Post-World War II recovery is valued more than the conflict itself
After the outbreak of World War II, Pearl Harbor was undoubtedly one of the most interesting historical facts. In the face of this tragic history, how do educational institutions in Japan tell students about this past? Let's take a peek at Japanese campuses.
"Why?" was masked
Missing content in the classroom
When asked about their impressions of Pearl Harbor, most people know that it was a sudden attack, but they do not know the exact cause. This has nothing to do with the way Japanese textbooks deal with this matter.
Many students reported that the textbook simply explained the time, place and cause of the incident, but did not delve into the trigger. Even the question of why Japan struck first was deliberately evaded.
A preemptive strike is the only option
"Why is Japan attacking the United States?" "Is there any other way?" These basic questions are not addressed in the textbook.
Pay more attention to consequences and prevention
Rather than discussing the causes and consequences of the incident, the teachers were more interested in teaching students about the human trauma caused by war. Many classes focus on the casualties, destruction and famine caused by the fighting, and call for peace and opposition to all military conflicts.
One teacher bluntly stated that they focused on instilling in their students the idea that "the suffering caused by war must be avoided repeated". It can be seen that preventing the scourge of war seems to be more important than pursuing the truth of history.
The U.S. perspective is controversial
In Japanese education, the American perspective has been controversial. Some teachers will make it clear that the United States has made the right choice to declare war on Japan, and will praise General MacArthur's handling of the situation.
However, there is no shortage of people who question this. Some argue that such statements are nothing more than "rehearsed scripts" designed to pander to American expectations. Coincidentally, textbooks have also been accused of writing calmly with "zero emotion" to avoid stirring up anti-American sentiment.
There is a big divide between home-school students
Teachers are 'distraught'
In the face of the teaching of Pearl Harbor, there are clear divisions in Japanese society.
Parents tend to support schools' approach, arguing that war is a test for young people and does not need to be studied. However, some students were skeptical of the content of the textbook and hoped to understand the incident more thoroughly.
What is touching is that in some schools on military bases, teachers seem to be a little "distraught" and can only barely cope with the relevant courses. This undoubtedly exposes the sensitivity of the topic.
Controversy with different opinions
In general, there is a lot of controversy and disagreement in Japan about how to teach about Pearl Harbor. The influencing factors are complex, including U.S.-Japan relations, colonial legacies, and pacifist pursuits.
"Very objective, zero emotion"
To put it simply, the government wants to avoid exacerbating ethnic tensions, while schools focus on inculcating the idea of peace, and personal views are not without bias. Under the pull of many voices, the truth has also become blurred.
At the end of the day, there is only one fact: people have limited knowledge of the past, including those who are in it. Time has passed, and even if there is a deliberate excavation, the forgotten and distorted parts are difficult to fully trace.
The reason why this history has caused so much controversy is probably to blame for the endless mysteries. But in any case, looking at the present in reverse will help us solve the doubts in our hearts.