During World War II, Japan's invasion of the mainland caused extremely serious casualties and property losses, and it is still an unavoidable topic in Sino-Japanese relations to this day. This history reminds us that peace is not easy to come by, and we must cherish it and learn the lessons of history to prevent the recurrence of tragedies.
But then again, why did the Japanese army act like beasts when they fought in China? In fact, it had a lot to do with their wives.
Crimes committed by the Japanese army during the invasion of China
On December 13, 1937, the six-week massacre that took place after the Japanese captured Nanjing, known as the Nanjing Massacre or the Nanjing Massacre, was one of the most well-known atrocities committed by the Japanese army in its invasion of China.
According to statistics, about 300,000 innocent civilians and soldiers were brutally killed by the Japanese army. Not only did the Japanese masacre men, but they also committed mass rape of women, severely destroying cities and plundering large quantities of property.
Unit 731 of the Japanese Army conducted a large number of biological and chemical weapons experiments during the Japanese invasion of China, including dissecting living people, deliberately infecting them with viruses and bacteria, and conducting temperature and stress tests, which were cruel and inhumane experiments.
Unit 731 has also used chemical and biological weapons in several parts of China, causing a large number of civilian deaths, and that's not all.
The issue of comfort women is still a sensitive issue in some Asian countries, as the Japanese army forcibly conscripted a large number of women to serve in the occupied areas, and these women are called "comfort women" and are forced to enter military comfort stations, where they are sexually abused and exploited by the Japanese army.
In the course of its invasion of China, the Japanese army carried out an extremely cruel policy of sabotage against the anti-Japanese base areas on the mainland, that is, the so-called "three lights" of killing, burning, and looting, including large-scale massacres of civilians, burning houses, food, and property, making many areas a ruin and the people living in misery.
During the invasion of China, the Japanese army also carried out random massacres and plundering in many cities and villages, often indiscriminately killing anyone they encountered, whether men, women, or children, and also looting property and burning houses, causing huge social and economic losses.
There is a saying in the culture of the mainland, that is, "at the beginning of man, nature is good", and Japan has also been influenced by the culture of the mainland, why they behave like beasts, this is not unrelated to its domestic propaganda, especially the brainwashing of housewives.
Propaganda of the Japanese army in the country
During Japan's war of aggression against China, the Japanese government adopted a series of propaganda and education measures to shape and strengthen women's support for the war.
These measures are carried out at the social, cultural, and educational levels, and by creating an atmosphere of "all the people are soldiers", they influence and brainwash women in the country to support their husbands and families to fight on the front lines.
The government used the state apparatus and media resources to vigorously promote imperialist and militarist propaganda, and disseminated positive information about the war and news of victory through films, radio, newspapers, textbooks and other media, creating a culture of war heroism.
Women are encouraged to become "mothers of national defense" and nurture and support their husbands and sons to become soldiers who die for their country, a propaganda that not only glorifies the war but also inspires women to support the war by seeing it as an honor and duty to send men to war.
Japanese schools, women's organizations, and women's associations emphasize women's roles and responsibilities in wartime through education and training, such as saving supplies, participating in war production, and caring for wounded soldiers.
Under this education, women are indoctrinated with the notion that it is the duty and honor of every citizen to encourage husbands and sons to join the army in the interests of the country and the family.
In this society-wide mobilization, the role of women is emphasized as rear support, and their sacrifices and contributions are seen as important factors in the country's victory.
The idea that women should stick to their families and support their husbands and sons to the front lines is a combination of traditional family values and female roles that deepens women's support for the war.
Maybe a lot of people don't understand the use of this kind of extreme propaganda, and you can see how inhumane it is through a story.
There was a Japanese soldier who did not want to join the army because his wife was pregnant, and the wife blamed herself when she heard her husband's reason, thinking that she was dragging him down and the country, and chose to commit suicide in order to let her husband join the army without any scruples.
After seeing the corpse of his wife, the Japanese soldiers did not blame the Japanese government for this fault, but on the mainland, and vented their inner anger like beasts in the war of aggression against China, and did many things that angered people and resented them.
Militaristic ideas
Behind the above stories is the control and shaping of the fate of individuals by society at that time, which not only reveals the vulnerability of individuals in the face of social pressures and state apparatus, but also reflects the sacralization and glorification of women's sacrifices in the context of war.
The appreciation and propaganda of such acts in Japanese society has further exacerbated this phenomenon, and the media and the government have portrayed this behavior of supporting the country at the expense of personal interests, even lives, as noble patriotism.
This propaganda not only deepened people's sense of identity with the war, but also created a social atmosphere in which the interests and lives of individuals must serve the needs of the country, reflecting the values and moral standards of Japanese society at the time.
In general, under the dominance of militarism, women are expected to sacrifice themselves and support their families in the war, and this expectation is even translated into part of their self-identity and code of conduct.
Distorted values and moral standards have caused some extreme behaviors to be wrongly glorified and praised, which is why there are so many "beasts" on the battlefield of aggression against China.
During the war, women were considered vulnerable in many cases, but there was also a saying that "there is no soul under the atomic bomb." During World War II, in addition to encouraging their husbands to join the military, Japanese women also contributed directly or indirectly to the war effort, diversifying their roles and activities.
After men are drafted into the army, Japanese women take care of the elderly and children at home, so that their husbands can rest free on the battlefield.
As the war dragged on, many Japanese women joined the labor market and were directly involved in the military, agriculture, and manufacturing industries, which played an important role in maintaining Japan's wartime economy and production.
Many Japanese women actively participated in the country's propaganda activities, such as organizing patriotic rallies, condolences to frontline soldiers, participating in conservation campaigns and fundraising, etc., as a way to express support for the war effort and encourage soldiers.
Some Japanese women are directly involved in military activities, such as joining organizations such as the Women's Air Defense Team and the Women's Stand Up Team, performing air defense, medical, communications and other tasks, and even appearing on the frontline battlefield as comfort women.
Overall, Japanese women supported the nation's war effort in many ways, not only in traditional family and rear support, but also in direct economic, social, and even military involvement.
What do you think differently about this?