Conflicts

I was really emotionally tired and traumatized after watching Hiroshima Bombing documentory during my History lecture just now. Dont't ask me who is right or wrong. But, this is really terrible for the innocent civilians. I don't know how the one & only Japanese student in my class felt after the show.

I like History since young but I like Japan too. But I am still a Chinese by blood. It's really hard for me to read Japanese History. Perhaps I am a self-denial person. But this class is really good cos the reading materials are very objective though the teacher is an American. I am not in the position to say how bad Japan was during that period, but what I learned in my History class said that America was supporting Japan's victory at Russo-Japanese war in 1900s which is the beginning of the nation of rising sun to join colonial powers. Well, it was Americans who supported Taliban in Afghanistan agianst Russia. It was Perry, an American, who forced Japan to open to the world in 19th century.

To be honest, I thought why Chinese & Koreans are still against Japan. Japan did invade Myanmar and was not as less cruel to Burmese as to Chinese & Koreans. In fact, we even had a political party called Anti-Facism & People Liberation and a holiday on March 27, called Resistance Day against Japanese, which was later renamed to Armed Forces day by the military government in 1990s. Perhaps, Burmese Buddhists do not hold grudges as much as Chinese or Koreans did. But, when I read more about Nanking masscres for my history class, I understood Chinese and Koreans' feelings.

Another lesson I learned is the role of Emperor & Imperial family in Japan. Though Emperor held the commander-in-chief position of the military, Emperor Hirohito (Showa Emperor) & other Imperial family members who were the generals during the WWII were not charged with war crimes. Instead, the then-PM and the government took all the blames from the Imperial Family. Some articles argue that the commander-in-chief of the NanKing masscre is the Emperor's uncle who ignored the rape of NanKing accident. But, he was not charged either. Some argued that the Emperor is the one who bares the most responsibility cos he lifted the conventions which protected war prisoners and the civilians. But some argued that the Emperor had no power. And he even didn't go to the famous Yasukuni Shrine, where Japanese soldiers including A Class War Criminals were engraved, because he hated one of the PMs during WWII was engraved there. Anyway, the Emperor lived until 1980s whereas his cabinet minsters and PM were executed against war crime. I was wondering why he didn't commit suicide cos Japanese like to commit suicide in case of losing face.

Japan-American relation is another interesting point for me cos I used to think that America helped Japan develop the country after WWII 'cos they felt guilty for dropping Atomic bombs. After the war, the Emperor didn't lose his throne but what about the soverignty of Japan. After taking this class, I felt Japan after WWII was not different from other colonized countries. The world's most democratic country changed the constitution of Japan undemocratically during their occupation cos Japan was not that democratic at that time.

DISCLAIMERS: I know there are so many Chinese, Koreans, Burmese, Taiwanese & Americans friends reading my blog. This is my own reflections after class. No insult to anybody! Peace!!!