Analyzing the “Photographic Evidence” of the Nanking Massacre

Although Honda Katsuichi did not include Photos 36 or 37 in either thehardcover or paperback edition of his Chūgoku no tabi, he added them to the photosection of this book when it became a part of Honda Katsuichi zenshū [Complete Worksof Honda Katsuichi]. He attached a caption that read “All the livestock such as sheepand chickens were looted as booty” and identified the city of Nanking that provide thephotos.As chapter 7 of 1937 Nankin kōryakusen no shinjitsu discusses, the Japanesearmy made payments at the time of requisition. In case of a shortage of currency, theyleft documentation of proof of requisition. A cameraman was allowed to take Photo 36because that soldier was conducting a lawful requisition.Of course, one cannot deny that some soldiers did commit looting. If such anincident became known, however, perpetrators were prosecuted and punished rigorouslyin accordance with the army’s criminal act. The Japanese army neither overlooked norordered robbery.6. People about to be executed, orphans, parent and children in flight, etc.RBS caption of Photo 38 alleges that two Japanese soldiers were about toexecute the man between them. RON-YY also captioned this image as “Caughtbetween two blades.” Although one can clearly see a man with his legs tied between thetwo soldiers, one cannot conclude that this image is evidence of an atrocity in view of theabsence of supporting information—whether or not the man was about to be executed fora legitimate reason, or merely a prisoner held under guard, and who took this photo, atwhat location and when.Photo 38: An RBS photograph.Reprinted in RON-YY.Photo 39: An RBS photo. Reprintedin Chūgoku no tabi and Chūgoku noNihon-gun and credited as “Courtesyof the city of Nanking.”Viewers may consider Photos 39-43 as typical war time scenes if they see suchimages without any explanation. But they may have a quite different impression if theysee these photographs with captions as found in some Nanking-related publications. Asfor Photo 39, RBS simply captioned it as “an orphan girl on the road side.” Honda,110