Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

john doe — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:41:32 GMT

From where did the $$ come to make this film?

Where is the apology?

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

debi, ledyard, ct — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:51:38 GMT

portray the japanese in a more humane way???? who are you kidding? i read what they did in nanking. my great uncle somehow survived the bataan death march. don't ever say that they were humane. they kind of forget about their actions during world war 2 until it comes to when hiroshima was hit. what do their history books say prior to august, 1945? lets not sugarcoat the truth!

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Heather, Canton, Ohio — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:57:38 GMT

no one benefits from glossing over what atrocities happened in the past. how will anyone ever learn from history if the truth of it isn't shown? it wasn't pretty or nice then, why show it as so now?

people need to see and feel the horrors of such evil to cement in their minds, "never again". so that maybe one day in the future, instead of soldiers just doing what they are told, maybe they say "no." maybe a populace of a country finally sees through the propaganda and rhetoric of their governments and stops punishing the evils of another country by killing it's innocents.

it really can happen. we can finally wake up and say "enough is enough." but certainly not by pretending bad things never happened when they did.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Rhonda Sorrow Banning, Ca — Fri, 22 May 2009 16:59:10 GMT

If htis is healing in anyway than it is a good thing.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Ro, Portland, OR — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:18:55 GMT

Whatever....how can you put humanity on so called "soldiers" who brutalized and murdered hundreds of thousands of real humans?
Seems like the smug filmmaker was trying to be intellectually provocative and showed his true adolescence. Sort of like the kid who says "I have a right to freedom of speech..." as he interrupts the class with his own obnoxious droning.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Steve, Arlington Hts, IL — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:25:15 GMT

Have read the Rape of Nanking and it is by far the most shocking, revolting. inhumane chapter of human history.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

CyrusHowell, Chicago, IL — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:31:20 GMT

If you want to see the truth go to the best (50 year old)document of war Victory at Sea on U-tube (GOOGLE Victory at Sea merchant marine). 18 hours of film.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Jenny — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:34:05 GMT

Well, most chinese are angry because the japanese forces never apologized. Imagine how mad everyone will be if the Nazis just took back their apology.
People get mad at others who deny the existence of the holocaust, so I understand why chinese people are pissed off at the japanese.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Bill Peters, Salt Lake City, Utah — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:40:21 GMT

The absence of any Japanese acknowledgement of Nanking, much less anything resembling any adequate apology is probably the primary trigger here. The film apparently strives to seek understanding of an otherwise un-understandable course of japanese action, which is something that most people cannot accomodate as long as anger predominates.

Mix that emotional trigger with the strong chip-on-the-shoulder nationalism that is so popular in China now, and you have a recipe for the rejection of any forms of nuanced understanding in favor of the simplistic either-or.

But then, what circumstances or events in China's post WWII history have ever encouraged the populace to seek out other points of view? Kudos for Lu Chuan for engaging in the process necessary for some greater national maturity. We all have the chance to grow from examining our own cultural and national blind spots.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Jane Doe, Fayetteville, NC — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:49:36 GMT

I hope this film doesn't make it to American. As an American I can strongly state that the Rape of Nanking made Hilter appear to be just the strange boy next door. To make the Japanese look human is a distortion to the facts. Whats next a movie that portays the guards at Auschwitz look like the victims? If you really want to know what happened read "The Rape of Nanking".

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Eric, Salinas, CA — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:33:10 GMT

The Rape of Nanking was a true tragedy of WW2 and it's refreshing to see someone try to do a film about it without trying to be overly patriotic about it. Too bad as this film sounds like it tries to humanize both sides.

Japan is wrong to have never apologized for this travesty of war and racism. China needs to grow up too and accept that past Japanese did this and not the current Japanese government. Both sides need to acknowledge this tragedy and get over it as they both are different countries from what was there in WW2. We should never forget this tragedy so as to prevent a similar one from happening, but we should not swell upon it so that it screws up the relations between both countries.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

David H. Mills, Tustin, CA — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:34:00 GMT

I have read a fair amount about this atrocity. It definitely deserves more exposure as it is an example of, unfortunately, man's ruthlessness. The Nazi's weren't the only brutal killers (of course, we're seeing this kind of ruthlessness even today), but to have a Japanese perspective would be good because not all Japanese behaved in such horrific fashion. I look forward to seeing the movie.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Ray Manhattan, Kansas — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:36:59 GMT

Anyone with the slightest doubts about what the Imperial Japanese Army did in Nanjing (also spelled Nanking) in 1937 needs to read "The Rape of Nanking" by the late Iris Chang, a Chinese-American lady who killed herself in 2004. In fact, the Imperial Japanese Army was noted for committing a number of atrocities wherever they went in World War II. This was not a "nice Army". Training and discipline for the Japanese Army in World War II was brutal, and soldiers were taught to have the utmost contempt for the "enemy" which in 1937 terms meant all Chinese. And don't forget that the rapes and massacres started during the march to Nanjing. One story has it that two Japanese officers made a bet on how many people they could behead with their swords. Somehow after umpteen beheadings they lost track and had to start all over again. (But compare this behavior with the Red/Soviet Army in World War II who got revenge on the Germans/Nazis with massive rape and other atrocities on the way to Berlin).

In any event, this is something that needs to "die with history" so that future generations (in Japan) do not have to go on a guilt trip. I suspect that Lu Chuan made this film with two things in mind: 1) Make some big bucks for himself, while 2) Attempting not to offend the Japanese tourists and business people who regularly visit China. Other than that, World War II should be over between the Japanese and the Chinese. Time to stop whitewashing history for no good reasons. This needs to be put to rest once and for all. The Japanese got two atomic bombs dumped on them, and they got occupied for seven years. They will not repeat the "Rape of Nanjing." Japan has paid for its sins!

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Bob Fair, San Diego, CA — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:48:37 GMT

I wonder if Lu will make a film showing how "human" the Japanese were with their chemical and biological tests on the Chinese which they are still suffering from. Japan still plays this down if they acknowledge it at all although there is a great deal of data to support it.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Robert Jones Jr., Riverside, California — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:50:41 GMT

Not having seen the movie, I cannot comment on it's content. The historical acccount is very, very clear. The Japanese government has NOT apologized, and that is very clearly in order. It is hard for westerners to grasp what China has endured through the centuries at the hands of other countries. Like a beautiful young girl in a den of thieves and criminals, everyone has had their way with her. Upon growing up, and standing up, she has evolved in the only way she knew how, right or wrong, and has become who she is. The blossom has not yet fully developed, and I suspect more growing pains are in the mail. Ignoring the historical facts, on either side of the coin is not fruitful. The apology at the very least should be forthcoming!

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Fred Brattain, Coroan, CA — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:56:56 GMT

How can one make a "humane" movie about this massacre? It is no different than making a "humane" movie about the holocaust. Japan has NEVER acknowledged that they started the war in the pacific, that they started the war with the US, etc. There has never been ONE iota of apology from anyone within Japan. The slaughered over 200,000 civilians in ONE CITY in China. I don't see how anything "humane" could be portrayed in that moment in history.
FDB

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Scott H. Brener, Apple River, Ill. — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:56:59 GMT

Just how does a filmmaker manage to portray the rapists and murders of the Emperor’s Imperial Army as more humane?? The historian Chalmers Johnson wrote: "the Japanese slaughtered as many as 30 million Filipinos, Malays, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Indonesians and Burmese, at least 23 million of them ethnic Chinese." Humane ???

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Chong, Orlando, FL — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:01:50 GMT

This is absolutely ridiculous. How can we have a movie potraying the Japanese Imperial Army as human beings??? Not all Japanese are bad, but what they did was horrible. Lu is right, a lot of our anger come from the fact that the Japanese have never apologized for what they did to us. I despise seeing ceremonies where American and Japanese officials shake hands and say another of "we're sorry" for what occurred during the war. Why can't the Japanese show an ounce of honor and admit the fact that they committed war crimes??? This movie is an insult to my people, and brings great shame and dishonor to the hundreds of thousands of innocent Chinese that fell at the hands of the Japanese empire.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

larry Rinaldi, Boston, MA — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:17:45 GMT

Iris Chang wrote a definitive book on this subject years ago.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Amber — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:17:58 GMT

No one outside of China has heard about it? That's pretty ignorant and insulting. I've certainly heard about it. I'm sure the response to the movie was negative if the director portrayed the Japanese in any sort of sympathetic light, there is no excuse for what they did.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Bob Sayers — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:25:57 GMT

How could your editors omit the most horrifying photo of this war? That of an infant crying in the street,amid the chaos of its surroundings! I think it was a LIFE magazine shot. Shame on LuChuan.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Jenny Liven — Fri, 22 May 2009 19:57:07 GMT

I read about this tragic massacre from news for years, both local & abroad. Nothing is done about it. The world is not feeling it. Now that they will make a real movie. There are books, documentations, & even incuding some clips with the war movies. So, what is up? Let it go. This history. Long time ago. Let's start all over again. Director Lu said the movie is like a bridge of communication. People watch the movie to learn the history of the tragics. Now, how is he going to make the movie so it looks like history? Director is opening up his new chapter to wake up his people.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Patrick Buckles, Phoenix, AZ — Fri, 22 May 2009 20:06:04 GMT

I have known about the "Rape of Nanking" for a number of years. The Japanese were anything but humane!!! It is history now though, time to move on.

Exposing the 'truth' about the Nanking massacre

Linda Frazier, Arlington, Texas — Fri, 22 May 2009 20:28:39 GMT

I teach the Nanking Massacre every semester in my history courses (I am a college history professor) and most of my colleagues do as well. The new textbooks are describing it as well, so this nightmare in the history of WWII may be receiving the attention it deserves--at least in academic circles.