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南京1937：血战危城
惨绝人寰的南京大屠杀是笼罩在20世纪亚洲历史上的黑暗阴影，它也是二战时期中国战场上最广为人知的篇章之一。相较之下，发生在这场恶名昭彰的屠杀之前的那长达一个月的战争在英语世界却从未被人完整地讲述。何铭生的《南京1937：血战危城》填补了这个空白。这本书用震撼人心的文字描述了赢得淞沪会战之后的日本军队如何以破竹之势向南京推进，同时在这一过程中证明了其野蛮程度。
不同于以阵地战为主要特色的淞沪会战，南京保卫战则是装甲车和空中力量发挥了重要作用的快节奏的运动战。这是两年后希特勒入侵波兰的“闪电战”的预先上演。面对这场现代化的机械化战争，南京守军的抵抗虽是英勇无畏的，但最终还是在日军的凶猛攻势下归于失败。和淞沪会战一样，南京保卫战不仅仅是中日两国之间的冲突。许多国家的士兵和平民也同样见证或参与其中。德国顾问、美国记者和英国外交官都在其中扮演了重要角色。同时，一支新的力量也出现在其中，斯大林派出的苏联飞行员在挑战日本人的制空权。尽管如此，绝大多数受害者都是中国人——无数甚至都未留下姓名的士兵和平民。这本书就是献给他们的，他们应该得到历史的重视。
在驻东亚资深记者何铭生的笔下，南京保卫战的史诗故事和南京大屠杀的黑暗篇章被生动详尽地展现在读者面前。作者因《上海1937》一书而获得的第二次世界大战中国战场最重要的史实纪录者的身份，因这部开创性的叙事史著作而得到巩固。
不同于以阵地战为主要特色的淞沪会战，南京保卫战则是装甲车和空中力量发挥了重要作用的快节奏的运动战。这是两年后希特勒入侵波兰的“闪电战”的预先上演。面对这场现代化的机械化战争，南京守军的抵抗虽是英勇无畏的，但最终还是在日军的凶猛攻势下归于失败。和淞沪会战一样，南京保卫战不仅仅是中日两国之间的冲突。许多国家的士兵和平民也同样见证或参与其中。德国顾问、美国记者和英国外交官都在其中扮演了重要角色。同时，一支新的力量也出现在其中，斯大林派出的苏联飞行员在挑战日本人的制空权。尽管如此，绝大多数受害者都是中国人——无数甚至都未留下姓名的士兵和平民。这本书就是献给他们的，他们应该得到历史的重视。
在驻东亚资深记者何铭生的笔下，南京保卫战的史诗故事和南京大屠杀的黑暗篇章被生动详尽地展现在读者面前。作者因《上海1937》一书而获得的第二次世界大战中国战场最重要的史实纪录者的身份，因这部开创性的叙事史著作而得到巩固。
377 pages, Hardcover
First published October 19, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 27, 2020
Peter Harmsen's Nanjing 1937 was a well-told account of the Japanese campaign along the lower Yangtze from their success at Shanghai to the fall of the Chinese republic's capital of Nanjing. The author's research was impressive, containing references in Chinese, English, and German -- although it appears the Japanese sources were only tapped in translation. The book concentrates on military and to a lesser extent political aspects of the operations. A single chapter, Terror, is devoted to the infamous Rape of Nanjing which took place after the fall. Harmsen emphasizes that Japanese brutalities characterized the entire offensive and not just the aftermath of the city's seizure.
As with many such books in recent years, better maps would have aided appreciation of the author's efforts. Harmsen's prose is solid, if unspectacular, and he earned Four Stars from me.
As with many such books in recent years, better maps would have aided appreciation of the author's efforts. Harmsen's prose is solid, if unspectacular, and he earned Four Stars from me.
October 29, 2015
Once again I am split on how to rate this book. One the one hand it contained a great deal of fascinating information and research, but on the other hand it was poorly written and presented, especially in the first half which dragged on and nearly made me abandon the book completely.
With the atrocities that occured in Europe during WWII it is not surprising that the Japanese invasion of China is often overlooked, but as this book shows it in fact served as a precursor to the European violence and in some aspects surpassed it.
I applaud the author for including so many eye witness accounts from both Chinese and Japanese participants and bystanders, rather than relying solely on the foreign observers accounts. This lends a sense of authenticity to the book.
My major issue is with the writing, especially the first half of the book which deals almost exclusively with the political situation. It is over detailed and monotonous, causing confusion and disinterest for the reader. The back and forth between Chinese and Japanese accounts is also confusing, especially for westerners, who are unfamiliar with the differences between the naming practices of the two cultures.
I also would have liked to seen more than two quick chapters at the end dealing with the aftermath of the battle, as this is where the true humanitarian crisis occured. While I can see the usefulness of this book to some researchers I would generally advise looking elsewhere if you are looking for something capable of holding your attention.
With the atrocities that occured in Europe during WWII it is not surprising that the Japanese invasion of China is often overlooked, but as this book shows it in fact served as a precursor to the European violence and in some aspects surpassed it.
I applaud the author for including so many eye witness accounts from both Chinese and Japanese participants and bystanders, rather than relying solely on the foreign observers accounts. This lends a sense of authenticity to the book.
My major issue is with the writing, especially the first half of the book which deals almost exclusively with the political situation. It is over detailed and monotonous, causing confusion and disinterest for the reader. The back and forth between Chinese and Japanese accounts is also confusing, especially for westerners, who are unfamiliar with the differences between the naming practices of the two cultures.
I also would have liked to seen more than two quick chapters at the end dealing with the aftermath of the battle, as this is where the true humanitarian crisis occured. While I can see the usefulness of this book to some researchers I would generally advise looking elsewhere if you are looking for something capable of holding your attention.
August 18, 2017
Nanjing (Nanking) was the capital of a modernizing China in 1937 when it was attacked and overrun by the Japanese. Harmsen has written a detailed account of the battles that led to the destruction of the city. He has added personal anecdotes which give a somewhat human face to this horrific event in recent history. The looting, rape and murder that was committed by Japanese soldiers are so inhuman that there can be no explanation or understanding of cruelty of this magnitude. An estimated 300,000 Chinese nationals were murdered, although no one can accurately estimate the exact number. Russia was the only country to come to the aid of the Chinese. As with the Holocaust, we should never forget this event; a reminder that we are obliged to intervene when we witness the abuse of power.
December 14, 2017
In 1937, after Japan captured Shanghai, China, Japan decided to continue on to China’s capital, Nanjing, in hopes of crushing the remaining Chinese forces (which were in retreat following their loss of Shanghai). The battle was, for the most part, China’s superior manpower and knowledge of their own territory vs Japan’s superior mobility, artillery and airpower. Given that the Chinese forces were still somewhat off balance due to their recent defeat in Shanghai, the Japanese forces’ advantages proved to be decisive.
Much of the book is recollections from many of the fighters (both Chinese and Japanese) which the author was able to piece together into a basic chronology of the different phases of the battle as the Japanese advanced and Chinese retreated toward Nanjing.
There is also some coverage of the geo-political maneuvering as well. For example, while other countries condemned Japan (but did nothing to aid China), Russia provided aid, even including planes & pilots (because Russia figured a stronger China meant a weaker Japan on their eastern border).
Note: I have not read “Shanghai 1937”. But since the events of that book occurred immediately before the events in this book (“Nanjing 1937”), I surely would have liked this book more if I had.
Much of the book is recollections from many of the fighters (both Chinese and Japanese) which the author was able to piece together into a basic chronology of the different phases of the battle as the Japanese advanced and Chinese retreated toward Nanjing.
There is also some coverage of the geo-political maneuvering as well. For example, while other countries condemned Japan (but did nothing to aid China), Russia provided aid, even including planes & pilots (because Russia figured a stronger China meant a weaker Japan on their eastern border).
Note: I have not read “Shanghai 1937”. But since the events of that book occurred immediately before the events in this book (“Nanjing 1937”), I surely would have liked this book more if I had.
October 1, 2021
An excellent summary of the Battle and the subsequent Rape of Nanjing (Nanking)
June 19, 2017
First of all, Peter Harmsen's work is impeccably sourced. Nanjing 1937: Battle for a Doomed City uses probably the widest array of sources on this conflict or on any similar conflict I have seen in any similar work recently: at a minimum, many memoirs of participants in the battle on all levels, the relevant politicians on all sides, and civilians who lived through it, as well as newspaper accounts the region and abroad and some academic sources. Japanese, Chinese and various European-language sources are all referenced. The amount of effort that went into unearthing new primary source material is obvious, and very welcome. It adds a human face to what would otherwise be a "clash of titans" or God's eye view of history.
Secondly, the narrative of battle is very clear, and typically pans between two levels: a strategic level, illuminated by the discussion amongst politicians and generals during the lead up to the decision to invade, and later the actual conduct of the invasion, and second, the ground or tactical level, which follows the specific experiences of soldiers, civilians and other people in Nanjing and the surrounding area as the story progresses. This gives you a much clearer idea of what people were actually feeling at the time than you might usually get from an historical overview.
Thirdly, I think the book illustrates a few things that are very interesting about the Battle for Nanjing and the Sino-Japanese conflict more generally:
First, what stands out to me is just how unprepared China was for the invasion, on almost every level - military, economic and political. The numerous examples of poor leadership and preparation, from a general staff level on down to individual units, and the resulting loss of Chinese life and property, are heartbreaking.
Second, it behooves one to be reminded of just how vast China is, and how huge of an undertaking it was for the Japanese Army and even more so the individual soldiers to march into the heart of this vast continent and attempt to conquer an ancient city like Nanjing.
Third, it is perhaps surprising today how international of an event the invasion was at the time. The number of foreigners in China, and the extent of international involvement in the war seems no different from what you have seen in Syria over the last several years.
Fourth, it is odd to think how close the invasion came all along to being averted, given one or two changes in position in the Japanese political situation. A lack of a firm hold on the Japanese military's ambitions on the part of that country's politicians ended up bringing disaster for everyone involved, all the more terrible for how avoidable it was.
I found the book a well-written and thought-provoking historical review of that phase of the war.
The above points aside, I would highly recommend the book to anyone interested in the Sino-Japanese war, or WWII and military history more generally. Because it focuses heavily on military movements and the battle itself, it might not be best for a casual reader, but it repays the interested student's attention and focus many times over.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review, but the review has been composed by me alone.
Secondly, the narrative of battle is very clear, and typically pans between two levels: a strategic level, illuminated by the discussion amongst politicians and generals during the lead up to the decision to invade, and later the actual conduct of the invasion, and second, the ground or tactical level, which follows the specific experiences of soldiers, civilians and other people in Nanjing and the surrounding area as the story progresses. This gives you a much clearer idea of what people were actually feeling at the time than you might usually get from an historical overview.
Thirdly, I think the book illustrates a few things that are very interesting about the Battle for Nanjing and the Sino-Japanese conflict more generally:
First, what stands out to me is just how unprepared China was for the invasion, on almost every level - military, economic and political. The numerous examples of poor leadership and preparation, from a general staff level on down to individual units, and the resulting loss of Chinese life and property, are heartbreaking.
Second, it behooves one to be reminded of just how vast China is, and how huge of an undertaking it was for the Japanese Army and even more so the individual soldiers to march into the heart of this vast continent and attempt to conquer an ancient city like Nanjing.
Third, it is perhaps surprising today how international of an event the invasion was at the time. The number of foreigners in China, and the extent of international involvement in the war seems no different from what you have seen in Syria over the last several years.
Fourth, it is odd to think how close the invasion came all along to being averted, given one or two changes in position in the Japanese political situation. A lack of a firm hold on the Japanese military's ambitions on the part of that country's politicians ended up bringing disaster for everyone involved, all the more terrible for how avoidable it was.
I found the book a well-written and thought-provoking historical review of that phase of the war.
The above points aside, I would highly recommend the book to anyone interested in the Sino-Japanese war, or WWII and military history more generally. Because it focuses heavily on military movements and the battle itself, it might not be best for a casual reader, but it repays the interested student's attention and focus many times over.
Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my review, but the review has been composed by me alone.
August 29, 2020
An excellent military history writing told in a smooth, unbiased approach. Very little focus on the actual terror at the end, more on the journey to the end, as it should be. No other book covers this topic to this extent, and this does it well.
November 4, 2020
视角和观点都比较客观中立。既提到了极个别人性尚存甚至友善得体的日本士兵，也描述了部分日军高层试图约束暴行的真诚却孱弱的尝试。至于中国最大的弱点，也许正是“其指挥官所误认为的自己的最大优势：愿意去承担难以想象的损失。”
October 26, 2020
Excellent Book!!
Peter Harmsen puts you into the battle! You are looking from the characters eyes into the scenes as they see it. You feel the timetable move forward on the countdown they have to work with. Both sides are portrayed - the good and the bad. You feel the terror the Chinese felt and you feel the jubilation of victory of the Japanese soldier. You also look into the souls of the participants.
Will definitely read more of this author.
Peter Harmsen puts you into the battle! You are looking from the characters eyes into the scenes as they see it. You feel the timetable move forward on the countdown they have to work with. Both sides are portrayed - the good and the bad. You feel the terror the Chinese felt and you feel the jubilation of victory of the Japanese soldier. You also look into the souls of the participants.
Will definitely read more of this author.
April 3, 2022
Excellent war history.
February 10, 2026
A typical account of the Battle of Nanjing, the author even uses a photo from Wikipedia commons.
January 25, 2016
This is a well-researched book about the capture of Nanjing (Nanking), the capital of China, in the second world war. Peter Harmsen tells the story vividly based on a large amount of information extracted from memoirs, media reports, academic studies and archival materials. The book successfully provide a narrative from the perspectives of different people, including soldiers and military officers (including many senior officers) from both sides, politicians, foreigners in Nanjing and Nanjing residents. There are many books about Nanjing massacre, but few about what happened BEFORE the capture of Nanjing in the Nanjing campaign, why Nanjing was doomed to be taken by Japanese army, and the combat experiences of soldiers and junior officers from both sides at the same time. Nanjing 1937 fills this gap. The book not only includes the rape of Nanjing, but also leads the readers through the Japanese army's march from Shanghai to Nanjing, the bloodiness of war, the bravery displayed by Chinese soldiers, and the brutality inflicted on civilians by the Japanese army, in Nanjing city and outside. I am a reader from China. Here in China, there are some misconceptions about the defense battle of Nanjing in the general public, me included, especially about the devotion of the Nationalist army (the KMT army) soldiers to the defense of Nanjing. After reading this book, I learned much more about this darkest time in the history of Nanjing. If you are interested in the Nanjing campaign, don't miss this book.
February 24, 2016
“Nanjing 1937” written by Peter Harmsen is a well-researched book that gives more than a good overview of the fall of China capital during the Second World War.
The author manages to tell his story in an interesting way using the wealth of information gathered from all kind of sources – archives, memoirs, media and academic papers. Also, Harmsen succeeds in presentation of his story from the different angles, both soldiers and civilians – politicians, residents and foreigners.
Overall, “Nanjing 1937” is very good book for history researchers giving solid insight into the less known aspects of Second World War.
I was given a copy of this book by the author for the purpose of unbiased review, while all the presented information is based on my impressions.
The author manages to tell his story in an interesting way using the wealth of information gathered from all kind of sources – archives, memoirs, media and academic papers. Also, Harmsen succeeds in presentation of his story from the different angles, both soldiers and civilians – politicians, residents and foreigners.
Overall, “Nanjing 1937” is very good book for history researchers giving solid insight into the less known aspects of Second World War.
I was given a copy of this book by the author for the purpose of unbiased review, while all the presented information is based on my impressions.
November 4, 2016
While a good read, with perspectives from both sides, and providing interesting stories but it never quite provides the big picture or answers the big questions. Such as how did the Japanese army keep its troops supplied with fuel and ammunition and keep its artillery moving? Annoyingly, Harmsen does not tell what happened to the people we follow through the book (except for one) or even what happens in China after the two month immediately after Nanjing fell.
Want to Read
April 24, 2016Me and my son read the book together and he enjoyed learning things he didn't know about. Thank you for letting your book be on the giveaways list
May 11, 2016
FTC Disclosure: I received this book free from Goodreads hoping I would review it.
October 21, 2016
Good read
I enjoyed this history of the battle for Nanjing. The book is very readable, well written. I recommend it to anyone interested in world history.
I enjoyed this history of the battle for Nanjing. The book is very readable, well written. I recommend it to anyone interested in world history.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews