Analyzing the “Photographic Evidence” of the Nanking Massacre

Photo MPhoto LPhoto L: A sword performance at the gym of Mr. Tokutomi on October 15, 2000.(Courtesy of Tokutomi Tassaburō).Photo M: “The moment when a bandit member was beheaded outside the city walls ofTieling. (A postcard available in Japan in the 1930s)” Zusetsu Chūgoku kokukei-shi, p. 66.4. The headless body is seen standing upright—a phenomenon that was likely to happen inexecutions with the use of broad sword, as shown in Photo M.5. Photo 101 shows a grassy background—an unlikely scene for winter when Nanking fell.These considerations sufficiently question the validity of Photo 101 as evidence of aJapanese atrocity in Nanking.Photo 102 is printed in SND and RON-YY. The man depicted in this photographdoes not look like a Japanese military man since his outfit—overall look of the uniform, hishelmet, shape of his boots, the neckerchief he is wearing—do not appear to be that of theJapanese army. Other questionable details are: (1) the uniform is not the standing collar ofthe Japanese army uniform was at the time of the Nanking campaign, (2) he is not carryinga scabbard for the sword, and (3) the canteen which is supposed to be attached to the waistbelt is seen above the belt. In addition, Photo N—an enlargement of part of Photo102—makes one wonder how he could hold a human head with only his thumb and pointerfinger. Also, the straight line circled in Photo N looks unnatural. One could speculatethat this was a post card on sale in China at the time.168