I love books. I love reading books. As much as possible I do not let the title of the book or the cover page artwork determine whether or not I would read the book.
One topic that fascinates me is history. I always wonder how people who most of the time where not present during an event can give accurate descriptions of the various occurrences during the event.
As we all know, there are always two sides to any story just as there are two sides to a coin. This however, is not the case with history. When it comes to history there are many sides to that coin. The reason being that there are usually a good number of people involved who, most of the time do not see, hear or perceive the same thing(s).
Where one sees black, another might see grey, another would probably sees ash and someone else would have seen a very dark color but didn't really think it was black and then there would be the group that did not see but heard, followed by those who heard from "an authoritative source" and then, there would be those who think that they heard but are not sure and then, those who heard from someone who heard from someone who heard from someone who saw or thought he/she saw but isn't exactly sure !
Over time and with the examples above stated, it is clear that history is bound to be distorted or contorted in one way or the other. So, what happens is that a standard of agreement has to be reached beyond which distortion of the facts may not be condoned or lets say appreciated.
This is the problem that China, Japan and South Korea have faced and are still facing. They have not been able to come to a point or to reach a standard of agreement for what and what did or did not happen during the war years. Whilst it may appear that one group or party seeks to over estimate and exaggerate the issues that happened, there is also this impression that the other party seeks to underestimate and also downplay the facts of the events of the war years.
This bickering back and forth and all around on issues that occurred before most of my readers (myself inclusive) were born makes this rather painful. It feels like when we think the wound has healed, the actions and stories in the media cause the wounds to burst open afresh though small, the tear may be it still is indicative of a wound that might be impossible to heal given the pervasive circumstances. Although, we believe that time does heal all wounds, this one seems to be defying time's healing hands.
I think China, Korea and Japan need to come together and agree about some, if not all the facts of the war years, accept those facts as the facts. Apologize to one another and then forgive one another. We do after all practice the same religions like; Buddhism, Christianity, e.t.c where forgiveness is taught or preached !
This generation is one that does not need wars or strife. Japanese, Koreans and Chinese have inter-married to a reasonable degree and it would not be healthy for us to start shooting at one another because of things that happened [out of ignorance] almost a century ago or because of the resources that we met on earth and would leave on it [no one is going to take crude oil or diamonds or gold or money to the afterlife].
It's time to AGREE to what our history was [or is] and should say in the books.
Like Napoleon Bonaparte said; "HISTORY IS A SET OF LIES AGREED UPON.
Let's choose the least damaging lies so that we can move forward easily, happily and in peace.