Job Discussion Forums

zorro · Posted: Sun May 09, 2004 4:36 pm Post subject: WWII...taboo???

is wwII a taboo subject in japan or do japanese people speak frankly of the happenings in the 40's Question

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

To most Japanese WWII is when the US used A-bombs on innocent civililians.

Those who know more will become very silent when the subject is breeched.

I'd leave the subject alone if I were you.

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

They don't like to talk about comfort women or their treatment of POW's either.

Sherri · Posted: Sun May 09, 2004 11:38 pm Post subject:

It totally depends on the context, who your students are and the purpose of the discussion. I have used sensitive topics related to WWII in my classes many times. But, my students were adults, of an advanced level and motivated. They tended to be broad-minded people who have spent time living abroad and/or working with non-Japanese people.

You also have to have a good reason for using the topic and approach it in a way which allows your students to learn (English) from it. It is not an excuse to jump on a soapbox and give them a lecture.
Sherri

Mtnkiwi · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 67 Location: Osaka

I tend to agree with guest of japan.
I once made the mistake of bringing up the subject of Nanking, was not a popular topic of conversation.
It probably is best to avoid it if you are worried about offending people.
Japanese knowledge of Japanese involvement in the war is weak at best. The Japanese take on WWII is 'we were the innocent victims of American Imperialism'. Funny when you think about how the Japanese Empire was enslaving Chinese and Koreans left right and centre throughout the period.
The reason for the 'bad blood' between Chinese, Koreans and the Japanese seems to stem directly from the fact that the Japanese have never admitted fault or guilt.

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

everyone avoids it except for one of my students who lives in Aichi.

Trying to get her to soften directly personal questions in class one day, I challenged her over whether her proposed "How old are you?" was really polite. Could she please soften it somehow as it was very direct. Her suggestion....

<drum roll>

... "What did you do during the war?"

Needless to say, it was a while before that lesson got back on track... Razz

SEndrigo · Joined: 28 Apr 2004 Posts: 437

Laura C · Joined: 14 Oct 2003 Posts: 211 Location: Saitama

[quote="SEndrigo

I don't know about Japanese people, but I'm sure it wouldn't be too different from bringing up the topic to German people....
[/quote]

And in the same category as, if I may say so, asking people from Northern Ireland (the first time you meet them) what religion they are, or whether they know anyone in the IRA...

L

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

ruggedtoast · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 81 Location: tokyo

At the risk of stirring controversy - the victims of the A Bomb attacks against Nagasaki and Hiroshima were fairly innocent - innocent of being combatants anyway.

They were civilians, the only civilians in history ever to have had nuclear weapons used against them.

People died on a massive scale in those attacks and the need for them was highly quesitonable.

At the time Japan was broken as a serious threat and was posing only defensive difficulties to the Allied advance.

The attacks did indeed end the war very quickly but deploying those weapons against military or sparsely populated areas would have made the point just as well.

The Japanese are indeed very ignorant about their nations past and are subject to an educational system that leaves them ill advised about their countries past actions and motivations for doing so - however judging by the responses on this board concerning the A bomb attacks - they are not the only ones.

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

Ruggedtoast, your barb was obviously meant to be planted in me, but you failed to realize that I didn't make a post in defence of the A-bomb.

I only gave advice on how the topic will develop or die when brought up with Japanese people.

But please go on thinking that you have superior knowledge of this matter, and continue to take pleasure in the contempuousness of your posts.

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

joncharles · Joined: 09 Apr 2004 Posts: 132 Location: Beijing

Although one of my AT's told me it was a taboo topic in Vioce classes. I did have some discussions... especially when the school history book controversy broke out. Surprisingly, most of the young Japanese were more open to the discussion and in fact most echo'd the same concerns that China, Korea, and the Philippines took offense to. They thought the history books should tell the truth about what Japan did.

One of my favorite students was an 82 year old guy. He said he was to go on the next wave of suicide torpedo/subs to attack the allies fleet before Hirohito finally capitulated to his non-military advisors and accepted surrender terms. Anyway, he loved to talk about the war and American war movies... he seemed to like William Holden. He had some quite interesting opinions about the bomb too.. but I won't get into that.