The numerous stygian and saturnine concrete slabs lay row after row, column upon column. Each cubic slab varied in height to convey the reality and truth that the victims consisted of a multitude of personalities and pasts, but whose lives converged on a similar tragic end. Each glossy block had been paid for by the very institutions that profited from the injustices that prevailed during a time of madness. Each block had the names of the Jewish victims that perished during an era of lunacy indelibly carved upon it. The Holocaust memorial in Berlin is a profoundly poignant symbol of a new Germany’s acknowledgement of its past mistakes, and its deep desire to seek forgiveness from those whom suffered. The alleys that crisscrossed the massive memorial are nevertheless redolent with a dignified air of truthfulness and openness. The central location of the memorial between the German parliament and the Brandenburg Gate further demonstrates the unabashed manner in which Germany has come to terms with the events of the Holocaust. When I strolled ponderously the pathways within the Holocaust memorial, my own thoughts strayed inevitably to another catastrophe that unfolded during the course of the Second World War, with a certain propinquity to events of the Holocaust. Events that followed that other catastrophe had however taken a very different path. That event was the Asian Holocaust.

In stark contrast to what can be witnessed in Germany today, there are no memorials in Japan to remind the current generation of the lunacy and cruelty man is capable of doing to his fellow brethren. There are no efforts to educate today’s youth of the region’s turbulent past. And there are definitely no substantial signs of apologies, nor serious signals of atonement for the massive sufferings Japan had inflicted through its aggressions and assailments. There is only an atmosphere of baneful silence, bald ignorance and blatant denial. Instead of honest rapprochement between nations, there is but     acerbic and unresolved animosity.  A country is to be judged not entirely based on the mistakes it commits, but also on its subsequent efforts to exonerate itself, and alleviate the sufferings and injustices it might have unduly caused.

I cannot think of any more relevant and yet contrasting example to Japan’s handling of the Nanking massacre legacy than Germany’s grappling with its own Nazi past. I remember visiting the Wannsee Villa outside of Berlin, where senior Nazi officials met in 1942 to plan and coordinate the mass extermination of the Jews. Young school children were given a brutally frank and honest lecture on their country’s past atrocities, and a very objective outline of why and how such events occurred. I was deeply impressed by the way school children were being taught this history, and more importantly the lessons it can and should provide. Germans today are perhaps amongst the most culturally sensitive and active participants in human rights issues, and I believe that stems largely from the manner in which they have come to terms with their history. If so, then the events of the Holocaust were in some sense an impetus for a greater moral progress and awareness, and the lessons of the past are indeed remembered through both memory and action.  It is plausible that the reason why I was so thoroughly impressed by the scene I encountered in the Wannsee Villa is because of my own experiences. My own grandparents in Singapore were tortured during the Japanese occupation of the Second World War. I learnt about Japanese atrocities and brutality both from academic schooling and from my grandparents’ anecdotal accounts. Their experiences are still vivid and upsetting till this very day. I once met a Japanese student studying the Chinese language in the USA. Our conversation turned unexpectedly to the war on one occasion, and I mentioned the Japanese invasion and occupation of Singapore. I halted in the middle of my speech when I noticed an exasperated and distraught expression on her face. Apparently she had absolutely no idea that Japan had even invaded and occupied a vast tract of Southeast Asian countries. I myself had heard that Japan’s youth tended to be ignorant of the events of the Second World War. I had however never expected that this ignorance would extend to even the lack of the most basic and rudimentary knowledge of the war.  Subsequently, I  informed this Japanese young lady of the events that occurred. I sensed a genuine urge from her to learn this history;  and yet there was a sense of fear and incredulousness. I would not have been surprised if she had cried at that instance.

Japan’s obstinate refusal to budge on the issue of atonement for its mistakes during the Second World War would plausibly hinder and obstruct the greater potential cooperation amongst itself and other Asian nations. The moral character and spiritual content of a country would be judged and evaluated based on how it manages the great moral and spiritual issues it faces. The systematic denial of information to a new generation of Japanese youth has deprived them of an opportunity to strengthen their generation’s bonds with other Asian countries, and also of the chance to morally rejuvenate their country. The failure of Japan to recognize and take responsibility for its war crimes perhaps exposes a much larger flaw in humanity. Japan’s shunning of its responsibility reflects a certain disregard for morality and humanity itself. Perhaps Japan’s actions can be explained by its disregard and disdain for human lives and suffering, or as a product of national pride and ego.

Another country that has perpetually refused to admit to a genocide it has committed is Turkey. Turkey’s genocide of the Armenians during the First World War is well documented and is widely accepted, but Turkey still refuses to concede and atone for the genocide. National pride might be one of the crucial reasons for Turkey’s intractable stance. A Turk who mentions the mere notion of admitting to the genocide is immediately deemed unpatriotic and a traitor. This stance has been further reinforced by the Western world’s gradual and sure acceptance of Turkey as a civilized counterpart in the economic, cultural and military spheres. This behavior can be explained through the diaphanous prism of self interests. For example, it is plausible to consider that the world’s apparent oblivion to the massacres that occurred during the course of the First World War is because of Turkey’s role in the war. Europe chose largely to ignore the issue of justice for the Armenians after the Second World War, and even admitted Turkey into NATO since geopolitical necessities made it crucial to possess Turkish territories for staging NATO missiles aimed at the Soviet Union. Armenia’s crusade for justice has thus been repeatedly betrayed due to the continuing and changing interests in the world. The quests of many Asian nations to seek justice and compensation from Japan have similarly been repeatedly hijacked and deluded perhaps by those who prioritize other items above that of human justice and morality. These items could range from political gains to business profits.  This is a sad reflection on the human tendency to focus on short term profits and personal interests, to ignore the lessons and imperatives learned from history,  along with the greater interests of society and solidarity with humanity.

Japan’s actions are a stain on humanity and a snag on human progress. The world’s similar disregard and silence regarding Japan’s actions and failure to take responsibility for its crimes signify a tacit approval and even encouragement. Sadly, it appears that the movement of time, coupled with the business and political imperatives of the contemporary world make it easy to ignore and forget the injustices suffered and the crimes committed against the older generation. The glossing over of the unresolved injustices of a previous generation, of a generation that is still alive and from which our world today is directly descended from, is then a betrayal of our own human heritage and the moral obligations all mankind should have towards humanity. If and when Japan feels the burdens and costs for its denials, perhaps it might seriously begin to consider a change of its policies. If international interactions and correspondences with Japan begin to include a moral component, then that would be a strong incentive for reform. There are many areas that in fact deserve reforms and sometimes outright remodeling. These would include education for the children, foreign policy toward its neighbours, compensation for the living victims, and commemoration of events to ensure history does not ever repeat itself again.

It is feasible that the continued and enforced ignorance in Japan itself will manifest itself in the situation we face today. I have faith in the moral character of a modern society of Japan that should the majority of  its people become fully aware of  its wartime role, there would indeed be substantial pressures for change. It is lamentable that such a technologically advanced nation in the information age would still be fettered with historical censorship and revisionism. It is perhaps natural to contemplate and compare how censorship on Japan’s history is tantamount to discarding a portion of its morality. In a progressive society, would it not be better for the younger generation to have full access to the facts of history, and decide for themselves? Is not the current denial of information to the youth in Japan a denial for the entirety of humanity to progress forward? Propaganda is not simply the addition and distortion of selected information, but also the omission of vital information. The minority of the conservatives, bureaucrats and business leaders are then holding hostage the entire Japanese nation’s conscience by withholding from them the vital information they need to understand the world they live in, and the history from which their heritage derives. I cannot help but wonder sometimes, if every single Japanese who travels out of Japan is confronted by someone somewhere about his or her country’s past, would that gradual seeping of information into Japan create an impetus for reform?

The principal and foremost hindrance towards recognition and reconciliation is perhaps the education of the Japanese people on those issues so tender and stirring for so many of its Asian neighbors. When the abundant contradictions between official Japanese versions of events and the world’s version become evident and lucid, the inherent pressures in such a revelation would then spur the beginning of change that just might result in a new generation of more conscious Japanese eager to follow the German example. Still it is not enough just for those directly inflicted in the massacres to cry for justice, but the duty of the entire world and humanity to enforce their collective moral might. The situation of ignorance and denial in Japan continues in part due to the indifference and inattention of the larger world. For now, the first step towards a larger reform is for the average Japanese person to learn that the Second World War for Japan did not begin and end with the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but with the many atrocities committed by Japanese military on the shores of its Asian neighbours many years before Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

 The lack of historical consciousness is one of the primary causes of  reinforcements and aggravations of  conflicts today. People tend to forget or overlook the injustices their nations have inflicted on other nations, and thus fail to empathize or react appropriately to events. Consider when Stalin deported the entire Chechen populace to Siberia and Kazakhstan during the Second World War. It was an unprecedented catastrophe for the Chechen nation and culture. Chechnya as a national and cultural entity was obliterated, and thousands upon thousands of Chechens died as a result of the deportations and forced relocations. They were allowed to return to their homeland only during the period of de-Stalinization under Khruschev. Stalin’s actions as far as Chechens are concerned are synonymous to those of Russia’s today. It is therefore arguable that Chechens have indeed a valid grievance when they fight for independence from Russia. It is also understandable why then they want their independence from a larger entity in which they consider themselves to be neglected, abused or simply downtrodden. The majority of Russians however do not recall those tragic events so pivotal in shaping the current Chechen mentality and resolve. They do not place the so-called terrorist attacks of the Chechens in the larger historical context;  and thus,  to them, the Chechens are simply cold blooded murderers. The victims have somehow become the aggressors in this distorted and narrow view of history. The subsequent Russian oppression of Chechnya under President Putin could be compared to the moral equivalent of a modern day Germany invading Poland yet again. Of course, the latter is considered impossible in Europe due to the widespread and high levels of historical appreciation.

Most violent conflicts have their intensity and ferocity linked to certain historical events that tend to be unperceived and unrecognized by opposing factions. Most Americans do not remember how the US-led sanctions had caused such sufferings before America invaded Iraq in 2003.  Whenever there is violence caused by a Palestinian,   many people do not consider how Israeli tactics have caused such alienation and suffering for the Palestinian people, but view it in a terrorist context.  Instances when Israel inflicts suffering on the Palestinians are omitted in the American media, but Palestinian attacks on Israelis would in contrast be focused upon and generously covered in the media. In this light, it is not surprising that the majority of Americans would be pro-Israel. The examples of such instances are ample throughout history.  The lack of information, whether deliberate or accidental, has resulted in or prolonged the intensity and duration of so many human conflicts. Perhaps the best way to mitigate future conflicts, and even to prevent them, is through education. Educate the Japanese youth about  the Rape of Nanking, the Great East Asian Co-prosperity Sphere, the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, and the dropping of the atomic bombs. Educate the youth on all that history has to offer, from the shameful to the glorious, and from the disgraceful to the honorable, so that the full spectrum of wisdom that history can offer will be bestowed upon them. Educate them so that not just they might benefit, but that all those around them, and humanity as a whole will be bettered, bringing an assuasive, if not an entirely satisfactory and responsible conclusion to a tragic chapter of history.