark Rigg is the author of Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers, which won the William E. Colby Award for Military History, was featured on NBC-TV’s Dateline, and has been translated into eleven languages. He is also the author of Lives of Hitler’s Jewish Soldiers: Untold Tales of Men of Jewish Descent Who Fought for the Third Reich and The Rabbi Saved by Hitler's Soldiers
Rebbe Joseph Isaac Schneersohn and His Astonishing Rescue.
MORE FROM BRYAN
Fidelis et Veritas: Loyalty and Truth
I live by the themes I took to heart during my time in the U.S. Marine Corps (Semper Fidelis—Always Faithful) and Yale University (Lux et Veritas—Light and Truth). In fact, those underlying principals were the impetus behind the decision to set up my own firm.
I was raised by my grandmother and mother, served in the Marines, studied history at Yale and Cambridge, and later taught it at Southern Methodist University and American Military University. My background has shaped both my life and my business. As the child of a single mother, I have a passion for helping nontraditional investors. As a former Marine and teacher, I value trust and partnership. As a student of history, I have a strong distaste toward any social injustice and an interest in serving freethinkers.
Learning about others gives me insight into how to best live life, and so I have always been fascinated with the different ways in which people live their lives, earn their keep, and preserve their wealth. In 2006, I decided I wanted to serve people as a financial advisor. I began working in the private banking division of Credit Suisse as a relationship manager and financial consultant. Though I raised $100,000,000 of assets, my dedication to service, my historian background, and my commitment to social justice were not a good fit for a large firm that did not seem to learn from past mistakes, or to serve its clients with the absolute integrity I insist upon. I left the firm, and established Rigg Wealth Management in 2009. Today, as an independent, I am not pressured to steer clients into products that don’t serve their interests. I can tailor advice, understanding that a single mother will have different needs than a retired couple. I can offer a wider range of products and provide more individualized services. I can truly serve my individual clients.
I continue to indulge my passion for history and social justice by authoring articles and books (my latest, Honor Under Fire: The Amazing Biography of Medal of Honor Receipt Hershel Woody Williams and Iwo Jima will be published in 2017); speaking to groups across the globe about World War II, the Holocaust, and tolerance; and serving on the boards of the Hershel “Woody” Williams Medal of Honor Foundation, the Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America, the Dallas Holocaust Museum, the American Council on Germany, and the American Jewish Committee. I also make time to practice Kung Fu, participate in mud runs and spend time traveling and doing sports with my two sons and one daughter.
Learn more about Bryan Mark Rigg at www.bryanmarkrigg.com
Read less about this author
Customer reviews
3.4 out of 5 stars
3.4 out of 5
42 global ratings
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Ash
1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointment for every history literature loverReviewed in the United States on 11 June 2024
Verified Purchase
As a devotee of historical literature, The Japanese Holocaust motivated me to fact-check the historical assertions it contains. It seems the author frequently neglects to include well-substantiated facts. For example, while the book claims numerous instances of rape, it fails to provide specific evidence to support these allegations. This lack of concrete details raises serious questions about the historical accuracy of the claims and underscores the importance of critically revisiting historical events to fully understand their complexities.
15 people found this helpfulReport
nikkie
3.0 out of 5 stars Japanese HolocaustReviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 June 2024
Verified Purchase
I read this book because I don't think enough is said about Japanese crimes during ww2. The book is ok but I can't help feeling the author did go on a bit, in the way a politician would.
Report
Michael
5.0 out of 5 stars A sober, yet necessary, readReviewed in the United States on 29 April 2024
Verified Purchase
While some may find the title's comparison to the Holocaust unnecessarily provocative, the book soberly conveys the shocking scope and severity of Japan's crimes against humanity. The Rape of Nanking emerges as a horrific emblem of the widespread pattern of massacres, torture, human experimentation, sexual slavery and other unconscionable acts perpetrated by Japanese forces.
Perhaps most damning is the evidence presented of Emperor Hirohito and other Japanese leaders' direct knowledge and approval of these atrocities. Far from the detached figurehead he is sometimes portrayed as, the emperor appears complicit in greenlighting unthinkable brutality and doing nothing to rein it in even as it descended into utter depravity.
To those critics who give the book negative reviews, I would gently push back and encourage a closer reading. The author builds a persuasive case based on a wealth of credible sources and documentation. While the subject matter is undeniably grim and disturbing, the book performs an important service in unflinchingly bringing to light this dark chapter in history.
"Japan's Holocaust" is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the full scope of Imperial Japan's war crimes and the immense human tragedy they wrought. The author has made a valuable contribution in rigorously documenting these atrocities and the culpability of Japan's leadership. It's a difficult but necessary work of historical witness.
Read less
11 people found this helpfulReport
And nahid bin malek
1.0 out of 5 stars Such a disappointing bookReviewed in the United States on 10 June 2024
Verified Purchase
Play Video Reading Bryan Mark Rigg's The Japanese Holocaust feels akin to uncovering a cache filled with prejudiced perspectives. Despite boasting an impressive 1,563 footnotes that might suggest academic rigor, the book ultimately succumbs to the author's inclination towards sensationalism, overshadowing any attempt at objectivity.
11 people found this helpfulReport
Amazon カスタマー
1.0 out of 5 stars The Judgement for Tokyo Ttribunal was made from the evidence with no proof of facts.Reviewed in Japan on 24 March 2024
Verified Purchase
I think much less know, or almost nobody knows, that “International Military Tribunal for the Far East” has no charge of perjury.
The Judgement for this tribunal was made from the evidence with no proof of facts. The rule of this Tribunal was written in THE CHATER OF THE INTERNATIONAL MILITARY TRIBUNAL FOR THE FAR EAST in 19/1/1946. And in its ARTICLE 13 EVIDENCE, it says “a. Admissibility. The Tribunal shall not be bound by technical rules of evidence. It shall adopt and apply to the greatest possible extent expeditious and non-technical procedure, and shall admit any evidence which it deems to have probative value. All purported admissions or statements of the accused are admissible.”, “d. Judicial Notice. The Tribunal shall not require proof of facts of common knowledge, nor of the authenticity of official government documents and reports of any nation or of the proceedings, records and findings of military or other agencies of any of the United Nations.”
There were so much “hearsay evidence” in this tribunal, and cross-examinations by Japanese defense counsel were rejected. In fact, Mr. Rabe, who give the evidence of the Japanese Army’s systematic rape of 20,000, had no examination of a witness, because he never stood on the courtroom, never enter the witness box. Among evidences submitted to the IMTFE, there was nothing described as to 20,000 cases of rape.
Read less
203 people found this helpfulReport
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Japan's Holocaust: History of Imperial Japan's Mass Murder and Rape During World War II
Bryan Mark Rigg, Richard Frank (Foreword)
2.23
84 ratings63 reviews
Japan’s Holocaust is a comprehensive exploration of Japan’s mass murder and sexual crimes during the Pacific and Asian Wars from 1927 to 1945.
Japan’s Holocaust combines research conducted in over eighteen research facilities in five nations to explore Imperial Japan’s atrocities from 1927 to 1945 during its military expansions and reckless campaigns throughout Asia and the Pacific. This book brings together the most recent scholarship and new primary research to ascertain that Japan claimed a minimum of thirty million lives, slaughtering far more than Hitler’s Nazi Germany. Japan’s Holocaust shows that Emperor Hirohito not only knew about the atrocities his legions committed, but actually ordered them. He did nothing to stop them when they exceeded even the most depraved person’s imagination, as illustrated during the Rape of Nanking as well as many other events. Japan’s Holocaust will document in painful detail that the Rape of Nanking was not an isolated event during the Asian War but rather representative of how Japan behaved for all its campaigns throughout Asia and the Pacific from 1927 to 1945.
Mass murder, rape, and economic exploitation was Japan’s modus operandi during this time period, and whereas Hitler’s SS Death’s Head outfits attempted to hide their atrocities, Hirohito’s legions committed their atrocities out in the open with fanfare and enthusiasm. Moreover, whereas Germany has done much since World War II to atone for its crimes and to document them, Japan has been absolutely disgraceful with its reparations for its crimes and in its efforts to educate its population about its wartime past. Shockingly, Japan continues, in general, to glorify is criminals and its wartime past.
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GenresHistoryNonfictionWorld War IIJapanWar
400 pages, Paperback
Published March 19, 2024
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Bryan Mark Rigg10 books12 followers
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Bryan Mark Rigg teaches history at American Military University and Southern Methodist University. Dr. Rigg's work has been featured in the New York Times and on programs including NBC Dateline and Fox News. Dr. Rigg has served as a volunteer in the Israeli Army and as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. He currently lives in Dallas, Texas.
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Mark Porton
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December 28, 2023
Japan’s Holocaust by Bryan Mark Rigg provides a forensic account of the atrocities committed by Japan during WWII. There is no need to detail the too-numerous accounts presented in this book, safe to say – they are horrific.
The author presents reasons for these atrocities. Japanese society was racist, militaristic and they possessed an absolute devotion to Emperor Hirohito. This belief in their Emperor was total, his line was said to have over 2,000 years of unbroken lineage to the Sun Goddess. The author also describes the violent culture behind such practices as ritualistic suicide and attritional warfare. The Imperial Japanese Army was obsessed with degrading anyone who did not share their beliefs. Atrocities against civilians, POWS and rape against women and children were the norm. The Rape of Nanking being the most notorious.
I was astonished by the never ending and unbelievably brutal violence, both in scale and type, committed against defenceless, innocent people protected by international law. The number of references cited by the author was very high, 1564 in total. In my view it was unbelievable Hirohito escaped the death penalty during the Japanese war crime trials. He lived until 1989, as Emperor and he even opened the 1964 Tokyo Olympics!
The author presents an argument to suggest the dropping of the two atom bombs by the USAF saved many lives, as terrible as those weapons are the death toll would have been significantly more if the Allies would have had to invade Japan and its Islands. The Japanese belief in attritional warfare, their unwillingness to surrender and the practice of suicide (troops and their own citizens) when defeat is imminent, would have made sure of that.
There is a massive message here – we must call out, act on and be aware of the absurdity and danger of all forms of fundamentalism.
Hirohito – the grandfather of the current Emperor, Niruhito
Hirohito fits comfortably in the same company as Hitler, Stalin and Mao Zedong.
5 Stars (I upgraded my original rating on reflection)
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my review.
5-stars educational history
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Tobi ﾄﾋﾞ
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January 31, 2024
I’d like to thank the publishers of this book for this commission and sending me a pre-publication edition of the first edition of this book in exchange for an honest review!!! This book is due to be published in English on the 19th of March 2024, and below is my review as of December 2023 to January 2024.
This masterpiece took me on a riveting journey through the dark chapters of Imperial Japan's mass atrocities from 1927 to 1945. Meticulously researched across eighteen facilities in five nations, the book seamlessly combines recent scholarship and new primary research. The result is an eye-opening exploration that reveals Japan claimed a staggering minimum of thirty million lives, surpassing even Hitler's Nazi Germany in brutality.
The author skillfully weaves together accounts of mass murder and sexual crimes during Japan's military expansions in Asia and the Pacific. What sets this book apart is how it is a first of a kind, as even though there’s been a few books (in English at least) about Japanese war crimes, there’s still a lot of new information still being exposed. So, this book does a very good job at shedding light on the magnitude of Japan's atrocities that often remain overlooked or unknown in existing publications. The author sensitively navigates through sensitive subjects, presenting a comprehensive picture of the horrors unleashed by Emperor Hirohito's legions.
Emperor Hirohito, far from being unaware, is exposed as not only knowledgeable about the atrocities but implicated in ordering them. "Japan's Holocaust" uncovers shocking details, revealing that these heinous acts were not isolated events, such as the infamous Rape of Nanking, but rather indicative of Japan's behavior throughout its campaigns.
The author delves into the disturbing reality that mass murder, rape, and economic exploitation were Japan's modus operandi during this period. In contrast to Germany's post-World War II efforts to atone for its crimes, the book underscores Japan's disgraceful lack of reparations and education about its wartime past.
In the face of this historical exposé, "Japan's Holocaust" stands as a testament to the author's dedication to unraveling the truth, offering readers an engrossing blend of meticulous research, unique insights, and a critical examination of Japan's wartime legacy. This book is a must-read for those seeking a profound understanding of a dark chapter in history often overlooked.
あintdev-bachelors いintdev-ba-thesis さmuseums-associateship
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Ryder Miles
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May 6, 2024
Having thoroughly studied Mark Bryan Rigg's recent book, I am compelled to offer a critical perspective based on a factual analysis. While Rigg's books undoubtedly stir debate, it is essential to consider the legitimate criticisms that have been raised, maintaining a balanced view.
One is Rigg's interpretation of historical events, which some believe oversimplifies complex phenomena and presents them through a biased lens. This observation is illustrated by instances where nuance is overlooked in favor of a more straightforward narrative.
Moreover, doubts persist about the adequacy of Rigg's research methods and the reliability of his sources. This skepticism is not unfounded, as on closer examination, there are instances where the veracity of some claims is called into question. For example, accusations made to the court have not been substantiated as accurate.
Thanks to the controversy that Rigg's work has generated, it is crucial to recognize its potential impact on the public's perception of history. As readers, we bear the responsibility to approach such narratives with a critical eye, fully aware of the need to examine underlying assumptions and biases. This type of literature can significantly influence individuals without a deep knowledge of the issues, underscoring the importance of our role in fostering a nuanced understanding of history.
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William Harris
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December 17, 2023
I have completed my read of "Japan's Holocaust: History of Japan's Mass Murder and Rape During World War II," written by Bryan Mark Rigg and being published by the Print Hill Press imprint of Knox Press (who have graciously provided me with the ARC from which I am working). Candidly, I am somewhat disappointed. This is a massive subject worthy of a rigorous and highly detailed work similar to some of those published on the Jewish Holocaust in Europe. The subject matter, however, makes it difficult to achieve the kind of rigor and detail I would like to see because of the very different nature of the killing and, significantly, sexual exploitation, which occurred wherever the Japanese armed forces were deployed. The vast distances and highly isolated and densely populated locales which served as a backdrop to the horrifying behavior of the Imperial forces make any comprehensive approach very challenging. This is to say nothing of the fact that to this day Japan has managed to evade much of the responsibility for its crimes unlike the Third Reich. The value in this volume is that it keeps its subject matter alive and focuses attention on it in a way that contrasts sharply with traditional military histories of the Pacific War almost all of which make note of Japanese misbehavior and then simply dismiss it as some kind of unfortunate anomaly rooted in the vagaries of Japanese History since Japan was first exposed to the West. Most texts simply give a wink and a nod to things like the massive and pervasive abuse of women and extreme brutality by highly and rigidly disciplined units of the Imperial armed forces. There is a conundrum here in that everyone aware of the history of Japan's military and militarism is aware that its armed forces were extremely well disciplined (except when they weren't). The key distinction between the Holocaust in the East and the Holocaust in the West (as perpetrated by Hitler's Germany) lies, I think, in the highly systematic German approach to things (including the massive and characteristically thorough documentation of what they were doing) and the consistent Japanese approach which was rooted in denial at every level and seems far more systemic than systematic. In some ways that is even more horrifying than it first sounds. For while it is the rare chronicler of German war crimes and the Holocaust who fails to point out the contrast it represents with many strands of popular culture; in the case of Imperial Japan, the author is quick to point out the deep cultural roots of the Japanese approach to war and its victims, roots which served to inoculate Japanese soldiers from conventional morality and concerns for their victims. Remember, in a characteristically pragmatic way, MacArthur and the American elites agreed to ignore Hirohito's role (a very real one) in beginning the war and determining the way in which Japans forces comported themselves amongst captive populations in the interests of "getting on with things and putting this unpleasantness behind us in all of our interests." The book points the way to further investigation while barely scratching the surface of what the author, correctly I believe, has identified as a human tragedy with long term consequences an order of magnitude greater than those in the better known and documented fate of those people the Nazis chose to persecute in Europe. Much remains to be done here.
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Donna Paucek
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May 6, 2024
As we reflect on the profound impact of the Holocaust, it's essential to recognize its historical significance and the importance of preserving its memory with reverence and respect. This sentiment lies at the heart of any discussion surrounding the Holocaust, as highlighted in the review of recent literature on the subject.
One crucial aspect that emerges from these readings is the steadfast commitment to ensuring that the term "Holocaust" remains exclusively associated with the genocide perpetrated by Nazi Germany during World War II. Any attempt to use this term to describe unrelated events or phenomena risks trivializing the immense suffering and loss endured by millions of victims.
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East West Notes
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April 19, 2024
Japan’s Holocaust by military historian Bryan Mark Rigg is a meticulous examination of Japan’s wartime atrocities across Asia and the Pacific. Rigg argues that infamous events like the Rape of Nanking epitomized the brutal expansionist agenda of Japan’s empire. In this comprehensive review, he exposes the symbiotic relationship between the monarchy, government, military, and religion, particularly the complicity of Shintoists and Zen Buddhists, in fostering fanaticism.
This history is a relentless chronicle of horror, documenting the widespread reports of rape, torture and executions that followed Japanese military victories. What distinguishes this work is its emphasis on lesser-known histories beyond the more widely publicised events in Hong Kong and Singapore. As Rigg aptly notes, “The scale of Japan’s campaigns extended far beyond these well-known names already explored, and hundreds of places experienced the brutal wrath of its military forces.”
The provocative title, employing the term ‘holocaust,’ is defended within the opening pages, signalling the gravity of the subject matter. Throughout the text, he supports this choice by sharing numerous quotes that show how Japan’s political and military systems espoused notions of racial superiority, leading to systematic attempts to eradicate local cultures and languages in the wake of each conquest. Japan’s Holocaust serves as an indispensable record of the atrocities perpetrated by Japan across the region. Its unsettling revelations challenge conventional narratives and compel readers to confront the full extent of wartime cruelty.
These stories unfold through a rich literature review, delving into various facets of the Japanese empire and spotlighting key figures of the era. While primarily a history book, Rigg deftly interweaves moral considerations, issuing impassioned calls to action against abuses of power, war crimes, and genocide. Evident throughout is the author’s background, particularly in his meticulous attention to detail regarding the U.S. Marines and his fervent appeals to fellow Americans regarding ethical conduct. His analysis of orders, duty, and training methods offers invaluable insights, particularly in dissecting the actions – often hypocritical – of Japanese leadership towards the war’s conclusion. Of particular note is Rigg’s discussion on the alternative courses of action which were available to Japanese leaders, particularly in the war’s twilight. Here, he confidently reviews contradictory leadership decisions, and shows how they precipitated further suffering and civilian deaths, including the tragic episodes of mass suicides.
Amidst the overarching narrative of Japan’s egregious transgressions, readers may find themselves somewhat unexpectedly immersed in discussions ranging from the founding fathers to the nuances of freedom of speech. Although I enjoyed his insights into how militaries operate, I felt the text lost focus towards the end where Rigg announces “another mission” to challenge readers to think about their beliefs and actions. This expands into a discussion of ISIS, the Taliban, Gaza under Hamas, and the occupied regions of Ukraine under Russian forces. This felt like a new thesis being added in at the tail end of the book, and I would have preferred a deeper critical analysis of why Japan’s actions should be considered a “holocaust.”
The strongest chapters stayed within the realm of military history, rather than when Rigg ventured out towards psychology and criminology. For example, he examined the societal context, contending that factors such as childhood neglect, punishment, deprivation, and the prevalence of absentee fathers likely contributed to the propensity for Japanese men to engage in acts of rape. In his analysis, he references Understanding Sexuality by Hass & Hass (1993) to share the developmental backgrounds of rapists. However, While reading this section, the actual meaning of “absentee fathers” was unclear to me as Rigg did not specify whether ‘absentee fathers’ meant that the fathers of wartime fighting males were required to be elsewhere during their childhood, or if there were high rates of single motherhood. Those with an interest in perpetrator studies will appreciate this attempt to look beyond the usual explanations of indoctrination, poor command structures and ethnic enmity for why Japan was so cruel to its neighbours, yet a broader array of pertinent sources would have been preferable to provide a more comprehensive understanding. In examining these sections, one significant drawback becomes apparent: the arguments hinge on a rather sparse selection of sources, all within a narrow scope. Additionally, certain psychological references, though valuable, do not directly address Japan and hail from potentially out-dated publications.
While Rigg demonstrates sensitivity and nuance in his treatment of certain subjects, particularly the plight of rape victims, his analysis into the role Japanese women played in wartime atrocities spark unease and scepticism. Women can absolutely be fanatics and perpetrators, but I found some of his explanation for how women were related to the war crimes to be tenuous, or at least, poorly explored. For example, when describing the relationships between Japanese military men and their women he wrote:
“Yes, they had Japanese mistresses, visited prostitutes, and raped countless “Comfort Women” and Asian civilians throughout their garrison and combat operations. But apparently, their wives back in Japan enjoyed committing adultery just as much as them since a governmental Police Bureau report documented “widespread adultery by wives of soldiers away at the front.” Monogamy and loyalty within marriage was not something Japanese men or women seemed to honor although they then, as now, give it much lip service…However, at least their wives were not raping and slaughtering the people they were having affairs with (these adulterers were Japanese citizens after all), so in the scale of morality, their cheating wives were living more morally upright lives.”
His juxtaposition of the reported adultery with the brutalities committed in the empire’s occupied territories raises eyebrows. The reader struggles to follow along with this line of reasoning, as elsewhere in the text he describes how little power Japanese women had in society, and cites one case where a fifteen-year-old girl was “pimped out” to a nobleman so that her brother could rise professionally. He further blames the actions of the Japanese military on their women by asking “How in the world did the grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and mothers of these men interact with them during their formative years to create a collective group who willingly, and frequently, enjoyed violating women wherever they were stationed.” Like the author, I too wondered about the “relationships these soldiers had with their own daughters, sisters, aunts, or mothers.” We might wonder how these women endured having a husband return with venereal diseases and a predilection for violence, while also being held in a legally and financially inferior position.
Moreover, Rigg’s portrayal of Japanese civilians as complicit in wartime atrocities overlooks crucial nuances, failing to account for dissenting voices and opposition movements within Japanese society. The absence of discussion on the persecution of civilians by the Kempeitai is unfortunate, leaving readers questioning the completeness of his analysis. He frequently disparages the Japanese people by comparing them to good Germans who resisted, without mentioning the Japanese Communist Party members who were already imprisoned for their opposition to the Sino-Japanese war or the targeting of other groups, such as dissident students . This may leave the reader under the impression that all of Japan was aware of, and fully supportive of, the military’s atrocities abroad. Conversely, he acknowledges that “People who claimed Hirohito was evil/not a god in 1940 Japan got their heads cut off.” Rigg’s ambitious attempt to delve into the psyche of Japanese society during World War II ultimately leaves readers with more questions than answers.
In conclusion, Japan’s Holocaust stands as a strong literature review that offers a comprehensive examination of Japan’s military campaigns during World War II. Despite its thoroughness, the book occasionally falters, particularly in its weaker sections that rely heavily on previously published English-language literature, leaving readers yearning for more transparency regarding the methodology and sources. Furthermore, the author’s personal background looms large in the closing chapters, at times overshadowing the historical narrative with exhortations to his fellow Americans and reflections on the direction of the nation. While the book admirably covers a wide array of topics, from military tactics to sociological dynamics, it occasionally veers off course, attempting to be all-encompassing to its own detriment. Nonetheless, Japan’s Holocaust serves as an invaluable resource for those seeking a wide-ranging overview of Japan’s wartime operations.
This book was provided by Post Hill Press for review.
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Loretta McCoy
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May 5, 2024
Bryan offers a controversial perspective on Japan's wartime actions, further complicated by the author's alleged ties to China. Rigg's narrative, characterized by sensationalism and bias, raises doubts about the objectivity of the research presented. Readers should recognize the potential influence of external agendas on the author's portrayal of historical events. Seeking out alternative perspectives is advised for a more comprehensive understanding of Japan's role in World War II.
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Jazmyn Smith
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May 5, 2024
This is marred by inadequate research, casting doubt on its reliability. The book's reliance on questionable sources and omission of established historical scholarship creates a skewed portrayal of Japan. Readers should approach this text with caution, recognizing its shortcomings in research integrity, which may compromise their understanding of World War II history.
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Hikari
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February 2, 2024
During the period 1927-1945, the Imperial Japanese Army murdered 30 million civilians and prisoners of war. That's 5 times more than the number of Jews murdered by Hitler. Yet few in the west know about these atrocities. That's what this work sets about correcting. Whilst there are excellent works which chronicle some of these atrocities individually, what this book does is compile summaries of them all together into one volume. The benefit of this is that these atrocities are seen to be the modus operandi of the Imperial Japanese Army rather than being able to be dismissed as one-off aberrations. There are over 1500 footnotes and a 100 pages of references.
The book is ordered by geography so that we trace the steps of the Imperial Japanese Army as it rapes, murders and destroys its way through Korea, Manchuria, China then onto Hong Kong and beyond. As the materials is ordered in this way, the same villains keep cropping up as being "in charge" of the soldiers. This does however mean that there's some repetition of details about these commanders which could have been edited out
There are a few photos in the work. These are not for the faint hearted as they show women who have been raped then murdered then mutilated. There's also a pit of murdered babies. The evil narrated here is such that language breaks down. There are no words.
Throughout the book, Germany and Japan are compared both in terms of their atrocities committed during WW2 and their reactions afterwards. Apparently, during the 1930s, even the Nazis were sickened by the Japanese behaviour in China. Whilst the Nazis perpetrated their evil for a "reason" (exterminating Jews) and kept detailed records of their "progress", the Imperial Japanese Army kept few records, slaughtering, raping, mutilating and laughing as they went simply because they could. Since WW2, the Germans have made serious efforts to face up to Nazism; the Japanese have not. Consider that there are Nazi hunters still tracking down those involved and bring them to justice; nothing like this has happened in Japan. There are museums and memorials in Germany to mark what they did; the Japanese have no museums to document and instead erect statues of their war criminals. One politician even tried to claim that the Rape of Nanjing was a fiction - imagine the outcry if a German politician said that Auschwitz was a fiction?!
In an attempt to understand how this evil could come about, the book looks at the ideologies floating around in Japan and notes their racism and fanaticism. The roots of Japanese racism can be traced back even farther than this work goes: during the Tokugawa era (c.1600-c.1860), Japan had castes and so the Japanese were "racist" towards those of a lower caste status. The racist behaviour the Imperial Japanese Army displayed was simply this idea writ large towards anyone who wasn't ethnically Japanese.
As this work is a polemic, sometimes the case is overstated, particularly in the concluding chapters about dictatorships and America's role as the world's policeman - the US "adventures" in Iraq are not mentioned, nor are their "adventures" in Afghanistan. Much as I applaud the sentiment that we should liberate all those under oppressive, murderous regimes, this isn't always going to be feasible. There's also scepticism towards Chiune Sugihara, the only Japanese to be recognised as one of the "righteous" by the Israel, for his work in rescuing Jews from Hitler. Surely the book's argument would be strengthened by lauding one of the few Japanese to show a shred of compassion in comparison to the murderous thugs of the Imperial Japanese Army?
A sobering read both in terms of the evil perpetrated and the lack of remorse/repentance shown by Japan to date. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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Kristi
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May 28, 2024
In the fall of 1967 as a sophomore at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota I was privileged to participate in the Term in Thailand with 25 other students. We studied at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok - Buddhism, Southeast Asian history, art, literature, and political science. On the way to Bangkok we visited Japan and Hong Kong. Coming home included stops in Penang, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Guam. We were the only undergraduate study group in Southeast Asia - the closest program was in Japan. I have been an avid reader of World War II history and literature for more than 60 years. My father and most of my uncles served in the war in many roles - as a tank driver in Patton's army, a tail gunner who was killed over Germany, and a medic in the Pacific Theater. My reading, however, has largely been within the European Theater of operations. About 2 years ago I had a "DUH" moment. Why was I not reading about the Pacific War when I had visited so many important sites in that history?? I am trying to make up for my lack of knowledge. The following are the most significant books that I have read in that effort: "The Imperial Japanese Army: The Invincible Years 1941-42" Bill Yenn "Building the Death Railway: The Ordeal of American Pows in Burma, 1942-1945" Robert S. LaForte "Judgment at Tokyo: World War II on Trial and the Making of Modern Asia" Gary J. Bass "82 Days on Okinawa: One American's Unforgettable Firsthand Account of the Pacific War's Greatest Battle" Art Shaw "140 Days to Hiroshima: The Story of Japan's Last Chance to Avert Armageddon" David Dean Barrett "Twilight of the Gods: War in the Western Pacific, 1944-1945" Ian W. Toll "The Fleet at Flood Tide: America at Total War in the Pacific, 1944-1945" James D. Hornfischer "Thailand and Japan's Southern Advance, 1940-1945" E. Bruce Reynolds "Neptune's Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal" James D. Hornfischer "The Rising Sun: The Decline & Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-45" John Toland "Lightning Strike: The Secret Mission to Kill Admiral Yamamoto and Avenge Pearl Harbor" by Donald A. Davis. I have had the privilege to stand on Omaha Beach, walk through the Normandy American Cemetery, and peer out through the slot at the front of a German heavy gun emplacement ( the weapon has been removed ) on Pont du Hoc. I have visited two locations of horror and death at the hands of the Japanese. The first is the bridge over the river Kwai at Kanchanaburi, Thailand. With an enormous pool of captive labor at their disposal, the Japanese forced approximately 200,000 Asian conscripts and over 60,000 Allied POWs to construct the Burma Railway. Among the Allied POWs were some 30,000 British, 13,000 Australians, 18,000 Dutch, and 700 Americans. Of the US personnel forced to work on the railway, 133 died. (Their remains were expatriated. ) This included personnel from USS Houston and the 131st Field Artillery Regiment of the Texas Army National Guard. The Americans were called the Lost Battalion as their fate was unknown to the United States for years after their capture. Near the bridge is the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, the main prisoner of war (POW) cemetery for victims of Japanese imprisonment while building the Burma Railway. . The cemetery contains 6,982 graves of British, Australian and Dutch prisoners of war, of whom 6,858 have been identified. I have walked through that cemetery and always remember the peace and beauty of the bougainvillea, and the graves and graves and graves. After contemplating the devastating loss of life in WWII, we were standing on the railroad bridge over the River Kwai when 3 American jets made a low pass - coming from or heading to Vietnam. Remember this was the fall of 1967. The Tet Offensive would be in the spring of 1968. I could not help but think of the new waste of lives and the fact that we never learn. I still recommend the 1957 movie, "The Bridge on the River Kwai", starring William Holden and Alec Guinness . Although it is not completely factual, it does capture the hardship of the slave labor to build the railway. Ironically upon awakening on our first day in Tokyo my roommate and I heard the "Colonel Bogey March" which was the theme song from the movie. We looked down upon a lower roof and saw Japanese workers doing morning exercises to the music. We wondered if they had any idea that the music was associated with Japanese atrocities for us.. I have walked through Fort Santiago, the last building in old Manila liberated by the Americans during the recapture of the Philippines. It had been used as a prison/ torture chamber / death house and was found with literally hundreds if not thousands of dead bodies inside. The main entrance when I was there was broken and enlarged to permit American tanks to enter the fort. One of the most difficult books that I have read so far in my Pacific Theater education is "Rampage: MacArthur, Yamashita, and the Battle of Manila" by James M. Scott. Yamashita, the "Tiger of Malaya" had ordered his army to retreat into the jungle highlands because he believed he could not defeat the Americans in Manila. Rear Admiral Iwabuchi Sanji defied Yamashita’s orders to withdraw from the city and utilized his 18,000 men to massacre thousands of Filipino civilians. This book is very painful as it has many first-person accounts of the murders and rapes. I have also had the privilege or having known a survivor of the Bataan Death March as a friend. He did not wish to speak in great detail, but the one thing that I have never forgotten was the role of other soldiers to protect their comrades. He explained that they always tried to walk in three's with the weakest man in the middle supported by two stonger men on each side.. I fell in love with Kyoto and Nara. The beautiful gardens and shrines... The city largely escaped the fire-bombing toward the end of the war. In my reading I was grateful to learn that though Kyoto had been at the top of the list for the atomic bomb, Secretary of War Stimson removed it because he had also fallen in love with this the city. One evening as a couple of friends and I were walking, we were stopped by 3 Japanese university students who offered us drinks in return for an opportunity to practice their English. 57 years later I remember one of the young men asking why the U.S. did not drop atomic bombs on North Vietnam. I could not believe that a citizen of the only country to experience such devastation would think it a good idea to use such a weapon... Finally I believe that anyone who seriously studies the Pacific War has an obligation to form an opinion about whether the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the best option to end the war. There are several factors that have led me to believe that this was the right decision. We were fire-bombing cities all over Japan - led by Curtis LeMay. Thousands of civilians were dying. Our knowledge of the effects of the atomic bombs was so limited that one proposal for the invasion of Japan involved dropping a bomb on an area and invading 24 hours later. We had no idea that we would be killing the American soldiers involved. Some theorists state that the fact that Russia had invaded Manchukuo meant that the Japanese would have surrendered soon. The Japanese were not that concerned about Russia. They also were not surprised. One has to remember that the Soviet Union had never conducted an amphibious landing during WWII, if ever. They had not trained troops for such an endeavor nor did they have any ships or transports for invasion. In Europe and especially the Pacific, the Americans had conducted dozens of water invasions and would have had to supply all the training and the equipment. Finally, even after the first bomb and even after Nagasaki there were still strong forces who did not want to surrender. A particularly militant faction attempted to seize the emperor and keep the war going. Finally the death toll among the armed citizenry and both militaries would have been HUGE. I wish the atomic bombs had not been necessary, but I believe they were more humane than fire bombing, blockading and starving the country and the massive Allied and Japanese loss of life in an invasion. I am now about to begin what I believe will be a difficult book to read.... "Those who make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire (My opinion of this book changed as time went on.....) First of all I may have had a far too benign opinion of Hirohito. He appeared physically weak and was often portrayed as this bumbling "god" who went along with his military and cabinet leaders. Mr. Rigg pstates he was as the sadistic "Hitler" of Japan . Having studied Buddhism with a Buddhist monk at Chulalongkorn University, I have had difficulty reconciling Zen Buddhism and Shinto with Bushido. I did not realize that the programming of the young into xenophobic killers had been happening long before Japan's invasions of Asia in the name of the "Asian Prosperity Sphere". The Japanese believed as did Hitler and his Nazis that their races - Aryan and Yamato - was superior to all others. The Japanese believed that the emperor and the race were direct descendants of the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu - their soldiers were called Soldiers of the Sun. Hence the flag of the rising sun. ( Another DUH! moment for me.) "During the late 19th century and the 20th century, Japan was the only modern nation still ruled by a god who espoused totalitarian convictions supported by a state requiring all to worship him." The Shinto religion was used to enforce unquestioning obedience..... I have finished reading and have to stop and register concerns about the book. There are far too many egregious errors. The author harps on the issue of the Geneva Convention for the conduct of war. Yes, Japan violated the tenets of the pact, but though they signed the 1929 Convention it was never ratified by the government. Not an excuse, but not the truth that the Japanese government had agreed to follow its rules. I am happy to see mention of John Rabe ( pages 86-88 ). He was unknown to me until I saw the 2009 film of the same name. He worked with Americans and others during the rape of Nanjing / Nanking to save over 200,000 Chinese in a "safety zone". (I recommend the film. ) Page 93-96. In the author's ubiquitous italics, we find this statement about atrocities: "This study has not uncovered." A SINGLE LINE' OR FIELD-GRADE OFFICER PROTESTING THESE ACTS ( I have never run across a serious book of non-fiction where the author believed he had to use italics 100's of times to make a point. When you treat the reader like the village idiot, I find the author to be the real idiot. ) Then 4 pages later the author states that during the invasion of Penang: "Yamashita did have a few Japanese soldiers "tried and executed". ( Why the quotation marks?? The action seems straightforward to me. ) This seems to me to be a more than mild PROTEST against acts of murder and rape from the highest-ranking IJA officer in the field . Page 140 concerning the capture of Hong Kong: "Indeed, Kuribayashi's subordinate... Major General Sano duly conveyed the order to his regiments " to treat any British and other Allied they might take in Hong Kong with humanity and justice". Page 143. Citation 606" Harries and Harries, 238. There is no source with these authors. There is, however, the book "Soldiers of the Sun: the Rise and Fall of the Imperial Japanese Army written by Meirion HARRIS AND Susie HARRIS..... DID THIS MAN READ HIS OWN BOOK????? My Rigg speaks of "Prime Minister Shinzo Abe" in the present tense as a denier of Japanese atrocities. " page 195. "He appears to be a new nationalist who wants to produce an "evangelical edition of history with the inconvenient facts omitted." (Talk about the kettle calling the pot black!!!! ) Abe was Prime Minister twice, the last time from 2012 - 2020. He was assassinated in Nara on July 8, 2022. This book was published in 2024. Then to use another cliche' when Mr. Rigg addresses the WWII record of Tadamichi Kuribayashi he proceeds to beat and beat a dead horse. Because Kuribayashi used a more stealthy and successful strategy on Iwo Jima and did not sacrifice his troops in mass suicidal charges, the author has to prove that he was just as depraved as those Japanese leaders who did so. It anything seems to contradict the "Rigg religion" the facts have to be reinterpreted to keep the faith. Kuribayashi proved to be a worthy opponent and not a crazed lunatic - the author has to turn him into a sex addict to show that no Japanese military leader really contradicts his theory of Japanese depravity. Page 222. " One historian estimates that out of the 1, 140,000 Japanese army dead, 200,000 died in inefficient charges." **That is less than 20%.** Page 223. " On average the Japanese had a fatality rate of 98% in combat zones, which has never been surpassed in modern warfare." Approximately 5,473,000 men served in the IJA from 1931 - 1945 - that is a death rate of 21%. (Note citation for 98% death rate 1069: Frank, 29, 17-8, 45, 119-29, 172-3; Interview Drea, 17 September, 2017.) This does not follow any rules of reference of which I am aware.... AAAAHHH there is an interview with an Edward J. Drea in 2017. Who or what the hell is Frank???? 20% death toll on one page and 98% on the next page???? I know, silly me... foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.. Emerson.. Interesting..... There is also an interview with Mary Dalbey-Rigg, the author's aunt. I thought perhaps she had a direct connection to WWII, but no she graduated from Rutgers in 1941, married, and later taught nursing at Yale. When I am writing a thesis and documenting sources, I always make it a policy to include my relatives to increase my research numbers.... NOT!!! Page 187. After the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, the planes attempted to land in China and many were rescued. " Hirohito himself signed the order to destroy and occupy this region" of China. Source: Flyboys, a True Story of Courage, James Bradley. This is a book about the heroism of pilots, how were they privy to Hirohito's secret orders??? Page 190-91 Mr. Rigg totals the death toll by Japanese soldiers as 29,897,751. I can find no sources, such as the National WWII Museum that reflect these numbers..... This book would be half as long if Mr. Rigg did not repeat himself again and again. Rather than proceeding in a chronological order the author returns to subjects already addressed multiple times. "Comfort women" Estimates of the number of women involved typically range up to 200,000, but the actual number may have been even higher. The great majority of them were from Korea (then a Japanese protectorate), though women from China, Taiwan, and other parts of Asia—including Dutch nationals in Indonesia—were also involved. DECEMBER 28, 2015. Japan has apologized to South Korea and will pay about $8.3 million as compensation for its use of Korean “comfort women” who were forced to work in Japanese brothels during World War II. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe telephoned Park Geun-hye, the South Korean president, to repeat the apology. The Wednesday Demonstration was a weekly protest held with the presence of surviving comfort women on every Wednesday at noon in front of the Embassy of Japan in Seoul. The weekly protest was led by The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, commonly referred to as the Korean Council. The first demonstration was held on January 8, 1992, for the visit of then Prime Minister of Japan Kiichi Miyazawa, and the 1,000th on December 14, 2011. In 2007, the Prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, mentioned how there was no "forceful" action of the Japanese government in gathering the women. In December 2015, there was a deal signed by the government of President Park Geun-hye, incumbent Moon Jae-in's predecessor, and Prime minister Shinzo Abe regarding the comfort women issue, but the protests still went on as the deal was regarded as a lacking validity without the consent of the victims. The deal was officially cancelled by the government of President Moon Jae-in in November 2018. In 2023 only 9 Korean comfort women were still alive. This is one of the best examples of Japan's failure to confront or atone for its atrocities. Unit 731: Imperial Japan’s Biological and Chemical Warfare. I was unfamiliar with this action which is akin to the medical experiments of the Nazis. Page 167 "actually established by secret order of the Emperor ( complete with author's italics )." Source: MATERIALS ON THE TRIAL OF FORMER SERVICEMEN OF THE JAPANESE ARMY CHARGED WITH MANUFACTURING AND EMPLOYING BACTERIOLOGICAL WEAPONS. Who testified to the Emperor's secret order??? There are numerous word errors in the book: Page 172 "thousands of Allied POW's were subjected to inhumane studies and medical TRAILS." I hate those medical trails.... I have to stop!!!! Because of my reading about the Pacific Theater, I would be the last person to say that the Japanese military did not commit atrocities. I have, however, lost all trust in the author. I believe that HISTORY SHOULD NEVER BE WRTITTEN WITH AN AGENDA. IT CEASES TO BE HISTORY AND BECOMES A MISGUIDED RELIGION WHICH LOSES PERSPECTIVE AND BELIEVES ITSELF TO BE THE UNCHALLENGEABLE TRUTH. Having taught at the college level for more than 30 years, Mr. Rigg's writing style, not to mention grammatical and factual errors, reminds me of college level work ( this may be an insult to my students ) where everything but the kitchen sink is thrown at a thesis to impress the professor. This book is only 300 pages long and has 1564 "notes" many of questionable validity added to pad the appearance of "systematic research". . The truth when it can be found in this book is an important message that should be told, but not by Mr. Rigg. His errors, contradictions, and lies destroy all credibility. Finally as to the author's use of the word Holocaust: The word Holocaust is derived from the Greek holokauston, a translation of the Hebrew word ʿolah, meaning a burnt sacrifice offered whole to God. This word was chosen, and gained wide usage, because, in the ultimate symbol of the Nazi killing program—the extermination camps—the bodies of the victims were consumed whole in crematoria or open fires. The death camps have become a lasting symbol of the Nazi genocide. I believe Mr. Rigg used Holocaust for sales and the attraction of attention. I believe that HOLOCAUST should be reserved for the Nazi slaughter of the Jews. Kristi & Abby Tabby
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Gerda Lindgren
3 reviews
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May 5, 2024
This book presents a one-sided view of Japan's actions in World War II, lacking depth and impartiality. The narrative overlooks key aspects of the conflict, resulting in an incomplete and misleading portrayal of historical events. Readers should approach this book with scepticism, as its biased perspective may hinder their understanding of Japan's wartime actions.
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Koby Harber
3 reviews
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May 6, 2024
As someone married to a historian, I need help to view this work as meeting academic standards.
This book sets ambitious goals and poses significant questions. However, it also displays notable shortcomings, including a lack of rigorous source criticism, reliance on questionable materials, and arbitrary interpretation.
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Natali
505 reviews356 followers
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May 13, 2024
This book is the stuff of nightmares but what makes it even worse is that the nightmares are exploited by this author to sell us war and an American military industrial complex. The author tries to argue that the U.S. did the right thing in dropping two atomic bombs on Japanese civilians because the Japanese were so heinous, that U.S. isolationism costs lives, that the U.S. pretty much single handedly ended World War II, that Germany is a model democracy that Japan should aspire to - I literally laughed out loud at that sentence - and that the Japanese should be sanctioned and uninvited from world events like the Olympics because they refuse to atone for their warring past. Nope! Nope to all of that. No to collective punishment, no to the U.S. military as the world's saviors and model of democracy, no to praising bombs for peace. No to hating the Japanese for their ancestors. No.
But I did learn a lot. I had no idea of the scale of demonic brutality of the Japanese army during World War II. This author says that whereas Nazi atrocities were mostly isolated to death camps (which isn't exactly true), the Japanese killed, raped, tortured and medically experimented in plain sight. I do not like victimhood contests where we argue which group had it worse because it's unproductive but boy did the Chinese have it BAD at the hands of the Japanese. So did the Koreans, the Philippines, the people of Iwo Jima... The tales of rape, torture and brutality in this book were too horrific to repeat. And there are pictures too. Bloody, demented, demonic actual pictures. You've been warned.
A Chinese colleague tells me that most Chinese people know about Unit 731 but I didn't. These were medical experimentation labs that killed thousands in the most horrific ways. The stories are too demented to recount. Truly the heart of darkness. If most Chinese know this, why don't Westerners? Why do we know so well the European suffering from the Nazis and not the Asian suffering from the Japanese?
This author is still pretty pissed at the Japanese and it borders on racism. He quotes American soldiers saying their language is ugly, he calls them Nips, he says that the women the soldiers left behind were "apparently" adulterous too. He says that their very culture does not value life and he West-splains other cultures in unhelpful ways too. He practices some psychoanalysis in a book where it should not be. This book would be so much stronger had he stuck to the history.
This author thinks the Japanese are a people worth "being leery of" because of their refusal to atone for their many atrocities. The Japanese silence on this is an important question but I don't favor bullying the Japanese to get some faux satisfaction. The author favors punishing them until they've coughed up some reparations or admitted that the victims of the atomic bomb weren't actually victims or emulate post-war Germany. I can't agree with him on this argument. It is akin to answering cruelty with cruelty to people whose ancestors did bad things. We should be beyond that. Most races and nationalities have had murderous pasts and no one wants any of this to happen again. Germany is no shining example of how to make things right. Again, LOL. My take is that we honor the warring past by committing to a peaceful future. How about we start there? Unequivocal peace. Peace extremism.
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Yoyocurt
2 reviews
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August 4, 2024
it's a very good book. although they were grammatical errors, it shouldn't be the main focus of criticism. i'm surprised by the amount of ppl who rated this book a one star simply because they think it's biased and provides a one-sided view, when it's literally meant to provide facts about the war crimes committed by imperial japanese troops in their occupied territories. so obviously it's going to lean more into the victim's perspective. rigg isn't obliged to provide u with 'scholarly-enough' language since books like these are written for u to understand better from simple language. e.g. ur textbooks (exclude language studies) don't use bombastic words because it's supposed to guide u through the topic, not to enhance ur vocabulary whatsoever. majority of the people who deny the war crimes ever occurred are white. nothing wrong with being white, but it's so infuriating to watch them defend an imperialist power that committed war crimes and to even dare 'debunk' the evidence when pictures taken by the aggressor themselves are free on the web for public view. how hurt the victims of imperial japan's war crimes are, and how deeply saddened they become of japan's pathetic excuse of compensation. germany paid USD 2.8 billion toward holocaust survivors, whereas japan only paid USD 154K towards 'comfort women'. how unfair is that? the japanese government only surrended after being bombed TWICE, only after TWO times, not at the first time it happened. somebody restrict whites in 'speaking' about war crimes perpetrated by japan (they're not, they're only talking about evidence evidence evidence when there are many for free on the internet). the trials of nuremberg where nazi officers were trialed and charged with the war crimes they committed. imperial japanese officers continue to walk over their victims under the protection granted to them by the US government. only subjected to being shot by a firing squad, no proper apology, a small amount of compensation, no acknowledgement in their textbooks like in germany's regarding the european holocaust. the japanese government only decided to apologise due to PUBLIC PRESSURE, not because they felt obliged to do so.
the word 'holocaust' can also be used to refer to mass killings of people, and is not just limited to the european jewish genocide committed by hitler, smh. when u google "asia's holocaust", u will see that the japanese war crimes can also be referred to as that. riggs nvr disapproved of the events of the european genocide against european jews.
wonderful read. highly recommend.
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John Purvis
1,275 reviews22 followers
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March 30, 2024
Bryan Mark Rigg (https://bryanmarkrigg.com) has authored more than half a dozen books. Japan’s Holocaust: History of Imperial Japan’s Mass Murder and Rape During World War II was published earlier this month. It is the 24th book I completed reading in 2024.
I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence and mature situations, I categorize this book as R.
The book attempts to document the most significant instances of atrocities perpetrated by Japan’s military forces during WWII. It begins with events in 1927 and continues to the end of the war. In every location occupied by the forces of Imperial Japan, the local population was subjected to rape, murder, and economic exploitation.
The book begins with a look at the rise in power of the Japanese military. The ideals of the Japanese were close to those of the Nazis in Germany, eventually resulting in the pact between the two countries. The enlisted soldiers of the Japanese military were treated harshly. That, and their view of themselves as the master race, justified their treatment of subjugated people.
The author focuses on the military’s actions in Nanking, Singapore, the Philippines, Guam, Siam, and Hong Kong. He also examines the many women who were compelled to serve as ‘comfort women’, the biological & chemical experimentation units, and Japan’s involvement in the drug trade.
I enjoyed the 14.5 hours I spent reading this 627-page WWII-era history. This was an informative book. There was little in it I had not heard about before, but the book went into much more detail. It also presented atrocity information in one place. The book was a little dry and challenging to read. It is very academic, with 1563 footnotes. The author repeatedly points out the reluctance of the Japanese government to acknowledge the atrocities committed. I like the chosen cover art. I give this book a rating of 3.8 (rounded to 4) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
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Ben
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April 15, 2024
I received a free digital copy of “ Japan’s Holocaust” through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
“ Japan’s Holocaust” is not an easy book to read, though it should be read by anyone who needs yet another example of the depths to which mankind can descend in the grasp for power. I understand that some Jewish scholars have stated that the term “ Holocaust” should be reserved to the mass killing of Jews by the Nazis in World War Two, but even those horrors are not as bad as those which the Japanese carried out on the subjugated, captive populations under their control. Everywhere they conquered, the Japanese committed wholesale rape,slaughter, torture and ethnic cleaning.
Author Mark Rigg has copiously researched this book. Footnotes citing evidence from survivor testimony, trial transcripts, phots and even film testify. That is enough to condemn the militarist Japanese. Not even the emperor, especially not the emperor is untainted, Hirohito, often presented as a mild scholar a puppet controlled by the warlord I shown to have approved and cheered on the horrible “ medical” experimentation that killed untold thousands of subject peoples and POWs . The fact cry out: a nation that appeared headed by a porcelain royalty was a fanatical, bestial , ravenous death cult. So much so that even the Nazi’s were appalled.
An important conclusion drawn by the author is that the religion of an compliant Emperor, of the code os the Samuri, of Bushido pride in never having lost a war and fighting to the last drop of blood, came to force the conclusion that invasion of the Home islands would mean several more years of all out war against an enemy that would use poison chemical and biological weapons and every other weapon of war rather than surrender..
As noted: the descriptions of atrocities, accurate as they are will stay in your mind as nightmares.
Note that at first I that the author was overdoing the use of footnotes and quotes, but I came to see the necessity of through documentation to tell a story that no critic could obfuscate.
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Jen Juenke
890 reviews35 followers
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December 30, 2023
This was an ambitious work. The author boldly states that this will be the definitive work of Japan's atrocities during the time period of 1925 to 1945.
Lets be clear, this was NOT as in depth as The Holocaust (about the Jewish Holocaust) by Martin Gilbert.
This was more of a synopsis of battles, atrocities, murder, massacre, and evil that the Japanese visited upon people that they invaded, captured, or just found in the sea.
Overall its a great overview and the author points out other books, research that a person could get a more indepth look at specific examples.
One of the problems that I had with the book, is the chapter on the Japanese soldiers committing suicide. I wondered why the author was including this in the "holocaust". The author compared Nazi Germany's holocaust to that of Japans holocaust, yet no researcher that I know of, would include the suicides of Nazi's in the Jewish holocaust.
I know that the author would argue that the state of Japan, was cult like, blind obedience, would FORCE the soldiers to suicide.
Would it? Should we include these deaths in the 'holocaust'?
I say no. The soldiers committed suicide. They chose death over living.
Even today, the author argues that Japan worships their war dead, even the suicides....so the Japanese would not include them in a 'holocaust'.
It was a weird chapter in the book and made me question why it was included.
Overall, I think that this book provides a synopsis of some very horrible/evil things that the Japanese did during that 20 years.
For more indepth look of Japan's cruelty, see the books Rape of Nanking, Unit 731, and what the author mentions in this book.
THank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange of this honest review.
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Richard Miller
5 reviews
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April 9, 2024
"Japan's Holocaust" is an atrocious and deeply flawed attempt at historical analysis that fails on multiple fronts. The author, whose name I hesitate to mention, demonstrates a shocking lack of scholarly integrity and expertise throughout the book. Instead of providing a nuanced and well-researched examination of Japan during World War II, the author resorts to sensationalism, exaggeration, and inflammatory language to grab attention.
From the very beginning, it is evident that the author's biases and agenda heavily influence the narrative. Rather than presenting a balanced portrayal of historical events, the author cherry-picks evidence and manipulates facts to fit their preconceived notions. This results in a distorted and one-sided account that does a disservice to the complexity of the subject matter.
Moreover, the author's writing style is amateurish and disjointed, making it difficult to follow the narrative coherently. The book is riddled with grammatical errors, factual inaccuracies, and unsubstantiated claims, further undermining its credibility. It is clear that the author lacks the necessary expertise and rigor to tackle such a sensitive and important topic with the seriousness and respect it deserves.
In conclusion, "Japan's Holocaust" is a reprehensible piece of pseudo-historical propaganda that should be approached with extreme caution. Readers would be better served by seeking out more reputable and scholarly works on the subject, rather than wasting their time and money on this disgraceful attempt at historical revisionism.
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Arthur Jones
11 reviews
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April 11, 2024
"Japan's Holocaust: History of Imperial Japan's Mass Murder and Rape During World War II" by Bryan Mark Rigg is a deeply flawed and biased attempt at historical analysis. Rigg's credentials and expertise in the field are questionable, which is evident in the book's lack of scholarly rigor and objectivity.
From the outset, Rigg's agenda becomes clear with the sensationalist title "Japan's Holocaust." This title is not only historically inaccurate but also disrespectful, drawing unjust comparisons to the Holocaust perpetrated by Nazi Germany. Such a title demonstrates a lack of empathy and integrity on the part of the author.
Throughout the book, Rigg relies on cherry-picked anecdotes and unsubstantiated claims, rather than engaging with primary sources and academic research. This approach undermines the credibility of the narrative and perpetuates harmful stereotypes about Japan's role in World War II.
Furthermore, Rigg's bias is evident in his agenda-driven narrative, which demonizes Japan while ignoring the complexities of the wartime context. His failure to provide meaningful context or analysis detracts from any potential value the book may have had as a historical study.
In conclusion, "Japan's Holocaust: History of Imperial Japan's Mass Murder and Rape During World War II" by Bryan Mark Rigg is a deeply flawed and irresponsible piece of historical writing. Readers seeking a genuine understanding of this period in history would be wise to look elsewhere for more reputable and reliable sources.
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Arthur Jones
11 reviews
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July 16, 2024
"Japan's Holocaust: History of Imperial Japan's Mass Murder and Rape During World War II" by Bryan Mark Rigg is a deeply flawed and biased attempt at historical analysis. Rigg's credentials and expertise in the field are questionable, which is evident in the book's lack of scholarly rigor and objectivity.
From the outset, Rigg's agenda becomes clear with the sensationalist title "Japan's Holocaust." This title is not only historically inaccurate but also disrespectful, drawing unjust comparisons to the Holocaust perpetrated by Nazi Germany. Such a title demonstrates a lack of empathy and integrity on the part of the author.
Throughout the book, Rigg relies on cherry-picked anecdotes and unsubstantiated claims, rather than engaging with primary sources and academic research. This approach undermines the credibility of the narrative and perpetuates harmful stereotypes about Japan's role in World War II.
Furthermore, Rigg's bias is evident in his agenda-driven narrative, which demonizes Japan while ignoring the complexities of the wartime context. His failure to provide meaningful context or analysis detracts from any potential value the book may have had as a historical study.
In conclusion, "Japan's Holocaust: History of Imperial Japan's Mass Murder and Rape During World War II" by Bryan Mark Rigg is a deeply flawed and irresponsible piece of historical writing. Readers seeking a genuine understanding of this period in history would be wise to look elsewhere for more reputable and reliable sources.
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William Smith
7 reviews1 follower
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April 16, 2024
This book presents a contentious perspective on Imperial Japan's actions during World War II, aiming to shed light on important historical events. However, the book's sensationalist title and lack of scholarly rigor significantly detract from its overall credibility. Rigg's biased narrative appears intent on vilifying Japan without providing a balanced analysis of the complex wartime context.
Throughout the text, Rigg relies heavily on anecdotal evidence and cherry-picked accounts, failing to offer a comprehensive and objective examination of the subject matter. This approach undermines the book's integrity and raises doubts about the author's commitment to scholarly standards.
While "Japan's Holocaust" may offer some insights into lesser-known aspects of the war, readers should approach it with caution. It is essential to supplement Rigg's narrative with perspectives from more reputable and balanced sources to gain a comprehensive understanding of this critical period in history. Ultimately, while the book may contribute to the discourse surrounding Imperial Japan's actions during World War II, its flaws and biases limit its potential impact and scholarly value.
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Richard Miller
5 reviews
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July 14, 2024
"Japan's Holocaust" is an atrocious and deeply flawed attempt at historical analysis that fails on multiple fronts. The author, whose name I hesitate to mention, demonstrates a shocking lack of scholarly integrity and expertise throughout the book. Instead of providing a nuanced and well-researched examination of Japan during World War II, the author resorts to sensationalism, exaggeration, and inflammatory language to grab attention.
From the very beginning, it is evident that the author's biases and agenda heavily influence the narrative. Rather than presenting a balanced portrayal of historical events, the author cherry-picks evidence and manipulates facts to fit their preconceived notions. This results in a distorted and one-sided account that does a disservice to the complexity of the subject matter.
Moreover, the author's writing style is amateurish and disjointed, making it difficult to follow the narrative coherently. The book is riddled with grammatical errors, factual inaccuracies, and unsubstantiated claims, further undermining its credibility. It is clear that the author lacks the necessary expertise and rigor to tackle such a sensitive and important topic with the seriousness and respect it deserves.
In conclusion, "Japan's Holocaust" is a reprehensible piece of pseudo-historical propaganda that should be approached with extreme caution. Readers would be better served by seeking out more reputable and scholarly works on the subject, rather than wasting their time and money on this disgraceful attempt at historical revisionism
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Russell Houston
20 reviews
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March 31, 2024
Very few are aware that the "International Military Tribunal for the Far East" did not charge perjury. The tribunal's judgment was based on evidence without requiring proof of facts, as outlined in its rules established on January 19, 1946. Article 13 of the rules states that the tribunal is not bound by technical rules of evidence and can admit any evidence it deems probative, including purported admissions or statements of the accused. Cross-examinations by Japanese defense counsel were rejected, and much of the evidence presented was hearsay. For instance, Mr. Rabe, who testified about the Japanese Army's systematic rape of 20,000, was not cross-examined. Despite the book being authored by a historian, it raises questions about its classification as a history book, especially considering the timing of its release coinciding with predictions of military action in Taiwan and Japanese waters. This has led some to view the book as potential propaganda aimed at influencing US public opinion to discourage military assistance to Taiwan and Japan during a crisis.
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David Johnson
10 reviews
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May 1, 2024
This book is a problematic exploration of Japan's wartime actions, lacking in both depth and accuracy. From the outset, the book presents a sensationalized and one-sided view of Japan's involvement in World War II, failing to provide the nuanced analysis necessary for a thorough understanding of historical events.
Rigg's narrative is riddled with unsubstantiated claims and cherry-picked evidence, undermining the credibility of his arguments. Moreover, the book neglects to address the broader geopolitical context of the war, oversimplifying complex issues and perpetuating historical inaccuracies.
As a result, it falls short of its purported goal to shed light on Japan's involvment, instead offering a distorted and misleading account. Readers seeking a more comprehensive and balanced examination of this period in history would be wise to look elsewhere.
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Tyshawn Heaney
3 reviews
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May 5, 2024
Japan's Holocaust" presents a troubling account of Japan's actions during World War II, further hindered by Bryan Mark Rigg's contentious background. Rigg, known for his controversial interpretations of historical events, brings his biased perspective to this work, resulting in a narrative that lacks the necessary depth and objectivity. Moreover, Rigg's previous works have faced criticism for their reliance on anecdotal evidence and selective interpretation, raising doubts about the credibility of his research methods. In "Japan's Holocaust," these shortcomings are apparent, with the book failing to provide a comprehensive understanding of Japan's wartime actions. Readers should approach this mindful of Rigg's contentious background and its potential impact on the reliability of the information presented.
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James Smith
8 reviews
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May 2, 2024
This book presents a contentious perspective on Japan's wartime actions, but its credibility is clouded by the author's alleged connections with Chinese nationalist organizations. Rigg's narrative, characterized by sensationalism and bias, raises questions about the objectivity of the research presented. Furthermore, the book's purported ties to Chinese nationalist groups suggest potential external influences on the author's portrayal of historical events.
The book's biased perspective, coupled with Rigg's alleged affiliations, casts doubt on the reliability of the information provided. While the book may offer insights into a turbulent period in history, readers should recognizing the potential impact of external agendas on the author's interpretation of Japan's wartime actions.
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Della Hoeger
3 reviews
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May 5, 2024
This is a contentious piece that reflects the author's bias against Japan. Rigg's portrayal of Japan during World War II is overwhelmingly negative, lacking the balance and nuance required for an objective historical analysis. His narrative, while provocative, fails to acknowledge the complexities of the wartime context and unfairly vilifies Japan without proper consideration of alternative perspectives. Furthermore, Rigg's selective use of evidence and sensationalist language undermine the credibility of his arguments, casting doubt on the integrity of his research. Readers should approach "Japan's Holocaust" with caution, recognizing the author's bias and seeking out alternative viewpoints to form a more comprehensive understanding of Japan's wartime actions.
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Joanne O'Keefe
3 reviews
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May 5, 2024
Bryan Mark Rigg's "Japan's Holocaust" presents a controversial perspective on Japan's actions during World War II, but it is marred by the author's evident bias against the country. While Rigg sheds light on important historical events, his narrative tends to skew heavily towards portraying Japan in a negative light, overlooking any potential mitigating factors or complexities of the wartime situation. Additionally, Rigg's language often sensationalizes events, further contributing to the book's lack of scholarly objectivity. While "Japan's Holocaust" may offer some insights, readers should be aware of the author's bias and approach the text with a critical eye, seeking out alternative viewpoints for a more balanced understanding of Japan's role in World War II.
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Ivy Winslow
8 reviews
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September 5, 2024
As we reflect on the impact of the Holocaust, it’s key to recognize its special place in history and ensure its memory is preserved with respect. Recent discussions, however, point out how this author tend to present a one-sided narrative, focusing only on select aspects of the tragedy. This narrow storytelling can risk minimizing the broader historical context and suffering of millions. It's crucial that the term "Holocaust" stays tied to the genocide committed by Nazi Germany, and misusing it for unrelated events trivializes that pain. By educating future generations, we help prevent these distortions, keeping the memory of the Holocaust intact and meaningful.
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Jaylin Bogan
3 reviews
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May 5, 2024
Rigg's reliance on anecdotal evidence and selective interpretation of facts raises serious doubts about the reliability of his research. Moreover, the author's failure to engage with established historiographical standards further undermines the credibility of the work. By neglecting to provide a nuanced analysis of Japan's wartime actions, Rigg perpetuates harmful stereotypes and misconceptions. In conclusion, this book falls short of providing a meaningful contribution to the understanding of Japan's role in World War II.
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Japan's Holocaust: History of Imperial Japan's Mass Murder and Rape During World War II
Bryan Mark Rigg, Richard Frank (Foreword)
2.23
84 ratings63 reviews
Japan’s Holocaust is a comprehensive exploration of Japan’s mass murder and sexual crimes during the Pacific and Asian Wars from 1927 to 1945.
Japan’s Holocaust combines research conducted in over eighteen research facilities in five nations to explore Imperial Japan’s atrocities from 1927 to 1945 during its military expansions and reckless campaigns throughout Asia and the Pacific. This book brings together the most recent scholarship and new primary research to ascertain that Japan claimed a minimum of thirty million lives, slaughtering far more than Hitler’s Nazi Germany. Japan’s Holocaust shows that Emperor Hirohito not only knew about the atrocities his legions committed, but actually ordered them. He did nothing to stop them when they exceeded even the most depraved person’s imagination, as illustrated during the Rape of Nanking as well as many other events. Japan’s Holocaust will document in painful detail that the Rape of Nanking was not an isolated event during the Asian War but rather representative of how Japan behaved for all its campaigns throughout Asia and the Pacific from 1927 to 1945.
Mass murder, rape, and economic exploitation was Japan’s modus operandi during this time period, and whereas Hitler’s SS Death’s Head outfits attempted to hide their atrocities, Hirohito’s legions committed their atrocities out in the open with fanfare and enthusiasm. Moreover, whereas Germany has done much since World War II to atone for its crimes and to document them, Japan has been absolutely disgraceful with its reparations for its crimes and in its efforts to educate its population about its wartime past. Shockingly, Japan continues, in general, to glorify is criminals and its wartime past.
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GenresHistoryNonfictionWorld War IIJapanWar
400 pages, Paperback
Published March 19, 2024
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Bryan Mark Rigg10 books12 followers
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Bryan Mark Rigg teaches history at American Military University and Southern Methodist University. Dr. Rigg's work has been featured in the New York Times and on programs including NBC Dateline and Fox News. Dr. Rigg has served as a volunteer in the Israeli Army and as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. He currently lives in Dallas, Texas.
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Mark Porton
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December 28, 2023
Japan’s Holocaust by Bryan Mark Rigg provides a forensic account of the atrocities committed by Japan during WWII. There is no need to detail the too-numerous accounts presented in this book, safe to say – they are horrific.
The author presents reasons for these atrocities. Japanese society was racist, militaristic and they possessed an absolute devotion to Emperor Hirohito. This belief in their Emperor was total, his line was said to have over 2,000 years of unbroken lineage to the Sun Goddess. The author also describes the violent culture behind such practices as ritualistic suicide and attritional warfare. The Imperial Japanese Army was obsessed with degrading anyone who did not share their beliefs. Atrocities against civilians, POWS and rape against women and children were the norm. The Rape of Nanking being the most notorious.
I was astonished by the never ending and unbelievably brutal violence, both in scale and type, committed against defenceless, innocent people protected by international law. The number of references cited by the author was very high, 1564 in total. In my view it was unbelievable Hirohito escaped the death penalty during the Japanese war crime trials. He lived until 1989, as Emperor and he even opened the 1964 Tokyo Olympics!
The author presents an argument to suggest the dropping of the two atom bombs by the USAF saved many lives, as terrible as those weapons are the death toll would have been significantly more if the Allies would have had to invade Japan and its Islands. The Japanese belief in attritional warfare, their unwillingness to surrender and the practice of suicide (troops and their own citizens) when defeat is imminent, would have made sure of that.
There is a massive message here – we must call out, act on and be aware of the absurdity and danger of all forms of fundamentalism.
Hirohito – the grandfather of the current Emperor, Niruhito
Hirohito fits comfortably in the same company as Hitler, Stalin and Mao Zedong.
5 Stars (I upgraded my original rating on reflection)
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my review.
5-stars educational history
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Tobi ﾄﾋﾞ
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January 31, 2024
I’d like to thank the publishers of this book for this commission and sending me a pre-publication edition of the first edition of this book in exchange for an honest review!!! This book is due to be published in English on the 19th of March 2024, and below is my review as of December 2023 to January 2024.
This masterpiece took me on a riveting journey through the dark chapters of Imperial Japan's mass atrocities from 1927 to 1945. Meticulously researched across eighteen facilities in five nations, the book seamlessly combines recent scholarship and new primary research. The result is an eye-opening exploration that reveals Japan claimed a staggering minimum of thirty million lives, surpassing even Hitler's Nazi Germany in brutality.
The author skillfully weaves together accounts of mass murder and sexual crimes during Japan's military expansions in Asia and the Pacific. What sets this book apart is how it is a first of a kind, as even though there’s been a few books (in English at least) about Japanese war crimes, there’s still a lot of new information still being exposed. So, this book does a very good job at shedding light on the magnitude of Japan's atrocities that often remain overlooked or unknown in existing publications. The author sensitively navigates through sensitive subjects, presenting a comprehensive picture of the horrors unleashed by Emperor Hirohito's legions.
Emperor Hirohito, far from being unaware, is exposed as not only knowledgeable about the atrocities but implicated in ordering them. "Japan's Holocaust" uncovers shocking details, revealing that these heinous acts were not isolated events, such as the infamous Rape of Nanking, but rather indicative of Japan's behavior throughout its campaigns.
The author delves into the disturbing reality that mass murder, rape, and economic exploitation were Japan's modus operandi during this period. In contrast to Germany's post-World War II efforts to atone for its crimes, the book underscores Japan's disgraceful lack of reparations and education about its wartime past.
In the face of this historical exposé, "Japan's Holocaust" stands as a testament to the author's dedication to unraveling the truth, offering readers an engrossing blend of meticulous research, unique insights, and a critical examination of Japan's wartime legacy. This book is a must-read for those seeking a profound understanding of a dark chapter in history often overlooked.
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Ryder Miles
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May 6, 2024
Having thoroughly studied Mark Bryan Rigg's recent book, I am compelled to offer a critical perspective based on a factual analysis. While Rigg's books undoubtedly stir debate, it is essential to consider the legitimate criticisms that have been raised, maintaining a balanced view.
One is Rigg's interpretation of historical events, which some believe oversimplifies complex phenomena and presents them through a biased lens. This observation is illustrated by instances where nuance is overlooked in favor of a more straightforward narrative.
Moreover, doubts persist about the adequacy of Rigg's research methods and the reliability of his sources. This skepticism is not unfounded, as on closer examination, there are instances where the veracity of some claims is called into question. For example, accusations made to the court have not been substantiated as accurate.
Thanks to the controversy that Rigg's work has generated, it is crucial to recognize its potential impact on the public's perception of history. As readers, we bear the responsibility to approach such narratives with a critical eye, fully aware of the need to examine underlying assumptions and biases. This type of literature can significantly influence individuals without a deep knowledge of the issues, underscoring the importance of our role in fostering a nuanced understanding of history.
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William Harris
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December 17, 2023
I have completed my read of "Japan's Holocaust: History of Japan's Mass Murder and Rape During World War II," written by Bryan Mark Rigg and being published by the Print Hill Press imprint of Knox Press (who have graciously provided me with the ARC from which I am working). Candidly, I am somewhat disappointed. This is a massive subject worthy of a rigorous and highly detailed work similar to some of those published on the Jewish Holocaust in Europe. The subject matter, however, makes it difficult to achieve the kind of rigor and detail I would like to see because of the very different nature of the killing and, significantly, sexual exploitation, which occurred wherever the Japanese armed forces were deployed. The vast distances and highly isolated and densely populated locales which served as a backdrop to the horrifying behavior of the Imperial forces make any comprehensive approach very challenging. This is to say nothing of the fact that to this day Japan has managed to evade much of the responsibility for its crimes unlike the Third Reich. The value in this volume is that it keeps its subject matter alive and focuses attention on it in a way that contrasts sharply with traditional military histories of the Pacific War almost all of which make note of Japanese misbehavior and then simply dismiss it as some kind of unfortunate anomaly rooted in the vagaries of Japanese History since Japan was first exposed to the West. Most texts simply give a wink and a nod to things like the massive and pervasive abuse of women and extreme brutality by highly and rigidly disciplined units of the Imperial armed forces. There is a conundrum here in that everyone aware of the history of Japan's military and militarism is aware that its armed forces were extremely well disciplined (except when they weren't). The key distinction between the Holocaust in the East and the Holocaust in the West (as perpetrated by Hitler's Germany) lies, I think, in the highly systematic German approach to things (including the massive and characteristically thorough documentation of what they were doing) and the consistent Japanese approach which was rooted in denial at every level and seems far more systemic than systematic. In some ways that is even more horrifying than it first sounds. For while it is the rare chronicler of German war crimes and the Holocaust who fails to point out the contrast it represents with many strands of popular culture; in the case of Imperial Japan, the author is quick to point out the deep cultural roots of the Japanese approach to war and its victims, roots which served to inoculate Japanese soldiers from conventional morality and concerns for their victims. Remember, in a characteristically pragmatic way, MacArthur and the American elites agreed to ignore Hirohito's role (a very real one) in beginning the war and determining the way in which Japans forces comported themselves amongst captive populations in the interests of "getting on with things and putting this unpleasantness behind us in all of our interests." The book points the way to further investigation while barely scratching the surface of what the author, correctly I believe, has identified as a human tragedy with long term consequences an order of magnitude greater than those in the better known and documented fate of those people the Nazis chose to persecute in Europe. Much remains to be done here.
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Donna Paucek
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May 6, 2024
As we reflect on the profound impact of the Holocaust, it's essential to recognize its historical significance and the importance of preserving its memory with reverence and respect. This sentiment lies at the heart of any discussion surrounding the Holocaust, as highlighted in the review of recent literature on the subject.
One crucial aspect that emerges from these readings is the steadfast commitment to ensuring that the term "Holocaust" remains exclusively associated with the genocide perpetrated by Nazi Germany during World War II. Any attempt to use this term to describe unrelated events or phenomena risks trivializing the immense suffering and loss endured by millions of victims.
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East West Notes
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April 19, 2024
Japan’s Holocaust by military historian Bryan Mark Rigg is a meticulous examination of Japan’s wartime atrocities across Asia and the Pacific. Rigg argues that infamous events like the Rape of Nanking epitomized the brutal expansionist agenda of Japan’s empire. In this comprehensive review, he exposes the symbiotic relationship between the monarchy, government, military, and religion, particularly the complicity of Shintoists and Zen Buddhists, in fostering fanaticism.
This history is a relentless chronicle of horror, documenting the widespread reports of rape, torture and executions that followed Japanese military victories. What distinguishes this work is its emphasis on lesser-known histories beyond the more widely publicised events in Hong Kong and Singapore. As Rigg aptly notes, “The scale of Japan’s campaigns extended far beyond these well-known names already explored, and hundreds of places experienced the brutal wrath of its military forces.”
The provocative title, employing the term ‘holocaust,’ is defended within the opening pages, signalling the gravity of the subject matter. Throughout the text, he supports this choice by sharing numerous quotes that show how Japan’s political and military systems espoused notions of racial superiority, leading to systematic attempts to eradicate local cultures and languages in the wake of each conquest. Japan’s Holocaust serves as an indispensable record of the atrocities perpetrated by Japan across the region. Its unsettling revelations challenge conventional narratives and compel readers to confront the full extent of wartime cruelty.
These stories unfold through a rich literature review, delving into various facets of the Japanese empire and spotlighting key figures of the era. While primarily a history book, Rigg deftly interweaves moral considerations, issuing impassioned calls to action against abuses of power, war crimes, and genocide. Evident throughout is the author’s background, particularly in his meticulous attention to detail regarding the U.S. Marines and his fervent appeals to fellow Americans regarding ethical conduct. His analysis of orders, duty, and training methods offers invaluable insights, particularly in dissecting the actions – often hypocritical – of Japanese leadership towards the war’s conclusion. Of particular note is Rigg’s discussion on the alternative courses of action which were available to Japanese leaders, particularly in the war’s twilight. Here, he confidently reviews contradictory leadership decisions, and shows how they precipitated further suffering and civilian deaths, including the tragic episodes of mass suicides.
Amidst the overarching narrative of Japan’s egregious transgressions, readers may find themselves somewhat unexpectedly immersed in discussions ranging from the founding fathers to the nuances of freedom of speech. Although I enjoyed his insights into how militaries operate, I felt the text lost focus towards the end where Rigg announces “another mission” to challenge readers to think about their beliefs and actions. This expands into a discussion of ISIS, the Taliban, Gaza under Hamas, and the occupied regions of Ukraine under Russian forces. This felt like a new thesis being added in at the tail end of the book, and I would have preferred a deeper critical analysis of why Japan’s actions should be considered a “holocaust.”
The strongest chapters stayed within the realm of military history, rather than when Rigg ventured out towards psychology and criminology. For example, he examined the societal context, contending that factors such as childhood neglect, punishment, deprivation, and the prevalence of absentee fathers likely contributed to the propensity for Japanese men to engage in acts of rape. In his analysis, he references Understanding Sexuality by Hass & Hass (1993) to share the developmental backgrounds of rapists. However, While reading this section, the actual meaning of “absentee fathers” was unclear to me as Rigg did not specify whether ‘absentee fathers’ meant that the fathers of wartime fighting males were required to be elsewhere during their childhood, or if there were high rates of single motherhood. Those with an interest in perpetrator studies will appreciate this attempt to look beyond the usual explanations of indoctrination, poor command structures and ethnic enmity for why Japan was so cruel to its neighbours, yet a broader array of pertinent sources would have been preferable to provide a more comprehensive understanding. In examining these sections, one significant drawback becomes apparent: the arguments hinge on a rather sparse selection of sources, all within a narrow scope. Additionally, certain psychological references, though valuable, do not directly address Japan and hail from potentially out-dated publications.
While Rigg demonstrates sensitivity and nuance in his treatment of certain subjects, particularly the plight of rape victims, his analysis into the role Japanese women played in wartime atrocities spark unease and scepticism. Women can absolutely be fanatics and perpetrators, but I found some of his explanation for how women were related to the war crimes to be tenuous, or at least, poorly explored. For example, when describing the relationships between Japanese military men and their women he wrote:
“Yes, they had Japanese mistresses, visited prostitutes, and raped countless “Comfort Women” and Asian civilians throughout their garrison and combat operations. But apparently, their wives back in Japan enjoyed committing adultery just as much as them since a governmental Police Bureau report documented “widespread adultery by wives of soldiers away at the front.” Monogamy and loyalty within marriage was not something Japanese men or women seemed to honor although they then, as now, give it much lip service…However, at least their wives were not raping and slaughtering the people they were having affairs with (these adulterers were Japanese citizens after all), so in the scale of morality, their cheating wives were living more morally upright lives.”
His juxtaposition of the reported adultery with the brutalities committed in the empire’s occupied territories raises eyebrows. The reader struggles to follow along with this line of reasoning, as elsewhere in the text he describes how little power Japanese women had in society, and cites one case where a fifteen-year-old girl was “pimped out” to a nobleman so that her brother could rise professionally. He further blames the actions of the Japanese military on their women by asking “How in the world did the grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and mothers of these men interact with them during their formative years to create a collective group who willingly, and frequently, enjoyed violating women wherever they were stationed.” Like the author, I too wondered about the “relationships these soldiers had with their own daughters, sisters, aunts, or mothers.” We might wonder how these women endured having a husband return with venereal diseases and a predilection for violence, while also being held in a legally and financially inferior position.
Moreover, Rigg’s portrayal of Japanese civilians as complicit in wartime atrocities overlooks crucial nuances, failing to account for dissenting voices and opposition movements within Japanese society. The absence of discussion on the persecution of civilians by the Kempeitai is unfortunate, leaving readers questioning the completeness of his analysis. He frequently disparages the Japanese people by comparing them to good Germans who resisted, without mentioning the Japanese Communist Party members who were already imprisoned for their opposition to the Sino-Japanese war or the targeting of other groups, such as dissident students . This may leave the reader under the impression that all of Japan was aware of, and fully supportive of, the military’s atrocities abroad. Conversely, he acknowledges that “People who claimed Hirohito was evil/not a god in 1940 Japan got their heads cut off.” Rigg’s ambitious attempt to delve into the psyche of Japanese society during World War II ultimately leaves readers with more questions than answers.
In conclusion, Japan’s Holocaust stands as a strong literature review that offers a comprehensive examination of Japan’s military campaigns during World War II. Despite its thoroughness, the book occasionally falters, particularly in its weaker sections that rely heavily on previously published English-language literature, leaving readers yearning for more transparency regarding the methodology and sources. Furthermore, the author’s personal background looms large in the closing chapters, at times overshadowing the historical narrative with exhortations to his fellow Americans and reflections on the direction of the nation. While the book admirably covers a wide array of topics, from military tactics to sociological dynamics, it occasionally veers off course, attempting to be all-encompassing to its own detriment. Nonetheless, Japan’s Holocaust serves as an invaluable resource for those seeking a wide-ranging overview of Japan’s wartime operations.
This book was provided by Post Hill Press for review.
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Loretta McCoy
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May 5, 2024
Bryan offers a controversial perspective on Japan's wartime actions, further complicated by the author's alleged ties to China. Rigg's narrative, characterized by sensationalism and bias, raises doubts about the objectivity of the research presented. Readers should recognize the potential influence of external agendas on the author's portrayal of historical events. Seeking out alternative perspectives is advised for a more comprehensive understanding of Japan's role in World War II.
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Jazmyn Smith
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May 5, 2024
This is marred by inadequate research, casting doubt on its reliability. The book's reliance on questionable sources and omission of established historical scholarship creates a skewed portrayal of Japan. Readers should approach this text with caution, recognizing its shortcomings in research integrity, which may compromise their understanding of World War II history.
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Hikari
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February 2, 2024
During the period 1927-1945, the Imperial Japanese Army murdered 30 million civilians and prisoners of war. That's 5 times more than the number of Jews murdered by Hitler. Yet few in the west know about these atrocities. That's what this work sets about correcting. Whilst there are excellent works which chronicle some of these atrocities individually, what this book does is compile summaries of them all together into one volume. The benefit of this is that these atrocities are seen to be the modus operandi of the Imperial Japanese Army rather than being able to be dismissed as one-off aberrations. There are over 1500 footnotes and a 100 pages of references.
The book is ordered by geography so that we trace the steps of the Imperial Japanese Army as it rapes, murders and destroys its way through Korea, Manchuria, China then onto Hong Kong and beyond. As the materials is ordered in this way, the same villains keep cropping up as being "in charge" of the soldiers. This does however mean that there's some repetition of details about these commanders which could have been edited out
There are a few photos in the work. These are not for the faint hearted as they show women who have been raped then murdered then mutilated. There's also a pit of murdered babies. The evil narrated here is such that language breaks down. There are no words.
Throughout the book, Germany and Japan are compared both in terms of their atrocities committed during WW2 and their reactions afterwards. Apparently, during the 1930s, even the Nazis were sickened by the Japanese behaviour in China. Whilst the Nazis perpetrated their evil for a "reason" (exterminating Jews) and kept detailed records of their "progress", the Imperial Japanese Army kept few records, slaughtering, raping, mutilating and laughing as they went simply because they could. Since WW2, the Germans have made serious efforts to face up to Nazism; the Japanese have not. Consider that there are Nazi hunters still tracking down those involved and bring them to justice; nothing like this has happened in Japan. There are museums and memorials in Germany to mark what they did; the Japanese have no museums to document and instead erect statues of their war criminals. One politician even tried to claim that the Rape of Nanjing was a fiction - imagine the outcry if a German politician said that Auschwitz was a fiction?!
In an attempt to understand how this evil could come about, the book looks at the ideologies floating around in Japan and notes their racism and fanaticism. The roots of Japanese racism can be traced back even farther than this work goes: during the Tokugawa era (c.1600-c.1860), Japan had castes and so the Japanese were "racist" towards those of a lower caste status. The racist behaviour the Imperial Japanese Army displayed was simply this idea writ large towards anyone who wasn't ethnically Japanese.
As this work is a polemic, sometimes the case is overstated, particularly in the concluding chapters about dictatorships and America's role as the world's policeman - the US "adventures" in Iraq are not mentioned, nor are their "adventures" in Afghanistan. Much as I applaud the sentiment that we should liberate all those under oppressive, murderous regimes, this isn't always going to be feasible. There's also scepticism towards Chiune Sugihara, the only Japanese to be recognised as one of the "righteous" by the Israel, for his work in rescuing Jews from Hitler. Surely the book's argument would be strengthened by lauding one of the few Japanese to show a shred of compassion in comparison to the murderous thugs of the Imperial Japanese Army?
A sobering read both in terms of the evil perpetrated and the lack of remorse/repentance shown by Japan to date. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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Kristi
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May 28, 2024
In the fall of 1967 as a sophomore at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota I was privileged to participate in the Term in Thailand with 25 other students. We studied at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok - Buddhism, Southeast Asian history, art, literature, and political science. On the way to Bangkok we visited Japan and Hong Kong. Coming home included stops in Penang, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Guam. We were the only undergraduate study group in Southeast Asia - the closest program was in Japan. I have been an avid reader of World War II history and literature for more than 60 years. My father and most of my uncles served in the war in many roles - as a tank driver in Patton's army, a tail gunner who was killed over Germany, and a medic in the Pacific Theater. My reading, however, has largely been within the European Theater of operations. About 2 years ago I had a "DUH" moment. Why was I not reading about the Pacific War when I had visited so many important sites in that history?? I am trying to make up for my lack of knowledge. The following are the most significant books that I have read in that effort: "The Imperial Japanese Army: The Invincible Years 1941-42" Bill Yenn "Building the Death Railway: The Ordeal of American Pows in Burma, 1942-1945" Robert S. LaForte "Judgment at Tokyo: World War II on Trial and the Making of Modern Asia" Gary J. Bass "82 Days on Okinawa: One American's Unforgettable Firsthand Account of the Pacific War's Greatest Battle" Art Shaw "140 Days to Hiroshima: The Story of Japan's Last Chance to Avert Armageddon" David Dean Barrett "Twilight of the Gods: War in the Western Pacific, 1944-1945" Ian W. Toll "The Fleet at Flood Tide: America at Total War in the Pacific, 1944-1945" James D. Hornfischer "Thailand and Japan's Southern Advance, 1940-1945" E. Bruce Reynolds "Neptune's Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal" James D. Hornfischer "The Rising Sun: The Decline & Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-45" John Toland "Lightning Strike: The Secret Mission to Kill Admiral Yamamoto and Avenge Pearl Harbor" by Donald A. Davis. I have had the privilege to stand on Omaha Beach, walk through the Normandy American Cemetery, and peer out through the slot at the front of a German heavy gun emplacement ( the weapon has been removed ) on Pont du Hoc. I have visited two locations of horror and death at the hands of the Japanese. The first is the bridge over the river Kwai at Kanchanaburi, Thailand. With an enormous pool of captive labor at their disposal, the Japanese forced approximately 200,000 Asian conscripts and over 60,000 Allied POWs to construct the Burma Railway. Among the Allied POWs were some 30,000 British, 13,000 Australians, 18,000 Dutch, and 700 Americans. Of the US personnel forced to work on the railway, 133 died. (Their remains were expatriated. ) This included personnel from USS Houston and the 131st Field Artillery Regiment of the Texas Army National Guard. The Americans were called the Lost Battalion as their fate was unknown to the United States for years after their capture. Near the bridge is the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, the main prisoner of war (POW) cemetery for victims of Japanese imprisonment while building the Burma Railway. . The cemetery contains 6,982 graves of British, Australian and Dutch prisoners of war, of whom 6,858 have been identified. I have walked through that cemetery and always remember the peace and beauty of the bougainvillea, and the graves and graves and graves. After contemplating the devastating loss of life in WWII, we were standing on the railroad bridge over the River Kwai when 3 American jets made a low pass - coming from or heading to Vietnam. Remember this was the fall of 1967. The Tet Offensive would be in the spring of 1968. I could not help but think of the new waste of lives and the fact that we never learn. I still recommend the 1957 movie, "The Bridge on the River Kwai", starring William Holden and Alec Guinness . Although it is not completely factual, it does capture the hardship of the slave labor to build the railway. Ironically upon awakening on our first day in Tokyo my roommate and I heard the "Colonel Bogey March" which was the theme song from the movie. We looked down upon a lower roof and saw Japanese workers doing morning exercises to the music. We wondered if they had any idea that the music was associated with Japanese atrocities for us.. I have walked through Fort Santiago, the last building in old Manila liberated by the Americans during the recapture of the Philippines. It had been used as a prison/ torture chamber / death house and was found with literally hundreds if not thousands of dead bodies inside. The main entrance when I was there was broken and enlarged to permit American tanks to enter the fort. One of the most difficult books that I have read so far in my Pacific Theater education is "Rampage: MacArthur, Yamashita, and the Battle of Manila" by James M. Scott. Yamashita, the "Tiger of Malaya" had ordered his army to retreat into the jungle highlands because he believed he could not defeat the Americans in Manila. Rear Admiral Iwabuchi Sanji defied Yamashita’s orders to withdraw from the city and utilized his 18,000 men to massacre thousands of Filipino civilians. This book is very painful as it has many first-person accounts of the murders and rapes. I have also had the privilege or having known a survivor of the Bataan Death March as a friend. He did not wish to speak in great detail, but the one thing that I have never forgotten was the role of other soldiers to protect their comrades. He explained that they always tried to walk in three's with the weakest man in the middle supported by two stonger men on each side.. I fell in love with Kyoto and Nara. The beautiful gardens and shrines... The city largely escaped the fire-bombing toward the end of the war. In my reading I was grateful to learn that though Kyoto had been at the top of the list for the atomic bomb, Secretary of War Stimson removed it because he had also fallen in love with this the city. One evening as a couple of friends and I were walking, we were stopped by 3 Japanese university students who offered us drinks in return for an opportunity to practice their English. 57 years later I remember one of the young men asking why the U.S. did not drop atomic bombs on North Vietnam. I could not believe that a citizen of the only country to experience such devastation would think it a good idea to use such a weapon... Finally I believe that anyone who seriously studies the Pacific War has an obligation to form an opinion about whether the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the best option to end the war. There are several factors that have led me to believe that this was the right decision. We were fire-bombing cities all over Japan - led by Curtis LeMay. Thousands of civilians were dying. Our knowledge of the effects of the atomic bombs was so limited that one proposal for the invasion of Japan involved dropping a bomb on an area and invading 24 hours later. We had no idea that we would be killing the American soldiers involved. Some theorists state that the fact that Russia had invaded Manchukuo meant that the Japanese would have surrendered soon. The Japanese were not that concerned about Russia. They also were not surprised. One has to remember that the Soviet Union had never conducted an amphibious landing during WWII, if ever. They had not trained troops for such an endeavor nor did they have any ships or transports for invasion. In Europe and especially the Pacific, the Americans had conducted dozens of water invasions and would have had to supply all the training and the equipment. Finally, even after the first bomb and even after Nagasaki there were still strong forces who did not want to surrender. A particularly militant faction attempted to seize the emperor and keep the war going. Finally the death toll among the armed citizenry and both militaries would have been HUGE. I wish the atomic bombs had not been necessary, but I believe they were more humane than fire bombing, blockading and starving the country and the massive Allied and Japanese loss of life in an invasion. I am now about to begin what I believe will be a difficult book to read.... "Those who make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." Voltaire (My opinion of this book changed as time went on.....) First of all I may have had a far too benign opinion of Hirohito. He appeared physically weak and was often portrayed as this bumbling "god" who went along with his military and cabinet leaders. Mr. Rigg pstates he was as the sadistic "Hitler" of Japan . Having studied Buddhism with a Buddhist monk at Chulalongkorn University, I have had difficulty reconciling Zen Buddhism and Shinto with Bushido. I did not realize that the programming of the young into xenophobic killers had been happening long before Japan's invasions of Asia in the name of the "Asian Prosperity Sphere". The Japanese believed as did Hitler and his Nazis that their races - Aryan and Yamato - was superior to all others. The Japanese believed that the emperor and the race were direct descendants of the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu - their soldiers were called Soldiers of the Sun. Hence the flag of the rising sun. ( Another DUH! moment for me.) "During the late 19th century and the 20th century, Japan was the only modern nation still ruled by a god who espoused totalitarian convictions supported by a state requiring all to worship him." The Shinto religion was used to enforce unquestioning obedience..... I have finished reading and have to stop and register concerns about the book. There are far too many egregious errors. The author harps on the issue of the Geneva Convention for the conduct of war. Yes, Japan violated the tenets of the pact, but though they signed the 1929 Convention it was never ratified by the government. Not an excuse, but not the truth that the Japanese government had agreed to follow its rules. I am happy to see mention of John Rabe ( pages 86-88 ). He was unknown to me until I saw the 2009 film of the same name. He worked with Americans and others during the rape of Nanjing / Nanking to save over 200,000 Chinese in a "safety zone". (I recommend the film. ) Page 93-96. In the author's ubiquitous italics, we find this statement about atrocities: "This study has not uncovered." A SINGLE LINE' OR FIELD-GRADE OFFICER PROTESTING THESE ACTS ( I have never run across a serious book of non-fiction where the author believed he had to use italics 100's of times to make a point. When you treat the reader like the village idiot, I find the author to be the real idiot. ) Then 4 pages later the author states that during the invasion of Penang: "Yamashita did have a few Japanese soldiers "tried and executed". ( Why the quotation marks?? The action seems straightforward to me. ) This seems to me to be a more than mild PROTEST against acts of murder and rape from the highest-ranking IJA officer in the field . Page 140 concerning the capture of Hong Kong: "Indeed, Kuribayashi's subordinate... Major General Sano duly conveyed the order to his regiments " to treat any British and other Allied they might take in Hong Kong with humanity and justice". Page 143. Citation 606" Harries and Harries, 238. There is no source with these authors. There is, however, the book "Soldiers of the Sun: the Rise and Fall of the Imperial Japanese Army written by Meirion HARRIS AND Susie HARRIS..... DID THIS MAN READ HIS OWN BOOK????? My Rigg speaks of "Prime Minister Shinzo Abe" in the present tense as a denier of Japanese atrocities. " page 195. "He appears to be a new nationalist who wants to produce an "evangelical edition of history with the inconvenient facts omitted." (Talk about the kettle calling the pot black!!!! ) Abe was Prime Minister twice, the last time from 2012 - 2020. He was assassinated in Nara on July 8, 2022. This book was published in 2024. Then to use another cliche' when Mr. Rigg addresses the WWII record of Tadamichi Kuribayashi he proceeds to beat and beat a dead horse. Because Kuribayashi used a more stealthy and successful strategy on Iwo Jima and did not sacrifice his troops in mass suicidal charges, the author has to prove that he was just as depraved as those Japanese leaders who did so. It anything seems to contradict the "Rigg religion" the facts have to be reinterpreted to keep the faith. Kuribayashi proved to be a worthy opponent and not a crazed lunatic - the author has to turn him into a sex addict to show that no Japanese military leader really contradicts his theory of Japanese depravity. Page 222. " One historian estimates that out of the 1, 140,000 Japanese army dead, 200,000 died in inefficient charges." **That is less than 20%.** Page 223. " On average the Japanese had a fatality rate of 98% in combat zones, which has never been surpassed in modern warfare." Approximately 5,473,000 men served in the IJA from 1931 - 1945 - that is a death rate of 21%. (Note citation for 98% death rate 1069: Frank, 29, 17-8, 45, 119-29, 172-3; Interview Drea, 17 September, 2017.) This does not follow any rules of reference of which I am aware.... AAAAHHH there is an interview with an Edward J. Drea in 2017. Who or what the hell is Frank???? 20% death toll on one page and 98% on the next page???? I know, silly me... foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.. Emerson.. Interesting..... There is also an interview with Mary Dalbey-Rigg, the author's aunt. I thought perhaps she had a direct connection to WWII, but no she graduated from Rutgers in 1941, married, and later taught nursing at Yale. When I am writing a thesis and documenting sources, I always make it a policy to include my relatives to increase my research numbers.... NOT!!! Page 187. After the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, the planes attempted to land in China and many were rescued. " Hirohito himself signed the order to destroy and occupy this region" of China. Source: Flyboys, a True Story of Courage, James Bradley. This is a book about the heroism of pilots, how were they privy to Hirohito's secret orders??? Page 190-91 Mr. Rigg totals the death toll by Japanese soldiers as 29,897,751. I can find no sources, such as the National WWII Museum that reflect these numbers..... This book would be half as long if Mr. Rigg did not repeat himself again and again. Rather than proceeding in a chronological order the author returns to subjects already addressed multiple times. "Comfort women" Estimates of the number of women involved typically range up to 200,000, but the actual number may have been even higher. The great majority of them were from Korea (then a Japanese protectorate), though women from China, Taiwan, and other parts of Asia—including Dutch nationals in Indonesia—were also involved. DECEMBER 28, 2015. Japan has apologized to South Korea and will pay about $8.3 million as compensation for its use of Korean “comfort women” who were forced to work in Japanese brothels during World War II. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe telephoned Park Geun-hye, the South Korean president, to repeat the apology. The Wednesday Demonstration was a weekly protest held with the presence of surviving comfort women on every Wednesday at noon in front of the Embassy of Japan in Seoul. The weekly protest was led by The Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan, commonly referred to as the Korean Council. The first demonstration was held on January 8, 1992, for the visit of then Prime Minister of Japan Kiichi Miyazawa, and the 1,000th on December 14, 2011. In 2007, the Prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, mentioned how there was no "forceful" action of the Japanese government in gathering the women. In December 2015, there was a deal signed by the government of President Park Geun-hye, incumbent Moon Jae-in's predecessor, and Prime minister Shinzo Abe regarding the comfort women issue, but the protests still went on as the deal was regarded as a lacking validity without the consent of the victims. The deal was officially cancelled by the government of President Moon Jae-in in November 2018. In 2023 only 9 Korean comfort women were still alive. This is one of the best examples of Japan's failure to confront or atone for its atrocities. Unit 731: Imperial Japan’s Biological and Chemical Warfare. I was unfamiliar with this action which is akin to the medical experiments of the Nazis. Page 167 "actually established by secret order of the Emperor ( complete with author's italics )." Source: MATERIALS ON THE TRIAL OF FORMER SERVICEMEN OF THE JAPANESE ARMY CHARGED WITH MANUFACTURING AND EMPLOYING BACTERIOLOGICAL WEAPONS. Who testified to the Emperor's secret order??? There are numerous word errors in the book: Page 172 "thousands of Allied POW's were subjected to inhumane studies and medical TRAILS." I hate those medical trails.... I have to stop!!!! Because of my reading about the Pacific Theater, I would be the last person to say that the Japanese military did not commit atrocities. I have, however, lost all trust in the author. I believe that HISTORY SHOULD NEVER BE WRTITTEN WITH AN AGENDA. IT CEASES TO BE HISTORY AND BECOMES A MISGUIDED RELIGION WHICH LOSES PERSPECTIVE AND BELIEVES ITSELF TO BE THE UNCHALLENGEABLE TRUTH. Having taught at the college level for more than 30 years, Mr. Rigg's writing style, not to mention grammatical and factual errors, reminds me of college level work ( this may be an insult to my students ) where everything but the kitchen sink is thrown at a thesis to impress the professor. This book is only 300 pages long and has 1564 "notes" many of questionable validity added to pad the appearance of "systematic research". . The truth when it can be found in this book is an important message that should be told, but not by Mr. Rigg. His errors, contradictions, and lies destroy all credibility. Finally as to the author's use of the word Holocaust: The word Holocaust is derived from the Greek holokauston, a translation of the Hebrew word ʿolah, meaning a burnt sacrifice offered whole to God. This word was chosen, and gained wide usage, because, in the ultimate symbol of the Nazi killing program—the extermination camps—the bodies of the victims were consumed whole in crematoria or open fires. The death camps have become a lasting symbol of the Nazi genocide. I believe Mr. Rigg used Holocaust for sales and the attraction of attention. I believe that HOLOCAUST should be reserved for the Nazi slaughter of the Jews. Kristi & Abby Tabby
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Gerda Lindgren
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May 5, 2024
This book presents a one-sided view of Japan's actions in World War II, lacking depth and impartiality. The narrative overlooks key aspects of the conflict, resulting in an incomplete and misleading portrayal of historical events. Readers should approach this book with scepticism, as its biased perspective may hinder their understanding of Japan's wartime actions.
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Koby Harber
3 reviews
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May 6, 2024
As someone married to a historian, I need help to view this work as meeting academic standards.
This book sets ambitious goals and poses significant questions. However, it also displays notable shortcomings, including a lack of rigorous source criticism, reliance on questionable materials, and arbitrary interpretation.
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Natali
505 reviews356 followers
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May 13, 2024
This book is the stuff of nightmares but what makes it even worse is that the nightmares are exploited by this author to sell us war and an American military industrial complex. The author tries to argue that the U.S. did the right thing in dropping two atomic bombs on Japanese civilians because the Japanese were so heinous, that U.S. isolationism costs lives, that the U.S. pretty much single handedly ended World War II, that Germany is a model democracy that Japan should aspire to - I literally laughed out loud at that sentence - and that the Japanese should be sanctioned and uninvited from world events like the Olympics because they refuse to atone for their warring past. Nope! Nope to all of that. No to collective punishment, no to the U.S. military as the world's saviors and model of democracy, no to praising bombs for peace. No to hating the Japanese for their ancestors. No.
But I did learn a lot. I had no idea of the scale of demonic brutality of the Japanese army during World War II. This author says that whereas Nazi atrocities were mostly isolated to death camps (which isn't exactly true), the Japanese killed, raped, tortured and medically experimented in plain sight. I do not like victimhood contests where we argue which group had it worse because it's unproductive but boy did the Chinese have it BAD at the hands of the Japanese. So did the Koreans, the Philippines, the people of Iwo Jima... The tales of rape, torture and brutality in this book were too horrific to repeat. And there are pictures too. Bloody, demented, demonic actual pictures. You've been warned.
A Chinese colleague tells me that most Chinese people know about Unit 731 but I didn't. These were medical experimentation labs that killed thousands in the most horrific ways. The stories are too demented to recount. Truly the heart of darkness. If most Chinese know this, why don't Westerners? Why do we know so well the European suffering from the Nazis and not the Asian suffering from the Japanese?
This author is still pretty pissed at the Japanese and it borders on racism. He quotes American soldiers saying their language is ugly, he calls them Nips, he says that the women the soldiers left behind were "apparently" adulterous too. He says that their very culture does not value life and he West-splains other cultures in unhelpful ways too. He practices some psychoanalysis in a book where it should not be. This book would be so much stronger had he stuck to the history.
This author thinks the Japanese are a people worth "being leery of" because of their refusal to atone for their many atrocities. The Japanese silence on this is an important question but I don't favor bullying the Japanese to get some faux satisfaction. The author favors punishing them until they've coughed up some reparations or admitted that the victims of the atomic bomb weren't actually victims or emulate post-war Germany. I can't agree with him on this argument. It is akin to answering cruelty with cruelty to people whose ancestors did bad things. We should be beyond that. Most races and nationalities have had murderous pasts and no one wants any of this to happen again. Germany is no shining example of how to make things right. Again, LOL. My take is that we honor the warring past by committing to a peaceful future. How about we start there? Unequivocal peace. Peace extremism.
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Yoyocurt
2 reviews
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August 4, 2024
it's a very good book. although they were grammatical errors, it shouldn't be the main focus of criticism. i'm surprised by the amount of ppl who rated this book a one star simply because they think it's biased and provides a one-sided view, when it's literally meant to provide facts about the war crimes committed by imperial japanese troops in their occupied territories. so obviously it's going to lean more into the victim's perspective. rigg isn't obliged to provide u with 'scholarly-enough' language since books like these are written for u to understand better from simple language. e.g. ur textbooks (exclude language studies) don't use bombastic words because it's supposed to guide u through the topic, not to enhance ur vocabulary whatsoever. majority of the people who deny the war crimes ever occurred are white. nothing wrong with being white, but it's so infuriating to watch them defend an imperialist power that committed war crimes and to even dare 'debunk' the evidence when pictures taken by the aggressor themselves are free on the web for public view. how hurt the victims of imperial japan's war crimes are, and how deeply saddened they become of japan's pathetic excuse of compensation. germany paid USD 2.8 billion toward holocaust survivors, whereas japan only paid USD 154K towards 'comfort women'. how unfair is that? the japanese government only surrended after being bombed TWICE, only after TWO times, not at the first time it happened. somebody restrict whites in 'speaking' about war crimes perpetrated by japan (they're not, they're only talking about evidence evidence evidence when there are many for free on the internet). the trials of nuremberg where nazi officers were trialed and charged with the war crimes they committed. imperial japanese officers continue to walk over their victims under the protection granted to them by the US government. only subjected to being shot by a firing squad, no proper apology, a small amount of compensation, no acknowledgement in their textbooks like in germany's regarding the european holocaust. the japanese government only decided to apologise due to PUBLIC PRESSURE, not because they felt obliged to do so.
the word 'holocaust' can also be used to refer to mass killings of people, and is not just limited to the european jewish genocide committed by hitler, smh. when u google "asia's holocaust", u will see that the japanese war crimes can also be referred to as that. riggs nvr disapproved of the events of the european genocide against european jews.
wonderful read. highly recommend.
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John Purvis
1,275 reviews22 followers
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March 30, 2024
Bryan Mark Rigg (https://bryanmarkrigg.com) has authored more than half a dozen books. Japan’s Holocaust: History of Imperial Japan’s Mass Murder and Rape During World War II was published earlier this month. It is the 24th book I completed reading in 2024.
I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! Due to scenes of violence and mature situations, I categorize this book as R.
The book attempts to document the most significant instances of atrocities perpetrated by Japan’s military forces during WWII. It begins with events in 1927 and continues to the end of the war. In every location occupied by the forces of Imperial Japan, the local population was subjected to rape, murder, and economic exploitation.
The book begins with a look at the rise in power of the Japanese military. The ideals of the Japanese were close to those of the Nazis in Germany, eventually resulting in the pact between the two countries. The enlisted soldiers of the Japanese military were treated harshly. That, and their view of themselves as the master race, justified their treatment of subjugated people.
The author focuses on the military’s actions in Nanking, Singapore, the Philippines, Guam, Siam, and Hong Kong. He also examines the many women who were compelled to serve as ‘comfort women’, the biological & chemical experimentation units, and Japan’s involvement in the drug trade.
I enjoyed the 14.5 hours I spent reading this 627-page WWII-era history. This was an informative book. There was little in it I had not heard about before, but the book went into much more detail. It also presented atrocity information in one place. The book was a little dry and challenging to read. It is very academic, with 1563 footnotes. The author repeatedly points out the reluctance of the Japanese government to acknowledge the atrocities committed. I like the chosen cover art. I give this book a rating of 3.8 (rounded to 4) out of 5.
You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).
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Ben
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April 15, 2024
I received a free digital copy of “ Japan’s Holocaust” through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
“ Japan’s Holocaust” is not an easy book to read, though it should be read by anyone who needs yet another example of the depths to which mankind can descend in the grasp for power. I understand that some Jewish scholars have stated that the term “ Holocaust” should be reserved to the mass killing of Jews by the Nazis in World War Two, but even those horrors are not as bad as those which the Japanese carried out on the subjugated, captive populations under their control. Everywhere they conquered, the Japanese committed wholesale rape,slaughter, torture and ethnic cleaning.
Author Mark Rigg has copiously researched this book. Footnotes citing evidence from survivor testimony, trial transcripts, phots and even film testify. That is enough to condemn the militarist Japanese. Not even the emperor, especially not the emperor is untainted, Hirohito, often presented as a mild scholar a puppet controlled by the warlord I shown to have approved and cheered on the horrible “ medical” experimentation that killed untold thousands of subject peoples and POWs . The fact cry out: a nation that appeared headed by a porcelain royalty was a fanatical, bestial , ravenous death cult. So much so that even the Nazi’s were appalled.
An important conclusion drawn by the author is that the religion of an compliant Emperor, of the code os the Samuri, of Bushido pride in never having lost a war and fighting to the last drop of blood, came to force the conclusion that invasion of the Home islands would mean several more years of all out war against an enemy that would use poison chemical and biological weapons and every other weapon of war rather than surrender..
As noted: the descriptions of atrocities, accurate as they are will stay in your mind as nightmares.
Note that at first I that the author was overdoing the use of footnotes and quotes, but I came to see the necessity of through documentation to tell a story that no critic could obfuscate.
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Jen Juenke
890 reviews35 followers
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December 30, 2023
This was an ambitious work. The author boldly states that this will be the definitive work of Japan's atrocities during the time period of 1925 to 1945.
Lets be clear, this was NOT as in depth as The Holocaust (about the Jewish Holocaust) by Martin Gilbert.
This was more of a synopsis of battles, atrocities, murder, massacre, and evil that the Japanese visited upon people that they invaded, captured, or just found in the sea.
Overall its a great overview and the author points out other books, research that a person could get a more indepth look at specific examples.
One of the problems that I had with the book, is the chapter on the Japanese soldiers committing suicide. I wondered why the author was including this in the "holocaust". The author compared Nazi Germany's holocaust to that of Japans holocaust, yet no researcher that I know of, would include the suicides of Nazi's in the Jewish holocaust.
I know that the author would argue that the state of Japan, was cult like, blind obedience, would FORCE the soldiers to suicide.
Would it? Should we include these deaths in the 'holocaust'?
I say no. The soldiers committed suicide. They chose death over living.
Even today, the author argues that Japan worships their war dead, even the suicides....so the Japanese would not include them in a 'holocaust'.
It was a weird chapter in the book and made me question why it was included.
Overall, I think that this book provides a synopsis of some very horrible/evil things that the Japanese did during that 20 years.
For more indepth look of Japan's cruelty, see the books Rape of Nanking, Unit 731, and what the author mentions in this book.
THank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange of this honest review.
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Richard Miller
5 reviews
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April 9, 2024
"Japan's Holocaust" is an atrocious and deeply flawed attempt at historical analysis that fails on multiple fronts. The author, whose name I hesitate to mention, demonstrates a shocking lack of scholarly integrity and expertise throughout the book. Instead of providing a nuanced and well-researched examination of Japan during World War II, the author resorts to sensationalism, exaggeration, and inflammatory language to grab attention.
From the very beginning, it is evident that the author's biases and agenda heavily influence the narrative. Rather than presenting a balanced portrayal of historical events, the author cherry-picks evidence and manipulates facts to fit their preconceived notions. This results in a distorted and one-sided account that does a disservice to the complexity of the subject matter.
Moreover, the author's writing style is amateurish and disjointed, making it difficult to follow the narrative coherently. The book is riddled with grammatical errors, factual inaccuracies, and unsubstantiated claims, further undermining its credibility. It is clear that the author lacks the necessary expertise and rigor to tackle such a sensitive and important topic with the seriousness and respect it deserves.
In conclusion, "Japan's Holocaust" is a reprehensible piece of pseudo-historical propaganda that should be approached with extreme caution. Readers would be better served by seeking out more reputable and scholarly works on the subject, rather than wasting their time and money on this disgraceful attempt at historical revisionism.
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Arthur Jones
11 reviews
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April 11, 2024
"Japan's Holocaust: History of Imperial Japan's Mass Murder and Rape During World War II" by Bryan Mark Rigg is a deeply flawed and biased attempt at historical analysis. Rigg's credentials and expertise in the field are questionable, which is evident in the book's lack of scholarly rigor and objectivity.
From the outset, Rigg's agenda becomes clear with the sensationalist title "Japan's Holocaust." This title is not only historically inaccurate but also disrespectful, drawing unjust comparisons to the Holocaust perpetrated by Nazi Germany. Such a title demonstrates a lack of empathy and integrity on the part of the author.
Throughout the book, Rigg relies on cherry-picked anecdotes and unsubstantiated claims, rather than engaging with primary sources and academic research. This approach undermines the credibility of the narrative and perpetuates harmful stereotypes about Japan's role in World War II.
Furthermore, Rigg's bias is evident in his agenda-driven narrative, which demonizes Japan while ignoring the complexities of the wartime context. His failure to provide meaningful context or analysis detracts from any potential value the book may have had as a historical study.
In conclusion, "Japan's Holocaust: History of Imperial Japan's Mass Murder and Rape During World War II" by Bryan Mark Rigg is a deeply flawed and irresponsible piece of historical writing. Readers seeking a genuine understanding of this period in history would be wise to look elsewhere for more reputable and reliable sources.
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Arthur Jones
11 reviews
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July 16, 2024
"Japan's Holocaust: History of Imperial Japan's Mass Murder and Rape During World War II" by Bryan Mark Rigg is a deeply flawed and biased attempt at historical analysis. Rigg's credentials and expertise in the field are questionable, which is evident in the book's lack of scholarly rigor and objectivity.
From the outset, Rigg's agenda becomes clear with the sensationalist title "Japan's Holocaust." This title is not only historically inaccurate but also disrespectful, drawing unjust comparisons to the Holocaust perpetrated by Nazi Germany. Such a title demonstrates a lack of empathy and integrity on the part of the author.
Throughout the book, Rigg relies on cherry-picked anecdotes and unsubstantiated claims, rather than engaging with primary sources and academic research. This approach undermines the credibility of the narrative and perpetuates harmful stereotypes about Japan's role in World War II.
Furthermore, Rigg's bias is evident in his agenda-driven narrative, which demonizes Japan while ignoring the complexities of the wartime context. His failure to provide meaningful context or analysis detracts from any potential value the book may have had as a historical study.
In conclusion, "Japan's Holocaust: History of Imperial Japan's Mass Murder and Rape During World War II" by Bryan Mark Rigg is a deeply flawed and irresponsible piece of historical writing. Readers seeking a genuine understanding of this period in history would be wise to look elsewhere for more reputable and reliable sources.
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William Smith
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April 16, 2024
This book presents a contentious perspective on Imperial Japan's actions during World War II, aiming to shed light on important historical events. However, the book's sensationalist title and lack of scholarly rigor significantly detract from its overall credibility. Rigg's biased narrative appears intent on vilifying Japan without providing a balanced analysis of the complex wartime context.
Throughout the text, Rigg relies heavily on anecdotal evidence and cherry-picked accounts, failing to offer a comprehensive and objective examination of the subject matter. This approach undermines the book's integrity and raises doubts about the author's commitment to scholarly standards.
While "Japan's Holocaust" may offer some insights into lesser-known aspects of the war, readers should approach it with caution. It is essential to supplement Rigg's narrative with perspectives from more reputable and balanced sources to gain a comprehensive understanding of this critical period in history. Ultimately, while the book may contribute to the discourse surrounding Imperial Japan's actions during World War II, its flaws and biases limit its potential impact and scholarly value.
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Richard Miller
5 reviews
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July 14, 2024
"Japan's Holocaust" is an atrocious and deeply flawed attempt at historical analysis that fails on multiple fronts. The author, whose name I hesitate to mention, demonstrates a shocking lack of scholarly integrity and expertise throughout the book. Instead of providing a nuanced and well-researched examination of Japan during World War II, the author resorts to sensationalism, exaggeration, and inflammatory language to grab attention.
From the very beginning, it is evident that the author's biases and agenda heavily influence the narrative. Rather than presenting a balanced portrayal of historical events, the author cherry-picks evidence and manipulates facts to fit their preconceived notions. This results in a distorted and one-sided account that does a disservice to the complexity of the subject matter.
Moreover, the author's writing style is amateurish and disjointed, making it difficult to follow the narrative coherently. The book is riddled with grammatical errors, factual inaccuracies, and unsubstantiated claims, further undermining its credibility. It is clear that the author lacks the necessary expertise and rigor to tackle such a sensitive and important topic with the seriousness and respect it deserves.
In conclusion, "Japan's Holocaust" is a reprehensible piece of pseudo-historical propaganda that should be approached with extreme caution. Readers would be better served by seeking out more reputable and scholarly works on the subject, rather than wasting their time and money on this disgraceful attempt at historical revisionism
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Russell Houston
20 reviews
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March 31, 2024
Very few are aware that the "International Military Tribunal for the Far East" did not charge perjury. The tribunal's judgment was based on evidence without requiring proof of facts, as outlined in its rules established on January 19, 1946. Article 13 of the rules states that the tribunal is not bound by technical rules of evidence and can admit any evidence it deems probative, including purported admissions or statements of the accused. Cross-examinations by Japanese defense counsel were rejected, and much of the evidence presented was hearsay. For instance, Mr. Rabe, who testified about the Japanese Army's systematic rape of 20,000, was not cross-examined. Despite the book being authored by a historian, it raises questions about its classification as a history book, especially considering the timing of its release coinciding with predictions of military action in Taiwan and Japanese waters. This has led some to view the book as potential propaganda aimed at influencing US public opinion to discourage military assistance to Taiwan and Japan during a crisis.
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David Johnson
10 reviews
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May 1, 2024
This book is a problematic exploration of Japan's wartime actions, lacking in both depth and accuracy. From the outset, the book presents a sensationalized and one-sided view of Japan's involvement in World War II, failing to provide the nuanced analysis necessary for a thorough understanding of historical events.
Rigg's narrative is riddled with unsubstantiated claims and cherry-picked evidence, undermining the credibility of his arguments. Moreover, the book neglects to address the broader geopolitical context of the war, oversimplifying complex issues and perpetuating historical inaccuracies.
As a result, it falls short of its purported goal to shed light on Japan's involvment, instead offering a distorted and misleading account. Readers seeking a more comprehensive and balanced examination of this period in history would be wise to look elsewhere.
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Tyshawn Heaney
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May 5, 2024
Japan's Holocaust" presents a troubling account of Japan's actions during World War II, further hindered by Bryan Mark Rigg's contentious background. Rigg, known for his controversial interpretations of historical events, brings his biased perspective to this work, resulting in a narrative that lacks the necessary depth and objectivity. Moreover, Rigg's previous works have faced criticism for their reliance on anecdotal evidence and selective interpretation, raising doubts about the credibility of his research methods. In "Japan's Holocaust," these shortcomings are apparent, with the book failing to provide a comprehensive understanding of Japan's wartime actions. Readers should approach this mindful of Rigg's contentious background and its potential impact on the reliability of the information presented.
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James Smith
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May 2, 2024
This book presents a contentious perspective on Japan's wartime actions, but its credibility is clouded by the author's alleged connections with Chinese nationalist organizations. Rigg's narrative, characterized by sensationalism and bias, raises questions about the objectivity of the research presented. Furthermore, the book's purported ties to Chinese nationalist groups suggest potential external influences on the author's portrayal of historical events.
The book's biased perspective, coupled with Rigg's alleged affiliations, casts doubt on the reliability of the information provided. While the book may offer insights into a turbulent period in history, readers should recognizing the potential impact of external agendas on the author's interpretation of Japan's wartime actions.
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Della Hoeger
3 reviews
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May 5, 2024
This is a contentious piece that reflects the author's bias against Japan. Rigg's portrayal of Japan during World War II is overwhelmingly negative, lacking the balance and nuance required for an objective historical analysis. His narrative, while provocative, fails to acknowledge the complexities of the wartime context and unfairly vilifies Japan without proper consideration of alternative perspectives. Furthermore, Rigg's selective use of evidence and sensationalist language undermine the credibility of his arguments, casting doubt on the integrity of his research. Readers should approach "Japan's Holocaust" with caution, recognizing the author's bias and seeking out alternative viewpoints to form a more comprehensive understanding of Japan's wartime actions.
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Joanne O'Keefe
3 reviews
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May 5, 2024
Bryan Mark Rigg's "Japan's Holocaust" presents a controversial perspective on Japan's actions during World War II, but it is marred by the author's evident bias against the country. While Rigg sheds light on important historical events, his narrative tends to skew heavily towards portraying Japan in a negative light, overlooking any potential mitigating factors or complexities of the wartime situation. Additionally, Rigg's language often sensationalizes events, further contributing to the book's lack of scholarly objectivity. While "Japan's Holocaust" may offer some insights, readers should be aware of the author's bias and approach the text with a critical eye, seeking out alternative viewpoints for a more balanced understanding of Japan's role in World War II.
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Ivy Winslow
8 reviews
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September 5, 2024
As we reflect on the impact of the Holocaust, it’s key to recognize its special place in history and ensure its memory is preserved with respect. Recent discussions, however, point out how this author tend to present a one-sided narrative, focusing only on select aspects of the tragedy. This narrow storytelling can risk minimizing the broader historical context and suffering of millions. It's crucial that the term "Holocaust" stays tied to the genocide committed by Nazi Germany, and misusing it for unrelated events trivializes that pain. By educating future generations, we help prevent these distortions, keeping the memory of the Holocaust intact and meaningful.
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Jaylin Bogan
3 reviews
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May 5, 2024
Rigg's reliance on anecdotal evidence and selective interpretation of facts raises serious doubts about the reliability of his research. Moreover, the author's failure to engage with established historiographical standards further undermines the credibility of the work. By neglecting to provide a nuanced analysis of Japan's wartime actions, Rigg perpetuates harmful stereotypes and misconceptions. In conclusion, this book falls short of providing a meaningful contribution to the understanding of Japan's role in World War II.
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