A comedian named Dylan Moran stated, “I’m not big on nationalism, to be honest with you. I really don’t think it gets people anywhere except near a pile of dead bodies.” History backs up Moran; nationalism is a major factor in the causation of war. Most notably is World War II, the Nazi regime and the Japanese Empire each used nationalism to gain power. The Night of a Thousand Suicides written by Teruhiko Asada, who was a prisoner of war himself, illustrates how nationalism blinds and brainwashes people to act irrational. This story is a fictionalized account of an escape attempt by strong nationalistic Japanese prisoners of war during World War II. These strong beliefs ultimately are the cause of death for hundreds. Asada does a good job of
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This is patriotism that is taken so far that it brainwashes citizens to believe that one’s nation is the greatest and most important in the world. Japan’s government, prior to World War II, uses this ideology to gain power and control throughout their empire. They brainwash people into the idea that country is more important than oneself. In the article What were the Wartime Japanese Thinking Christopher Harding states:
A militaristic mysticism has everyone in thrall to the emperor, sapping people of independent spirit and the ability to make decisions for themselves. They are relatively incapable of critical thinking, ordinary human feeling, or even humour. (Harding 50)
Harding explains what the Japanese people came to believe from the idea of nationalism. These people are willing to die for the greater good of the country if the emperor would need this. They are taught that death fighting for the nation is the ultimate glory one can achieve. Then on the flip side, if one runs from death in war you are labeled a coward and bring shame to one’s family. These strong beliefs explain how the people are brainwashed into making irrational decisions for their leaders. Some of the characters in Asada’s story express this strong belief that rubs off on the …show more content…
This belief blinds them from using reason when making a decision. For example, the prisoners in the story have a rather “good” prison in which to live. However, when word comes about that a relocation may come, the strong nationalists come forward ready to fight. These select Japanese soldiers have a strong fight or die mentality, and will make sure that the rest of the group will not back down from a fight like cowards. Asada shows this when Cpl. Hotei states, “There’s not one single coward of that kind in my section. We’re all ready to die defying any such order. That’s the fighting spirit of Japan!” (Asada 4). This fighting mentality is a product from the strong nationalistic environment of Japan. The Corporal refuses to be thought of as a coward, and the rest of the common prisoners will follow what the leadership decides. A point is made about this within the story: “Logic is not the strong point of the Japanese. They are inclined to be carried away with an atmosphere and also to submit their wills to that of a superior” (Asada 6). This explains why their nationalistic pride comes before their own. For they are also taught that fighting to the death will result in eternal glory and cowerdness only brings shame. Not one of the prisoners wants to be labeled a coward. The effects from their strong nationalistic ideology has brainwashed them into believing that death is better than
This is patriotism that is taken so far that it brainwashes citizens to believe that one’s nation is the greatest and most important in the world. Japan’s government, prior to World War II, uses this ideology to gain power and control throughout their empire. They brainwash people into the idea that country is more important than oneself. In the article What were the Wartime Japanese Thinking Christopher Harding states:
A militaristic mysticism has everyone in thrall to the emperor, sapping people of independent spirit and the ability to make decisions for themselves. They are relatively incapable of critical thinking, ordinary human feeling, or even humour. (Harding 50)
Harding explains what the Japanese people came to believe from the idea of nationalism. These people are willing to die for the greater good of the country if the emperor would need this. They are taught that death fighting for the nation is the ultimate glory one can achieve. Then on the flip side, if one runs from death in war you are labeled a coward and bring shame to one’s family. These strong beliefs explain how the people are brainwashed into making irrational decisions for their leaders. Some of the characters in Asada’s story express this strong belief that rubs off on the …show more content…
This belief blinds them from using reason when making a decision. For example, the prisoners in the story have a rather “good” prison in which to live. However, when word comes about that a relocation may come, the strong nationalists come forward ready to fight. These select Japanese soldiers have a strong fight or die mentality, and will make sure that the rest of the group will not back down from a fight like cowards. Asada shows this when Cpl. Hotei states, “There’s not one single coward of that kind in my section. We’re all ready to die defying any such order. That’s the fighting spirit of Japan!” (Asada 4). This fighting mentality is a product from the strong nationalistic environment of Japan. The Corporal refuses to be thought of as a coward, and the rest of the common prisoners will follow what the leadership decides. A point is made about this within the story: “Logic is not the strong point of the Japanese. They are inclined to be carried away with an atmosphere and also to submit their wills to that of a superior” (Asada 6). This explains why their nationalistic pride comes before their own. For they are also taught that fighting to the death will result in eternal glory and cowerdness only brings shame. Not one of the prisoners wants to be labeled a coward. The effects from their strong nationalistic ideology has brainwashed them into believing that death is better than