A Look into Japanese War Crimes of World War II

World War II was a devastating period in human history, with numerous war crimes committed by all sides. One of the lesser-discussed atrocities of the war is the war crimes committed by the Japanese Imperial Army. In this blog post, we will delve into the details of these crimes and the impact they had on the victims and the world at large.

One of the most well-known war crimes committed by the Japanese during World War II is the Rape of Nanking. In December 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army captured the Chinese city of Nanking (now known as Nanjing) and proceeded to commit widespread atrocities, including mass rape and murder. Estimates of the number of Chinese civilians and soldiers killed range from 40,000 to 300,000. The Chinese government officially recognizes that 300,000 people were killed in Nanking.

Another war crime committed by the Japanese was the use of prisoners of war (POWs) as forced labour. An estimated 620,000 Asian and Western prisoners of war were used as forced labour by the Japanese during the war, with over 36,000 dying as a result of the harsh conditions. Additionally, the Japanese also conducted human experimentation on prisoners of war, such as the notorious Unit 731, which conducted medical experiments on prisoners in order to develop biological weapons.

The Japanese Imperial Army also used "comfort women," or forcibly recruited women, as sex slaves during the war. It is estimated that up to 200,000 women, mostly from Korea and China, were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military.

In addition to these war crimes, the Japanese Imperial Army also committed numerous other atrocities throughout Asia, including the bombing of civilian populations and indiscriminate killings.

The impact of these war crimes is still felt to this day. The victims and their families continue to deal with the physical and emotional trauma of the atrocities committed. Some of the victims of the Rape of Nanking are still alive today, and their stories continue to be told as a reminder of the horrors of war.

The war crimes committed by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II were numerous and heinous, and their impact is still felt today. It is important to remember the atrocities committed by all sides during the war and to ensure that such atrocities never happen again.

If one wishes to know more about this subject the book "The Rape Of Nanking" by Iris Chang is suggested.