Second Sino-Japanese War: A Captivating Guide to a Military Conflict Primarily Waged Between China and Japan and the Rape of Nanking (Military History) Paperback – May 12, 2021

I love Captivating History books! They are always well-written and very interesting. They provide enough info but not too much that drags the book down. This book is no different.

Concise and fascinating history of the Manchurian origins of the Second World War and in-depth coverage of the campaign in China.

The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) was a military conflict that was primarily waged between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. The war made up the Chinese theater of the wider Pacific Theater of the Second World War. The beginning of the war is conventionally dated to the Marco Polo Bridge Incident on 7 July 1937, when a dispute between Japanese and Chinese troops in Peking escalated into a full-scale invasion. This full-scale war between the Chinese and the Empire of Japan is often regarded as the beginning of World War II in Asia.

This book is composed of two senior theses (it's even double-spaced!) with NO author and NO illustrations, that's what it is. Then again, I wouldn't sign my name to a piece of junk like this either.There is NO serious, illustrative (much less "captivating") analysis of any battle. In the middle of the "book" - if you want to call it that - the section entitled "The End of the War" begins. The entire second section of the book is about the rape of Nanking, and offers NOTHING of value to anyone who is familiar with World War II.Do not waste your precious time.

This book was written at a elementary school level. There is not significant information conveyed. The book is very repetitive and provides minimal details about the subject. I don’t recommend this book.

This publication came by bundling two previous publications that document the military conflict between China and Japan. I suspect there is a bitterness in the Chinese people directed toward the Japanese people.The first half comes from an overall review of the military brought about by the Japanese invocation of Manchuria. China calls it the Fourteen Years' War of Resistance and Japan calls it the North China Incident. Certainly, a fourteen-year military conflict is more than just an incident. This campaign was the second military conflict between the two nations and set an animosity on both sides.The second half of the bundle discusses the Nanking Massacre which occurred at the end of 1937. Books are full of the atrocities of Germany's actions against the Jews, but Japan unleashed a terrible assault against the people of Nanking.Estimates of murdered Chinese at the hands of the Japanese range from 40,000 to more than 300,000. Other reports included sexual assaults and stolen valuables and priceless works of art.Documents of the events were classified as secret by the Japanese government and held from public knowledge. The Japanese people were also unable to keep documents written by the Chinese and Westerners and before they surrendered at the end of World War II, the Japanese military destroyed most of the that they had kept.Matt starts with a quick review of the historical relationship between China and Japan. China never succeeded in conquering Japan, and both claimed parts of what is now Korea. He also introduces the reader to the history of Nanking and relates the events prior to 1937 where China and Japan came to conflict.But the real event came in 1937 and I am not convinced of the original trigger. I do believe Japan escalated its response far beyond what was reasonable.

In this duo-bundle -'The Rape of Nanking' was reviewed previously.The 'Second Sino-Japanese War' is a comprehensive coverage of a significant series of events that may not be commonly known, but deserves to be.As the book intimates, in the what-if realm: what if the Japanese were NOT involved in the war in China, while being active in WWII - the thought is scary when one considers just how much more successful they could have been. Similarly: if crazy Adolph was not obsessed with the holocaust and had not invaded Russia: the outcome could have been significantly different?STILL - another gem from 'Captivating' - relating facts and historical information in an eminently readable format.

(Since I've previously written a review of The Rape of Nanking, this review concentrates on the Second Sino-Japanese War).The Second Sino-Japanese War tells the tale of those not listening to the voices of history and not learning from them. It is a known and proven principle in warfare that to invade and conquer a territory, the invasion force needs at a minimum, 4 to 5 times the size of the defending force. To dislodge an entrenched enemy, you need more than that unless you have a force multiplier at hand. The Japanese in the early 20th century had neither. The key to conquering and maintaining China was to conquer and subjugate the entire country, and China is vast. The Japanese did not count on the resilience of the Chinese people nor the sheer numbers they encountered. This is a fascinating book, replete with illustrations, maps and descriptions of the history and motives behind the Imperial Japanese invasion of China. It tells of the players involved, the politics and ramifications affecting the region and the effects beyond the region today. This is one of the better written books in the series, and quite an engaging read. Definitely a must for the history buff.

Very basic history leaves you wanting more. I have bought several books from this company and find them all the same way.