I lived in Japan for the first 23 years of my life. Thereafter, by choice, I have been living in the United States for the last 42 years. Culturally, the two countries could not be more different from each other in almost every respect. Based on the observations of these two completely different cultures, there is one commonality between both cultures. I extrapolate that this commonality is universal as well. And that commonality – regardless of race, creed, or national origin – is human nature.
As obvious as it may seem, here is what I learned about human nature. Whether we like it or not, as social animals, most of us engage in power plays, be it within a household and/or in a much larger society. Such a power play takes place between countries as well. The never-ending conflicts in the Middle East, for instance, is but one example of it.
On Sunday, December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Thanks to Bix’s book, we now know that Hirohito was intimately involved in its planning – contrary to the story that he and his media supporters propagandized after the war that he knew little about it and that he was as much a victim of his military leaders as anyone else.
In any event, this surprise attack galvanized the United States – which, up until that moment, had been hesitant – to get into World War II. Japan is a small island country with mostly mountainous terrain. Invariably, it is limited in natural resources. Its then goal, therefore, was to secure critical natural resources at all cost, human or otherwise. America’s goal, on the other hand, was to keep freedom intact for its citizens and for the rest of civilization. Unlike all previous wars (that I know of), America’s goal was NOT to “conquer” Japan. Instead, its post-war goal was to help rebuild it – so that Japan could be a trading partner. Local economic prosperity leads to people’s basic needs being met, which leads to peace.
Let’s talk about some little known culture and history of Japan. Just like some of the countries that seem intent on demonizing America today without any concrete basis whatsoever, during the period leading up to and in the midst of World War II itself, Japan’s leaders were successful in doing exactly the same in that country – so much so to the point where just about every ordinary man, woman, and child believed America was evil. In addition, the authorities were also successful in convincing its citizens that non-Japanese were non-humans. When masses of people are brainwashed into thinking that another group is evil and/or non-human, it helps justify perpetuating horrific acts of evil as “just cause.” Japan’s atrocities committed against humanity in Asia, including against all prisoners of war, was being justified by this false set of beliefs. It took near annihilation, caused NOT by aggression but by America’s reaction to Japan’s provocation, coupled with its own stubborn culture to fight to the death in the name of the emperor, before Hirohito himself finally came to his senses and chose to unconditionally surrender to the Allied Powers.
What I did not know until I read Bix’s book is this: Hirohito chose to surrender not because he cared about his then subjects (Japanese citizens) but because he was determined to keep the imperial family intact. This is interesting because, given a chance, any head of a household would do whatever he/she can to protect the future generations of its own kind. What I think is criminal, however, is the fact that Hirohito did it at the expense of over two million Japanese soldiers’ lives, not to mention all of then enemy soldiers and civilians, including children, that were tortured and/or killed. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. This is an example of human nature at its worst.
Shortly after the surrender is when ordinary Japanese began to realize that what they had been told by their authorities about the so-called “enemy” being brutal and evil were nothing but lies. The Japanese military had condoned acts of evil within its own ranks and projected this image of brutality onto the “enemies (Allied Powers)” as if their pattern of behavior was the same as its own.
Human nature being what it is, this historical fact about the country of my origin makes me wonder how many lies are being told today by the so-called authorities – through the media and educational systems – to unsuspecting citizens and children within each country. Perhaps such manipulation of the masses by those who rise to positions of power is inevitable in any country, regardless of its historical background. The Founding Fathers were well aware that America was going to be just as susceptible as any other country to this type of abuse by the authorities. This is precisely the reason they established the Constitution of the United States of America to counter the negative impact human nature is likely to have on its citizens.
In a country where individual freedom is highly valued, it is up to each of us to take action when authority figures step out of bounds. If and when our actions are met by further suppression of individual liberty, that is when we know we have a challenge worth fighting not only for ourselves but for the future generations of Americans. After all, it was our forefathers who risked – and many ultimately sacrificed – their lives for freedom. This is precisely the reason you and I have been able to enjoy freedom during our life time.
Freedom was never free and it never will be.
