Study Notes on John W. Dower's 'Ways of Forgetting, Ways of Remembering: Japan in the Modern World'
Preface
Timely reminder of the uses and abuses of history during toxic nationalism in Asia.
Eleven essays published between 1993 and 2005.
One exception: “E.H. Norman, Japan, and the Uses of History.”
Excerpt from a long essay written in 1975.
Controversial; reflects questions historians ask and their historical contexts.
E.H. Carr’s book “What Is History?” challenges historical objectivity and contributes to historiographical debates.
Chapter 1: E.H. Norman, Japan, and the Uses of History
Discusses Norman’s historical writings on modern Japan.
Chapter 2: Race, Language, and War in Two Cultures: World War II in Asia
Examination of wartime cultures and their representations.
Chapter 3: Japan's Beautiful Modern War
Discusses the aesthetic representations of war and modernization in Japan.
Chapter 4: "An Aptitude for Being Unloved": War and Memory in Japan
Common belief that Japan has sanitized its wartime past.
Government denial of wartime atrocities like the Rape of Nanking.
Popular notion of victim consciousness (higaisha ishiki).
3 million Japanese casualties; effects of U.S. air raids in 1945 and atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum as a site of remembrance.
Grassroots narratives to acknowledge past atrocities, with the existence of private 'peace' museums.
Chapter 5: The Bombed: Hiroshimas and Nagasakis in Japanese Memory
Analysis of memory constructions around Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Chapter 6: A Doctor's Diary of Hiroshima, Fifty Years Later
Reflections on the experiences stemming from the bombings and their long-term memories.
Chapter 7: How a Genuine Democracy Should Celebrate Its Past
Discussion on collective memory’s role in democratic practice.
Chapter 8: Peace and Democracy in Two Systems: External Policy and Internal Conflict
Explores dichotomy between Japan's external policies and internal issues.
Chapter 9: Mocking Misery: Grassroots Satire in Defeated Japan
Look at humorous cultural responses post-war.
Chapter 10: Lessons from Japan About War's Aftermath
Insight into how Japan's post-war experiences can inform contemporary conflicts.
Chapter 11: The Other Japanese Occupation
Historical account of Japan’s colonization efforts and their ramifications.
General Observations
Victim consciousness characterized Japanese memory of World War II.
Public discourse on Japan as an aggressor.
Statistically significant trends in Japanese perceptions of wartime responsibility.
Distinct Patterns of Memory in Japan
Denial
Ranging from extremists to politicians who deny Japan's war crimes.
- Argument that Japan acted defensively against Western aggression, not as an aggressor.Restoration of national pride tied to historical revisionism.
Moral Equivalence
Japanese revisionists argue against unique culpability; instead, claim all nations committed wartime atrocities, hence suggesting a moral equivalence.
Conservative critiques of the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal which targeted Japanese leaders for war crimes.
Arguments made by justice Pal against the tribunal as being inherently unjust.
Victim Consciousness
Memory of the atomic bombings and devastation suffered by Japan in WWII.
Public acknowledgment of suffering contrasts with acknowledgment of Japanese war actions against its neighbors.
Binational Sanitizing of War Crimes
U.S. and Japan's mutual interest led to suppression of discussions regarding wartime responsibility; specifically concerning Emperor Hirohito and Unit 731.
Acknowledgment of Guilt and Responsibility
Popular discourse moves toward acknowledging Japan's wartime actions.
Political movements continue to clash over representations in historical education, public memorials, and government apologies.
Conclusion
Mixed legacies of Japan's wartime memory and contemporary representations.
The struggle between historical narrative, national identity, and victimization creates a complex socio-political landscape in modern Japan.