Japan's Infamous Unit 731 cover art

Japan's Infamous Unit 731

Firsthand Accounts of Japan's Wartime Human Experimentation Program

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Japan's Infamous Unit 731

By: Hal Gold, Yuma Totani - foreword
Narrated by: Joe Barrett
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About this listen

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.

©2019 Hal Gold (P)2020 Tantor
China History & Commentary Japan Military Politics & Government War & Crisis War Japanese War Crimes
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What listeners say about Japan's Infamous Unit 731

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What a surprise

I had never heard of this unit and was shocked about it all being kept secret especially driven by the US to gain its secrets. Whilst much of the story is duplicated due to the personal testimony it is relevant. It makes one look at the bigger picture and no one comes out well. I love the narrator but didn’t feel the topic suited his style.

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Brace yourself

I used to visit torture museums when I was in other countries. Then I visited a Serbian torture museum and I don’t do that anymore.

I liked reading about world war 2 history and -in particular- the stories of mans inhumanity to man. Now I’ve read unit 731, I will have to find something else to do.

Don’t pick this up if you’re feeling fragile.

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1 person found this helpful

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Interesting, not widely known about

An important and interesting book about a relatively unknown unit and their war crimes.

Difficult to listen to the he horrific experimentation on the poor civilian victims.

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Great Listen

Pretty horrible topic but something I knew little of prior to this book. Having recently read around the Nanking massacres I moved on to this. Disturbing at times but a very interesting topic.

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intense book

amazing and educational highly recommended listing, so much detail and well written good book

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Interesting facts but hard to listen to

Really interesting facts and horrifying incidents - a shame so few people are aware of it.
The narration was very hard to listen to - very fast.

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not a bad listen

not a bad listen, worth a credit. would recommend the rape of nan King over this though goes more in depth.

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Everyone Should Know This Story

I hadn't heard of this unit and was shocked at how cruel the Japanese were, also didn't allow anyone to talk about it, what they did was horrendous and everyone should be taught about the unit I n school.

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Great book delicately written

Really good book covering a difficult subject, my only gripe was the narration let it down

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true life is more horrifying than any horror

I only heard of human experimentation from creepypastas like The Russian sleep experiment they don't teach these atrocities for gcse history in school and they should. Sometimes you can lose track of who the narrator is but I was so engrossed I was pretty quick to realise between the prisoners the soldiers taking commands and the sickos ("scientist's") who enjoyed these depraved things to other human beings. They are so far removed from being a human to do this to another person I have no words. Amazing book of terrible atrocities.

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