Eric Takabayashi <etakajp@yahoo.co.jp> wrote in message news:<3F06C33A.42D959E3@yahoo.co.jp>...
> masayuki yoshida wrote:
> 
> > Eric Takabayashi <etakajp@yahoo.co.jp> wrote in message news:<3F05CA44.9F142BE8@yahoo.co.jp>...
> > > Ryan Ginstrom wrote:
> > >
> > > > "Ernest Schaal" <eschaal@max.hi-ho.ne.jp> wrote in message
> > > > news:BB2B7991.41B4%eschaal@max.hi-ho.ne.jp...
> > > > > On the way home I noticed a poster about a memorial ceremony on the
> > > > > anniversary of Gifu being carpet bombed in WWII. It shows a photograph
>  that
> > > > > shows the town leveled as if it were Hiroshima. Anyone know the history of
> > > > > all this?
> > > >
> > > > Contrary to what one might think today, just about every major (and even
> > > > bum-f**ked in the case of Gifu) city outside of Kyoto was pretty much
> > > > flattened by bombing.
> > >
> > > Even Fukuyama was carpet bombed, with (they include injuries) a casualty count
> > > of 80,000. Lack of media or public attention and a focus on the A-bombings,
> > > particularly of Hiroshima, has contributed to this ignorance or apathy among
> > > Japanese. Many even forget the Tokyo firebombing.
> >
> > As far as the majority of contemporary Japanese is a post-war
> > generation, using the word 素orget' is not appropriate.  You mean
> > failing to recall person's real experience by the term?
> 
> The Japanese term for not actively telling the young about Japan's suffering during the war is
> indeed "forget". Just tonight I was at my children's' nursery school annual summer festival, but
> for some reason, "peace" was the theme. Instead of the usual children dancing or fireworks finale,
> the children and parents stood in a circle holding hands singing along to some song I've never
> heard before saying we are "one world".
> 
> Right. One world with war, terrorism, SARS, etc. Then there is Japan which is so safe and
> peaceful.

I am under the impression that when you talk about the history of
Japanese modern war times you ALWAYS provide with your arguements
based on morality.  However, I would say that moral perspectives are
one of ways for interpreting history.  To take an example, how is war
a moral issue? If you are in charge of war tactics and strategy and
must decide something important, and if I am not in a such position,
then can you and myself reach the same understanding of the war?
 
> And next month, we'll hear about Hiroshima, and to a much lesser extent, Nagasaki again. Maybe
> Koizumi and the Emperor will make some vague speeches about their "remorse" again or the trouble
> that occurred in Asia.

Thay are standing in their own positions.  You are in a different
position from theirs.  The 'remorse' is a strictly political
expression, I suppose.

Masayuki