Japan at War, written by Haruko Taya Cook and Theodore F. Cook, is a book explaining Japan’s view of World War II. It is a fascinating book that involves excerpts of many different Japanese people detailing their opinions and thoughts on the war. When discussing World War II, many Americans do not learn about what was going on in Japan before, during, or after the war. This book was captivating to read because it informs a different point of view that the reader might not have known about. This essay will analyze how Japan remembered certain events, and how the United States memories of the war differed or even compared to that. It is important to first know that many Japanese people believe that World War II actually started for them in 1937
…show more content…
This of course lead to the event known as the Nanking Massacre, which is the first event discussed in the book. It is taught that during the invasion of Nanking, the Japanese raped and killed many Chinese children, women, and men. It is still debated to this day the number of people that died in this massacre. For example, Cook explains, “Official histories speak of 300,000… In Japan, answers range from 3,000 to 6,000.” (39). The numbers in this book is questioned between many different people, Nohara Tesihin claims, “We didn’t kill them. I’d say we made them live a communal life.” (33). In another excerpt, Tanida Isamu claims, “It’s said that hundreds of thousands were killed. That’s a lie!” (36). It is hard to know what exactly is the truth from this time period. Most historians will claim that the Japanese did kill and torture about 300,000 citizens. In regards to American culture, the Nanking Massacre is not mentioned in many World War II history
This of course lead to the event known as the Nanking Massacre, which is the first event discussed in the book. It is taught that during the invasion of Nanking, the Japanese raped and killed many Chinese children, women, and men. It is still debated to this day the number of people that died in this massacre. For example, Cook explains, “Official histories speak of 300,000… In Japan, answers range from 3,000 to 6,000.” (39). The numbers in this book is questioned between many different people, Nohara Tesihin claims, “We didn’t kill them. I’d say we made them live a communal life.” (33). In another excerpt, Tanida Isamu claims, “It’s said that hundreds of thousands were killed. That’s a lie!” (36). It is hard to know what exactly is the truth from this time period. Most historians will claim that the Japanese did kill and torture about 300,000 citizens. In regards to American culture, the Nanking Massacre is not mentioned in many World War II history