Japans Infamous Unit 731, Hal Gold
Japans Infamous Unit 731, Hal Gold
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Japan's Infamous Unit 731
Firsthand Accounts of Japan's Wartime Human Experimentation Program

Author: Hal Gold, Yuma Totani

Narrator: Joe Barrett

Unabridged: 6 hr 29 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 08/18/2020


Synopsis

This is a riveting and disturbing account of the medical atrocities performed in China during WWII.

Some of the cruelest deeds of Japan's war in Asia did not occur on the battlefield, but in quiet, antiseptic medical wards in obscure parts of China. Far from front lines and prying eyes, Japanese doctors and their assistants subjected human guinea pigs to gruesome medical experiments in the name of science and Japan's wartime chemical and biological warfare research.

Author Hal Gold draws upon a wealth of sources to construct a portrait of the Imperial Japanese Army's most notorious medical unit, giving an overview of its history and detailing its most shocking activities. The book presents the words of former unit members themselves, taken from remarks they made at a traveling Unit 731 exhibition held in Japan in 1994-95. They recount vivid first-hand memories of what it was like to take part in horrific experiments on men, women, and children, their motivations and reasons why they chose to speak about their actions all these years later.

By showing how the ethics of normal men and women, and even an entire profession, can be warped by the fire of war, this important book offers a window on a time of human madness and the hope that history will not be repeated.

About Hal Gold

Hal Gold (1929-2009) was a writer, journalist, and historian who was a resident of Kyoto for over thirty years. He wrote many books, essays, and articles on Japanese history and culture, including Japan in a Sake Cup, Neutral War, and the translation From Shanghai to Shanghai: The War Diary of an Imperial Japanese Army Medical Officer, and several articles on turn-of-the-century Kyoto development.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Robert on December 13, 2019

Unit 731 was a horrifying place, but because its crime were neither by or against Americans, there's not a lot of English-published material about it. This book aims to translate a lot of the testimonies given by people who were involved in the program. At times, it feel more like a reference book,......more

Goodreads review by Ryan on March 10, 2022

I think that overall Japan gets a pass outside of Bataan and Pearl Harbor. They were equally if not more sadistic than Nazi Germany during the 30s and 40s. This book details what exactly Unit 731 did to the people of China. It is not for the faint of heart but it is important for people to read. A c......more

Goodreads review by David on March 12, 2023

It's tough rating this book because it's pretty dark. It gets a four stars because it's a comprehensive look at Japan's unit 731 and very informative, but at times the writing was translated from Japanese to English and just sometimes a bit boring in style or hard to follow. That being said, again,......more

Goodreads review by Klara on September 28, 2024

This. Is. Disturbing. I was unaware of Japan’s war crimes and human experimentation history. The accounts are horrifying, with acts as heinous and inhumane as those of the Nazi’s - perhaps even more sadistic! Essential historical reading but only for those who can stomach torture and gross apathy. C......more

Goodreads review by Chrissie on December 26, 2023

I had only heard of Unit 731 recently, so I was interested to read this book when I spotted it included with my Audible membership. The book includes first hand accounts of actual participants in the program- only the Japanese occupiers though, the victims all died, without exception. I am not parti......more