Why do East Asians still hold grudges against Japan?

[DanS]

Why do Asians still hold WWII grudges, when it happened a long time ago? Not that grudges aren't held in Europe for the Nazis, but I can't think of a time when it really rose to the policy level--they're just personal. (You might consider Haider in Austria as WWII ghosts rising to the policy level--I don't know.) Rather, Germany is thought to be an important part of the EU.

I'm reminded of this because China is making a big deal of one guy dieing from mustard gas poisioning from a left over barrel from WWII. It appears that Japan is going to make compensation, but China insists on whipping Japan over this at the highest levels.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3175463.stm

Further, if they hold so many grudges, why don't these countries give the US props for putting the smackdown on the Japanese? If the Asians really remembered their history, the US would be the most popular country in the neighborhood. Instead, we hear a lot of thinly masked xenophobia toward the US. Even among our allies in SK!

Lastly, there seem to be some Eastern Asian countries that are less stuck in the past. The US has good relations with Vietnam, for instance, and there seems to be very little personal animosity among the Vietnamese people against the US. Is this a difference in culture among different groups of Asians?

[DinoDoc]

Why do East Asians still hold grudges against Japan?

The historical whitewashing of Japanese war crime that goes on in thier educational system could have something to do with it.

[Spiffor]

Well, the Japanese were not nice at all with East Asian countries during WW2. Some of their deeds are among the most barbaric ever done by Mankind (Nakings massacres...). And grudge over such young events isn't surprising.
Heck, in France, there is a lot of Anti-German feeling because, you know, German are all nazis and barbarians (I can't bear hearing that). And this despite a 50 years old effort to bring the two countries together.

The fact that Japan never made real efforts into acknowledging this horrible events, and the fact that other countries never tried to actively befriend with Japan explains that the grudge has very narrowly calmed down. A population's grudge can last long, very long.

[Kuciwalker]

Except in America. There it lasts from four to eight years

[Dinner]

Do East Asians still hold grudges against Japan?

Roger, that would be a big 10-4.

They hold a grudge because they've been trained to while in school just as black Americans have been trained to hold a grudge. I really don't see all of the pent up hate and rage as being useful but apparntly the political class in east Asia does since they keep the cycle going.

[Shi Huangdi]

I think Germany has been far more penitent for what it has done then Japan has.

[DanS]

Well, perhaps Europeans should hold more of a grudge against Germany. Their crimes are perhaps only marginally less heinous. Whatdy'all think?

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by skywalker
Except in America. There it lasts from four to eight years

America has only known paltry humiliations in comparison to what other people have known. I mean, Sept. 11 is your worst trauma, and it came 50 years after the other major trauma that was Pearl Harbor.
These two events are petty compared to what other people have endured. I'm pretty sure that if a foreign country basically levelled NY or LA, you wouldn't forgive it in decades... Same thing if a foreign country had occupied you for years and humiliated you everyday during this period.

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Shi Huangdi
I think Germany has been far more penitent for what it has done then Japan has.

I personally think Germany has taken thier personal guilt trip a little too far though.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by DanS
Well, perhaps Europeans should hold more of a grudge against Germany. Whatdy'all think?

No. Because Germany has been penitent... It's actually the most Penitent country on Earth. The Germans can give lessons to everybody about how to acknowledge and mourn past horrors.

Japan OTOH, has done like if nothing was wrong.

[Kuciwalker]

I think he was joking.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by Spiffor
I'm pretty sure that if a foreign country basically levelled NY or LA, you wouldn't forgive it in decades...

Hell, if I could get the Japanese to level LA then I'd pay them.

[PLATO]

Originally posted by Spiffor

America has only known paltry humiliations in comparison to what other people have known. I mean, Sept. 11 is your worst trauma, and it came 50 years after the other major trauma that was Pearl Harbor.
These two events are petty compared to what other people have endured. I'm pretty sure that if a foreign country basically levelled NY or LA, you wouldn't forgive it in decades... Same thing if a foreign country had occupied you for years and humiliated you everyday during this period.

Whenever people complain about US foriegn and military policy I will think of this quote. It is so true. This is why we do what we do. To keep us from ever having the described "humiliations". We are fortunate, but we always are working to keep the major problems away from our boarder. This result is not luck...it is resolve.

[DanS]

I don't agree that Japan hasn't been penitent. Look at their actions compared with the Germans. While Germany has a military that goes outside of its borders regularly, Japan has a tough time sending troops anywhere.

Also, pacifism is so ingrained that it is a question whether her troops would even fire in self defense were they outside of her borders.

Lastly, German industry has been no less hesitant to settle claims against them for the war.

[Spiffor]

Indeed Plato.

That made me think of this part of the Rule Britannia:

Britons never will be slaves

This is a very strong statement, and this comes from centuries of Britannia being conquered by Romans, Saxons, Vikings, Normans...
But maybe there is another way to protect yourself than to indulge said humiliations to other people ?