Firsthand Accounts of Japan's Infamous Unit 731 Wartime Human Experimentation Program

Puffin: A very interesting read and shocking what they got away with.

United Kingdom on Mar 16, 2024

Davide domingues: Gutes buch

Germany on Oct 29, 2023

Edwin Brown: Very happy with the audiobook and seller.

United States on Aug 22, 2023

Daniel J. Mooney: Unit 731 is still an obscure outcrop of the mentality of WWII. It is a near-hidden atrocity in an era that is famous for its atrocities. Unit 731 started as a branch of the Japanese military which attended to increasing the hygiene of the army and reduce the spread of disease. That quickly changed into cultivating bacteria to use in biological warfare. Not many of their idea were used. It was determined that diseases have a tendency to bounce back and hit the side spreading the disease. This is not stop the testing, however. And many civilians, mostly Chinese, were deliberately given diseases and then had vivisections performed on them to watch the progress of the bacteria. Others had their limbs frozen until they developed frostbite, so the doctors could determine the best way to prevent tissue damage. A lot of Chinese lost their arms and legs as the doctors worked on this.

Why is Unit 731 so obscure? First, there was a deliberate cover-up. Not just during the end of WWII, but for two generations afterwards. There was no way for the Nazi's to cover their crimes, but these were obscure enough and hidden in official secrecy, that the members of the unit could skirt...

United States on Mar 28, 2023

James McIntosh: I knew the Japanese during WW2 were cruel but this escalated it to a whole new level.

United States on Jan 12, 2023

Bob Lewis: It's an unfortunate fact of history (and partly, though incompletely explained in this book) that the horrors of Japan's Unit 731 have gone largely unknown by far too many people. Even among those who consider themselves historically literate, this particular episode seems to have escaped widespread scrutiny or analysis. If you're trying to understand what happened in that "infamous" program, this book might be a decent place to start.

The book is divided into two parts. The first half consists of a brief historical treatment of Unit 731. The information is enlightening, though I would argue this is the book's weaker portion. Documented facts are mixed with more questionable anecdotes. While the bigger picture presented by the book is historically solid, this does make it a bit difficult to determine which information is most reliable when analyzing the details.

The book also spends arguably too much time discussing the postwar lives of Unit 731's membership and the various political maneuvers that led most of them to escape any sort of accountability. That's an important part of the story, of course, but if you're reading the book to understand Unit 731 itself, I...

United States on Jan 24, 2022

Kingsley D’Mello: Not really surprised that so called intelligent race did these things all in the name of science

India on Jan 10, 2021

yes I am conservative: As one who loves Japanese culture, people, and food this was a heart wrenching book to read. To die the way the “maruta” and others did is simply unimaginable. This book PROVES the need in society for the GOD of the Bible!! While Japan today is nothing like it was during WW2 they have not embraced Jesus Christ. Japan deserves forgiveness. But, history will repeat itself without morality from the Bible.

Read this book to better understand evil. It is this understanding that makes me run toward God.

This book is for those over 18 years of age. It is that disturbing. May this never happen again!!

United States on Mar 20, 2020

Anthony Jones: Sweet baby Jesus. This book is dark. don't read it on a full stomach if your stomach is weak.

Incredibly impacting book. I'm glad the author took the time to do the research and compile so much information. It is an unfortunately dark and tragic period of history, but we need to know about it.

Thank you Hal Gold

Australia on Jan 15, 2020

Max Layton: Worse than anything Joseph Conrad could have imagined. Comparable to medical experiments in Nazi concentration camps but on a much vaster scale. Revealing look at the depths of depravity we humans are capable of. Strong stomach required...

Canada on Aug 21, 2018