Nanking Assignment
W orld H is to ry M r. M attk e N am e: The “Nanjing Incident” and Historical Consciousness D ir e ctio n s - A “ F act” i s a n i te m t h at i s g en era lly i n dis p uta b le : f o r e x am ple , “ W est D e P ere H ig h S ch ool i s a p ublic h ig h s c h ool i n W is c o nsin .” A “ tr u th ” i s s o m eth in g t h at i s u p t o i n te rp re ta tio n a n d i s d ep en den t o n w ho i s m ak in g s a id c la im . F or e x am ple , s o m e w ould s a y t h at “ W est D e P ere H ig h S ch ool i s t h e b est p ublic h ig h s c h ool i n t h e s ta te o f W is c o nsin .” S om e w ould d is p ute t h is s ta te m en t, a n d s o m e w ould v erif y i t, b ut i t i s a m in or e x am ple o f h ow a “ tr u th ” i s n ot a lw ay s v ie w ed t h e s a m e w ay f ro m d if f e re n t s id es. T oday, y ou w ill e x am in e a n e v en t t h at o ccu rre d i n t h e e arly y ears o f W orld W ar I I; i t i s g en era lly a g re ed t h at t h is e v en t o ccu rre d a t t h e h an ds o f J a p an ese s o ld ie rs , a n d a t t h e e x pen se o f t h e C hin ese p opula tio n o f N an jin g. P le ase r e sp ectf u lly e x am in e t h e f o llo w in g r e so urc es a n d m ak e a d ete rm in atio n a s t o w hat w e s h ould c all t h is e v en t. M odern H is to ry S ourc eb ook 1 . W hat i s t h e s o urc e o f t h is a cco unt? D oes t h is l e ad y ou t o b elie v e t h at i t i s c re d ib le ? W hy o r w hy n ot? 2 . P le ase d esc rib e w hat h ap pen ed i n N an jin g i n D ecem ber 1 937, a cco rd in g t o t h is s o urc e. 3 . W hic h i te m i s t h e m ost s u rp ris in g t o y ou a s y ou r e ad t h is a rtic le ? 4 . W hat w ould t h e p ublic r e sp onse b e t o day i f a n a rtic le l ik e t h is w ere p rin te d i n a m odern A m eric an n ew sp ap er/o nlin e s o urc e? P le ase e x pla in . A dditio nal D ocu m en ts 1 . P le ase d esc rib e t h e d if fe re n ces b etw een t h e a cco unts o f t h is i n cid en t i n D ocu m en t A a n d D ocu m en t B . H ow d o y ou b elie v e t h ese i n flu en ce t h e p erc ep tio ns t h at c h ild re n o f e ach n atio n h av e a b out t h is e v en t? 2 . I n D ocu m en t C , t h is s to ry w as r e calle d n early 7 0 y ears a fte r i t o ccu rre d . D oes t h is i n flu en ce y our o pin io n o n w heth er o r n ot i t s h ould b e b elie v ed ? W hy o r w hy n ot? 3 . W hat a p pears t o b e t h e m ood o f t h e J a p an ese s o ld ie r i n t h is a cco unt? H ow d o y ou k now ? 4 . H ow d oes t h e A m eric an t e x tb ook d esc rib e w hat h ap pen ed i n N an jin g? W hy d o y ou b elie v e t h ey c h ose t o t e ll t h e s to ry t h is w ay ? 5 . O vera ll, w hat d o t h ese a cco unts t e ll u s a b out t h e i n cid en t i n N an jin g? B ase d o n w hat y ou h av e a n aly zed , w hat s h ould t h is e v en t b e c alle d ? ( In vasio n o f N an jin g, R ap e o f N an jin g, B attle o f N an jin g, I n cid en t a t N an jin g, s o m eth in g e ls e ?) W hy?H is to ric al P ers p ectiv es N ow i t i s t im e t o l o ok a t a n oth er e v en t f ro m W orld W ar I I i n volv in g J a p an : t h e u se o f a to m ic w eap ons b y t h e U nite d S ta te s. A gain , i t i s a “ fa ct” t h at t h e U nite d S ta te s u se d a to m ic w eap ons o n J a p an , b ut t h e “ tr u th ” o f w heth er o r n ot i t w as “ n ecessa ry ” i s o pen t o i n te rp re ta tio n. P le ase u se y our p rio r k now le d ge, a n d a s im ple w eb s e arc h , t o d ete rm in e h ow e ach n atio n w ould m ost l ik ely t e ach t h eir s tu den ts a b out o ur u se o f a to m ic w eap ons: ● J a p an ● U nite d S ta te s ● R ussia ● C hin a
