Unable to leave history in the past...

[21QUEST]

For possibly my last post on the thread, I'd post part of an earlier post from SK

I have spent a very short time in Japan, literally a couple of days in Osaka, but I realised from that time that they see the world VERY differently than we do in the west, and that there may even be an ingrained xenophobia (rather than racism) but there is also a great national pride.

That above is one of the most difficult concept for people in general to see and accept. Once that is done, then a better understanding of diiferences can be reached.

I don't know about anyone else but sure as hell freezes, in certain situations, even I, still have to remind myself of the above.

ETA: The concept I speak about is one which says "People are all different....."

EVERY leading nation of today has some degree of barbarism in their history. Be it in civil or tirbal type wars or when acting as invading nations. Many instances are not just barbaric per sé, but the cases where thousands of men were lost in the mind numbing stupidity of head to head battles.

Yes Japan has a questionable past,(if we anger for the deeds done to Allied servicemen in WW2, trust me that melts in to insignificance compared with what they did to ordinary Chinese civilians when they invaded there during that same conflict.)

The Japanese do though have a very beautiful and truly cultured past and many aspects over the centuries have captivated the minds and souls of us westerners.

Yet what we are all hankering on about is HISTORY, which is there for us all to learn from in the hope that misdeeds, bad judgements and outright mistakes are never repeated. History though is open to interpretation and re-application to suit any individual or collective ends.

(Think my entire post offered no value at all really!)

No Pedrosa, it's a good post.

The past is in the past. Learn from it, don't forget it, and ensure you don't allow it to repeat itself.

Boycotting Japs or saying this natural disaster is retribution for WWII is ludicrous. Two of my favourite quotes relating to war;

"There are no winners in wars, only losers".
"War is young men dying and old men talking".

Japanese civilians suffered a huge amount due to the atomic bombs, not just when it happened but many decades after with radiation poisoning and cancers etc. They got it worse than the Germans who committed many more atrocities.

Either way, as much as humans have a strong sense of national identity, we are all humans and never like seeing anybody suffering. The scenes in Japan were truly horrific, but to even have the thought that this is there 'come-uppence' truly baffles me.

Anybody watch The Pacific recently? It shows you that at times of war you're not fighting for your country but yourself. It's just you and your rifle and it's either kill or be killed. Doesn't matter what side you're on, because the 19year trooper only has one thing on his mind - to survive and return to his family.

[BanannaMan]

Originally Posted by Lozzo

when can Britain and America expect their natural disasters in payment for the atomic bomb and the effect it had on the mainly civilian population of Hiroshima, Nagasaki and the surrounding areas?

What do you call these fuel prices and suffering ecomomy?