WWII Tragedy - Case Study: Rape of Nanjing (Nanking)

Our theme for WWII is Heroes/Hope vs. Tragedy.  Each tragedy is unique in its own sake, and each story is worthy of being heard.  While we often correctly associate tragedies of WWII with events from the Holocaust, it's important that we always acknowledge other events that took place.

CASE STUDY: JAPAN'S INVASION OF CHINA/KOREA

1. We debated whether it was just 'evil people' that commit evil deeds.  We also discussed the elements of war itself that make it likely to witness both heroism and tragedy.

2. We looked at the history between Japan and China, and then the events that led up to the Rape of Nanjing - in particular the incredible violence against women during the war.

3. We watched 2 scenes from the documentary 'Nanking' and then discussed the rules of war that were established after WWII to prevent future crimes against humanity.

4. We also discussed Stanley Milgram's Obediance experiment, and the findings that many humans will be likely to listen to authority even if they feel uncomfortable.

No homework.  Here is the powerpoint with notes that we discussed.

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