SDHF Newsletter No.361 THE ROAD TO THE GREATER EAST ASIAN WAR Part 2: Introduction

THE ROAD TO THE GREATER EAST ASIAN WAR
Nakamura Akira, Professor Emeritus of Dokkyo University
(English Translation: Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact)

Part 2: Introduction

The author says that historical controversies are the most nagging problems confronting Japan during the postwar era. Because Just as an ex-convict, forever branded, must live out his days as a pariah, Japan has seen its history reviled. Encumbered with the aggressor stigma, our country has yet to resume its rightful status in the international community.

Especially, Chinese maintains the notion of Japan as the malefactor and China as its victim. Based on this notion Chinese employ arrogant, intrusive language to describe Japanese textbooks or pilgrimages to Yasukuni Shrine. Unfortunately, Japanese government has acquiesced to the Chinese demand.

By performing a structural analysis of Greater East Asian War, and retracting its process, the author came to discover two main themes, i.e., negotiation between Japan and US in connection with the Open Door Policy, and the battle against communism. That discovery enabled him to position the Greater East Asian War at the climactic point where those two themes met and expanded.

Since author’s position to emphasize the historical back ground of the war he begins with relationship between Meiji Japan and China Korea, both of which were on the verge of modernization. So, Chapter 1 is titled Beginnings of Modern Japan-Korea Relations.”

URL:　 https://www.sdh-fact.com/book-article/1952/
PDF:　 https://www.sdh-fact.com/CL/Road2E.pdf
Author Profile:　 https://www.sdh-fact.com/auther/nakamura-akira/

MOTEKI Hiromichi, Chairman
Society for the Dissemination of Historical Fact