Lately it's been widely discussed in russian mass media, that many countries do interprete history of their relations with other countries in inadquate way. For example: In Russia every schoolchild knows, that the crucial part of wining against fasism in Europe belongs to Russia, in the USA they believe that only thanks to americans the WWII finished as it did. In our textbooks on history it's said that tzars of Georgia asked Ekaterina II (our Tzarina at that time) to let Georgia be part of Russia still in 18th century in order to be protected from agressive neighbours, but now they say theat Russia occupied the country in a military way and made them enter Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union.
I know, that the saying "many men many minds" works perfectly here, and that it's also a matter of national propaganda, but I would like to know, what really happened back then. Though it looks next to impossible now to know the truth.
The thing I hate the most about it is the fact that national governments are trying to find some external enemies or offenders to distract people from what is happening inside the country, by appealing to such feelings as patriotism, national pride, etc. I think it is mean. I only hope that such small conflicts now won't lead to any big problems later.
Thank you for posting a very suggesting comment. Because I also have become interseted in why Japan went into the WW2, why Japan lost in the WW2 and what the WW2 itself meant to Japanese.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is very confusing, probably I could not find the truth about it. But, I will continue to study it by the end of my life.
thank you for your comment, bike-san. I would like to ask you to post some of the results of your explorations? if it's possible, I really would like to know what people think "on the other side" so to say.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for reading this blog^^
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ReplyDeletetry to explain my exploration.
ReplyDeleteMany Japanese are taught that only Japan was responsible for starting the Pacific War. But,
is it true ? This was my first question.
Untill now, I read several books telling what happened in Japan and around the world at that
time to seek the answer.
My exploration on this problem has just started.
But I can write what I have learned through these books. I try to explain it by my poor English.
Why did Japan start the war ? I tell it by summarizing the modern history of Japan.
As you might know, Japan ended its isolaotin policy under the threat of Westerner's attack
in the late nineteenth century.
From that time, Japan had developped its industry and millitary forces at very high speed against Western countries. And Japanese population had increased.
Japan had spread its territory to China, Taiwan and Korea to seek land and natural resources because Japan had small land and few resource.
Japan used the same way that the Western countries used to invade some Asian or African countries. In other words, Japan obeyed the rule which the developped countries created to control undevelopped countries.
But, the Western countries criticized that Japan invaded Asian countries. At last, USA, GB and other countries decided to stop the natural resources, mainly oil entering into Japan.
Japan was very confused, and at last, attacked on the Pearl Harbour. But, Japan did not intend to start a war, only wanted to show its angry to the world. But, the war started.
I have learned these things mainly, by reading "Mirror for Americans;Japan".
I think that there was an idea to discriminate Asian people in Westerners. It means that Japan shoud not control Asian countries in the same way that Westerners used.
Again I say, my exploration on these isuues has just started. And, probably, I could not reach the goal, but I will continue my this exploration by the end of my life.