Analyzing the “Photographic Evidence” of the Nanking Massacre

Photo 82 (135) Photo 85 (156) Photo 90 (134)Photo 89 (152) Photo 81 (112)All of these photographs are credited as “Courtesy of Marion Fitch” in RON-YY (withRON-YY page numbers indicated in parentheses).The third question is whether or not the photographer was truly a Japanese militaryman.Photo 89’s caption in RON-YY says, “These Japanese soldiers dug out the heart ofa Chinese ‘to be an appetizer that goes with wine’. The photo was taken as a souvenir ofthe occasion. The victim was Wang Jia-rang, a boiler worker at Nanking YongliyaFactory.” If this had been a true story, one would have to conclude that the Japanesecommitted an egregiously inhumane act. Yet, one would first wonder if the Japanese hadsuch a custom. Furthermore, it would appear to defy conventional wisdom for someone topose for a picture with what seems to be an ordinary demeanor—as distinctly shown in theimage—immediately prior to performing such an unbelievably gruesome act. In addition,the cameraman would have also hesitated to record such a scene.Since a woven-type wall is commonly seen in the background of Photos 82, 85,152