tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6226269873507053740.post3325501386925019499..comments2024-03-29T05:22:26.118-04:00Comments on Daffey Thoughts: Remember what I said about Japan apologizing?David Griffeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06629314279592541401noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6226269873507053740.post-74856729368983639202016-05-27T01:53:12.456-04:002016-05-27T01:53:12.456-04:00They are different. Just watch their game shows. ...They are different. Just watch their game shows. My wife's uncle is an executive with GM, and he says the Japanese still have a certain 'Japanese, and then all the other people of the world who aren't as good' attitude. Though in recent years, there appears to have been some humbling. Plus, like we've seen, there has been an up and coming reform movement working to hold it more accountable. <br /><br />But what they learn? In college, I went out with a girl from Japan. She grew up there, but moved to the US when she was a teen. She was stunned at how critical we are of our own history. And, like you point out, she was shocked to hear how we study the war. Basically they were told that racist, European powers more or less forced Japan's hand, then through a series of misunderstandings and allied belligerence, the war was sustained, primarily so that the US could demonstrate its new found nuclear power and solidify its position as the world's top nation. <br /><br />That would have been the 70s and 80s, but I don't know how much has officially changed. Not enough, according to many of the countries of Asia who see the Pacific war, not the European theater, as the main focus of the war (one they see as starting in 1931). David Griffeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06629314279592541401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6226269873507053740.post-65017615066597367512016-05-27T01:43:20.001-04:002016-05-27T01:43:20.001-04:00The Japanese white wash their own history more tha...The Japanese white wash their own history more than any other advanced nation. It is my understanding that the Japanese school system teaches that Japan's role in WWII was mostly defensive. It is even considered major diplomatic issue by the Chinese and to a lesser extent by our own. Given the amount of time that has past most Japanese may be unaware of what anyone would want them to apologize for.<br /><br />Japan is a weird country.Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01519635260752637813noreply@blogger.com