The International Summer Seminar is over. After 3 days of topics on economics, politics, foreign policies, montage, pop culture, tourism, society and what not, I'm beginning to see a new light about Japan.
And it makes me want to learn more.
The idea that really struck me most was the fact that they brought up the topic of : JAPAN AS VICTIM OF WAR. We Asians do not really see the Japanese as the poor losers of the second World War. In fact, we all blame and hate them for forcing us to their will. As any war veteran or your grandparents and they will tell you how much they have suffered, one way or another, at the hands of Japanese soldiers.
But have you asked Japanese people how they felt during the war? Japanese are always given the impression of poker-faced, rigid, strict and impersonal people. In war movies, they act like Terminators: unfeeling, uncaring, killing without remorse. But we have to see that they are human too.
Their loyalty to their country would have probably been a factor why they would die gladly for their country's sake. They risk seeing their family, their country for the last time and march on to war with nothing but hoping for the glorious victory of Japan.
So many innocent people died during the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing. Thousands of lives were affected.
My point is: In war, there are no winners... only losers. I don't think anybody had benefitted from war at the cost of others...and I don't think it's winning. Even agressive countries have lost.
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