On 10/20/2004 7:52 PM, Eric Takabayashi wrote:
> Scott Reynolds wrote:
> 
>>On 10/19/2004 7:05 PM, Eric Takabayashi wrote:
>>
>>>Scott Reynolds wrote:
>>>
>>>>I never got the impression that Eric feels rage at White Americans, but
>>>>maybe I'm just looking at what he wrote from a different perspective. I
>>>>think he has a point about there being double standards when it comes to
>>>>how some Americans assess their country's actions in wartime. I think he
>>>>is exaggerating to some extent, though.
>>>
>>>Exaggerating what?
>>
>>The general degree of ignorance among Americans of the wrongs their
>>country has committed (or that were committed in its name) throughout
>>history.
> 
> So why don't Americans hate Americans who commit atrocities, demanding the
> same be done to them as those darn Japs? (eg, recall handling of My Lai
> Massacre) Why are they not as angry about American wrongdoing being covered
> up? Why don't we teach such as _War Without Mercy_ or _Embracing Defeat_ in
> all schools to show the darker side of the US and the human side of the
> Japanese, during and after WWII? Why does survey show even American ignorance
> of the A-bombings (or the reasons for them) is on the increase?

Maybe people are less likely to hate their own kind. That attitude may
not be right but it is not really all that surprising.

As for declining interest in and knowledge of WW2, that is inevitable as
time passes and those with direct experience die off. I am rather more
concerned about ignorance about Vietnam, which has not passed into the
realm of ancient history just yet.

-- 
_______________________________________________________________
Scott Reynolds                                      sar@gol.com