HistoryDiff

When it comes to the number of victims of the Rape of Nanking, American textbooks generally range in terms of estimates ranging from tens of thousands to more than 300,000.

American textbooks tend to make it clear that the number of casualties is an estimate rather than a single, confirmed value. Some textbooks include a note stating that ``the exact numbers are debated even among historians.'' This writing style reflects the balance of trying to convey the seriousness of the incident while acknowledging the existence of different estimates from the Chinese side (more than 300,000 people) from the perspective of a third party who is not a party to the incident.

Iris Chan's book The Rape of Nanking (1997) had a major influence on the perception of the number of victims in the United States. The book adopted the perspective of more than 300,000 victims and became a bestseller in the United States, dramatically increasing American public interest in the Nanjing Incident. However, there has been academic criticism of some of the book's descriptions and handling of materials.

American academic research attempts to present objectively the range of the number of victims by cross-examining various materials such as the Tokyo Tribunal (IMTFE) certification (more than 200,000 victims), the Nanjing Military Tribunal certification (more than 300,000 victims), burial records, and demographic data. Testimony records by Americans who were in Nanjing at the time (Professor Bates of Jinling University, missionary Pastor McGee, etc.) are also used as important primary sources.

Perspectives Summary