Rape Of Nanking Episode 1: It's Only Going To Get Worse

What happens when an invading army enters a city already surrounded by war, and the rules of warfare seem to disappear?

In this episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan travel to China in 1937 as the Second Sino Japanese War brings the Japanese Imperial Army to the gates of Nanking, the capital of the Republic of China.

We follow the Japanese advance from the brutal fighting in Shanghai through the destruction of cities and villages along the way, before turning our attention to the military campaign that surrounded Nanking. We look at the commanders leading the Japanese forces, the orders given before the city's capture, and the chilling allegations surrounding the treatment of Chinese prisoners of war.

Then the gates of Nanking fall.

What followed became known as the Nanking Massacre or Rape of Nanking, with widespread murder, torture, executions, looting, and atrocities committed against Chinese soldiers and civilians. We'll examine the mass killings around the city, the treatment of prisoners, the infamous killing contests involving Japanese soldiers, and some of the horrifying methods used during what became known as the Six Weeks of Horror.

But this is only the beginning. The worst suffering experienced by the people of Nanking has yet to be discussed.

And because this is Torture: A Dark History, Kevin and Dan bring their characteristically inappropriate sense of humor to one of the darkest chapters we've ever covered, respectfully.

If you love Nanking, the Rape of Nanking, the Nanking Massacre, World War II history, Japanese war crimes, Chinese history, military history, true crime, dark history, torture history, and the atrocities of war, this is the beginning of one of the most disturbing stories in the history of the 20th century.

Thank you to the That's Not Good: A True Crime Podcast for starting off the show.

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The Sassholes Insta!!

The Rape of Nanking by Iris Chang

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