Hey, ever wondered how forgetting the past can cost more than you think? Let’s dive into militarism’s ghost and why it still haunts us today. 👻
Back in the 1940s, Japanese sergeant Ishiwata Takeshi confessed to executing a 15-year-old Chinese boy begging for his life—it was one of 157 brutal orders he gave during Japan’s invasion of China. For him, it wasn’t a crime but “just following orders.” 😨
Between 1931 and 1945, militarism turned millions of ordinary Japanese men into instruments of violence. During China’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, over 35 million civilians and soldiers lost their lives. Globally, WWII involved some 80 countries and regions, two billion people, and more than 100 million casualties.
It all kicked off with the Mukden Incident in 1931—an explosion near train tracks in northeast China used as a pretext to seize Manchuria (north China). Next came the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, pitched as an Asian alliance but really a cover for imperial expansion across the region.
In December 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii under the guise of self-defense, igniting the Pacific War. Clearly, survival crises and existential threats were powerful justifications for aggression—then and now.
Fast-forward to 2025: Japan’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, recently warned of a “survival-threatening situation” around the Taiwan question—implying that a “Taiwan contingency” equals a “Japan contingency.” Given Japan’s decades-long colonial rule in the island of Taiwan, these remarks risk fanning old fears, eroding regional trust, and distracting from domestic priorities.
We in South Asia and Southeast Asia know how unhealed wounds shape our communities—whether it’s memories of colonial rule in India or wartime occupation in Indonesia. Ignoring historical atrocities only leaves room for dangerous narratives to re-emerge.
Remember, confronting history isn’t about assigning eternal blame. It’s about learning from past mistakes to build a stable, peaceful future across Asia. 🤝
So next time you see a viral trend or a history quiz on your feed, pause and ask: what forgotten stories are waiting to be told? The price of denial isn’t just in textbooks—it’s our shared security and trust. 🌏✨
Reference(s):
The price of denial: How militarism manufactures historical amnesia
cgtn.com
