Sino-Japanese Relationship 2
As a Chinese, I was told of various stories where my maternal family members have to hide during the invasion. They were afraid of the Japanese. Their hatred towards them is felt even until now. Quote "It is a curse that Princess Masako would not deliver a male for what they have done in the past [referring to World War II]" This is in Malaysia. How much more worse could it be for those in China?
Hence, I could relate the hatred of the Chinese towards Japanese, especially those that went through the time of darkness. Nonetheless, what I cant undetstand is that similar despise is generated by those from younger generation. Why such intensity? I understand that one should keep Japanese government accountable for what they have done in the past, as well as what they are doing now. However, their extreme hatred toward Japanese seems to go a little overboard.
I think Rape of Nanjing is being exaggerated. 30 million people is too great a number to be true. I would accept 3 million, even that is quite hard a fact to accept. Records widely point to 200,000 ~ 300,000. I suspect that 30 million is a more convenient way to flame hatred. Simply by looking at the number, one would already be stunned and could only blame the Japanese, forgoing the reasoning. Like bards telling their adventure, massacre in Nanjing serves as the reminder of the atrocities done by Japanese Army, in a dramatic manner. Although I read of accounts of victims being used as target practise, experiment guinea pig and hunting sports, I wonder if some of the account too was exaggerated. I do not shrug away at the possibilities of their inhumane act but I cant help thinking the possible agenda behind such exaggeration. Is it to rally for nationalism? or attempt to unite all Chinese all over the world?
The younger Japanese do not have a clear picture of what is going on. While we want to keep the government in check, we have to realise too not all of them know the full pictures of their parent's crime. It is not a mainstream idea for Japanese admit it. Therefore, we cannot blame them entirely for not knowing the level of brutality. Ironically, they look upon themselves as victims of WW II. It is important that we keep a cool head and not to be too carried away by our emotion. Better all those protest be peaceful or it will leave Japanese a bad impression, worsen the already delicate matter. Yes, we should keep the government in check and I think the protest against the revise of history textbook is appropriate. Meanwhile, we should also attempt to expose our Japanese friend to the alternative view of their history, instead of just boycotting them and not interacting at all. Creating awareness among them would be a better idea, dont you think so?
Chinese can easily associate ourselves with any Chinese anywhere in the world. If you go to a Chinese stall in US, and you could speak Mandarin (in a Mandarin-speaking area) and could bargain well, expect some discount. Or at least a more pleasant service. (This somehow doesnt seem to apply to Chinatown Chicago). Although in a foreign country, we could unite and stand as a team. Now, is this a good thing? It maybe but if carried to extreme, it is bad. 1 example quickly come to my head is the recent tsunami-hit Indonesia. There were campaigns in online forums against sending aid to Acheh, reminding people of how minority Chinese were butchered during Asian Financial Crisis in 1998. Pictures with beheaded people and scene after massacre were posted serves a fresh reminder. Surprisngly, it is well responded. Such brotherhood is anologous to those brotherhood from the Muslim world where one's cause is another's cause as well. Similarly, for us Chinese who bear hatred towards our Japanese friend, do we know why we have grudges against them? or is it because our parents hate them.
Their act of rewritting their history, downplaying the crime they committed in the past is intolerable. But we too should not be too emotional. The bible put it nicely,
"In your anger, do not sin."
So, as we protest peacefully against the Japanese for whatever reason- visit to Yasukuni shrine, rewritting textbook, etc, let us not forget our recent fault. Malaysians, what about the May 13 incident? Are we going to follow the footstep of our Japanese friend but briefly touching it in history textbook? For if we do not learn from history, we are bound to repeat the same mistakes, sometime in the future.
*Reminder to myself, updates on Japanese history textbook, after visiting Japan.
posted by 100 | 2:31 AM
5 Comments:
The younger Japanese do not have a clear picture of what is going on. While we want to keep the government in check, we have to realise too not all of them know the full pictures of their parent's--do you mean "ancestors"? My parents were about the same age as Singapore.... And I also doubt the grandparents' generations be accused for the war crimes. At least my grandparents were teenagers(low teens)at the war time.--crime.
It is not a mainstream idea for Japanese admit it. Therefore, we cannot blame them entirely for not knowing the level of brutality. Ironically,--why do u use this word? At least for the people who were in Japan were victims, i believe. They didn't know why they were bombed by US airplanes, but still they lost their family, friends, etc. And still they are considered as guilty by other people even they have never killed anybody.... Isn't it natural to think they were the victims of the war?--they look upon themselves as victims of WW II.
The effect of atomic bombing is much greater than expected. However, the magnitude of the after-effect is not known even by the scientist then. I was told that they carried those uraniums in a suitcase! Therefore Japanese have the right to see themselves as victims of the atomic bombing. This part indeed was overlooked by many of the Asian countries.
However, I was hoping that they (Japanese) would try to understand why there is such great anger whenever WWII is mentioned. It wont help by just saying "We are victims of the war, look at what they have done to us" by both parties.
"I think Rape of Nanjing is being exaggerated. 30 million people is too great a number to be true. I would accept 3 million, even that is quite hard a fact to accept. Records widely point to 200,000 ~ 300,000. I suspect that 30 million is a more convenient way to flame hatred. Simply by looking at the number, one would already be stunned and could only blame the Japanese, forgoing the reasoning. Like bards telling their adventure, massacre in Nanjing serves as the reminder of the atrocities done by Japanese Army, in a dramatic manner. Although I read of accounts of victims being used as target practise, experiment guinea pig and hunting sports, I wonder if some of the account too was exaggerated. I do not shrug away at the possibilities of their inhumane act but I cant help thinking the possible agenda behind such exaggeration. Is it to rally for nationalism? or attempt to unite all Chinese all over the world?"
loo, if you consider the logic behind the numbers. Nanking then was the southern capital of china. With 1.3 billions people now, with 40-50% concentrated in urban cities, you can roughly project the population of China prior to 1940s to be at least 800 millions with 20-30% in cities. To cut the story short, expert estimate about 50-60 millions people living in Nanking then, with another 10-20 millions of refugees from the eastern cities which were captured by then.
Accordding to an actual Japanese soldier account, the Japs Raped and murdered every single woman in the city. EVERY single one. assuming 50% of the population is female (which is of course conservative, considering most of the males were at war already)...you will get the number 30 Millions.
As for your 200k-300k records...that is exactly what the fucking japs wanted. To blur the history and re-write their version into ppl';s like us. With japanese economics power, it is not surprising that their records (as fudged as they are) would be widely cited. Any other sources would be blasted as unreliable or critisized as an effort to unite CHinese (as you clearly did).
The point is: the jap have done what they haev done. What infuriate chinese today ie me, is the fact that they re tryign to buy their way out of it, by fucking changin the history.
mind you history is always one-sided.
_the nolonger online tomatoinc_
There or not, nice to know that you are still alive. Cant help wondering why the thought of tomato is left withered without new fruits (or vegetable). :)
In respond to your comment:
1. 300,000 or 30,000,000 simply shows that the massacre in Nanking is great. But of course, 30M is a more provoking figure. Iris Chang's book recorded 200K-300K people while during the Trial after War, figure in tribunal only recorded 200K. My point is there is no actual recording or more than 3M. These 200K figures are not from Japanese sources, which is by default, bias by your standard.
2. Since Japan invaded the Northern China, Nanking had been seen as the next target hence the leaving of people. It is true that Nanking was the capital since 1927 and that borders of Nanking changes with some provinces merged into it. Nonetheless, after some online reading, the most figure I gathered topped at no more than 1.015M. (This comes from a Chinese Daily, supposedly) When Japan invaded Nanking, the highest number I gathered was 586K people left. So, despite your engineering crude method of approximation, claim of Nanking residing more than 30M is beyond acceptable, for me.
3. To be frank, I question your sources. An account from Japanese soldier maybe accurate, but how far did he wonder in the cities? If that town has 5000 people, then, yes they killed everyone there. But there are recorded facts that some 200K people survived through the safety zone, so how can you claim that the Japs killed EVERYONE there? I didnt rebut the 800M part because I wonder which EXPERT estimates about 50-60M people living in Nanking.
4. Exactly the product of 30M inflamation. I understand as a Chinese, we are angered by the act of Japanese government. My post prior to this attempt to shed some light against the Japanese view.
Let's read Iris's book, for out next conversation? ;)
Lastly, what exactly happened to you? What could shun you off the online world?
By the way, "attempt to unite the Chinese" part was my very own idea. No one makes me believe that but just a thought after those readings.
Please cite me whenever necessary. :P
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