Analyzing the “Photographic Evidence” of the Nanking Massacre

Chapter: The First “Photographic Evidence”Origins of the photographs in two Chinese sourcesThe investigation by the atrocity photo research group confirmed that theso-called “photographic evidence” of the alleged Rape of Nanking made their debut intwo Chinese sources, that is, Rikou Baoxing Shilu [Authentic Record of Japan’s BrutalActs (RBS)] compiled by the political section of the GMD government’s militarycommission, and Wairen muduzhong rijun baoxing [Japanese Violence as Witnessed byForeigners (WMRB)], the Chinese edition of Timperly’s work published in Hankou.Although Timperly’s book was also published in Hong Kong, the investigation herefocuses only on the Hankou edition.The two sources contained 39 and 31 photos, respectively, and the same sevenphotos were printed in both. The photos were split into two groups. Forty-one (GroupA) of the 63, excluding the overlapping items, were reprinted at least once in otherNanking-related publications in the subsequent periods—the periods previously definedin the prologue—whereas 22 (Group B) have not made any later re-appearance.Although the analysis of only the Group A photos would meet the stated purpose of thisbook, the research group decided to analyze those of the Group B as well to make theprobe comprehensive and complete.A few words of caution concerning the quality of these photos: (1) theinvestigation team took close-up shots of those photos in WMRB, which were not ofgood quality, and reprinted them here; (2) some RBS photos made available here wereXeroxed copies produced some time ago when the project to publish this book had yet totake concrete form.Group A photographs: Those that have been used in the “second period” and thereafter as well.Seven photographs printed in both RBS and the WMRB Hankou edition55