Chapter 1: The Mask of Research

The official designation of Unit 731 was The Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department of the Kwantung Army. Established in 1935 as a part of the Japanese military, it gained notoriety during the Second Sino-Japanese War. To the public, this unit seemed benign, supposedly conducting research on local flora, fauna, and diseases to ensure the health of Japanese soldiers. When officials rounded up those infected with diseases, local civilians hardly raised any objections, unaware of the sinister reality behind this façade.

In truth, this department served as a cover for Unit 731, one of the most infamous biological and chemical weapons research facilities of World War II. The activities conducted by Unit 731 in China resulted in hundreds of thousands of illnesses and fatalities among civilians, alongside countless deaths and mutilations of prisoners. Although the actions of these scientists met the criteria for war crimes, many were granted immunity by the United States, allowing their horrific deeds to f