Why is the racist propaganda aimed towards Japan during WW 2 rarely discussed?

1. 59

   karinliz01posted 7 years ago

   Why is the racist propaganda aimed towards Japan during WW 2 rarely discussed?

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   Larry Slawsonposted 7 years ago

   The type of actions displayed towards the Japanese are considered a dark time in American history -- just as slavery was nearly 100+ years before that.  So it is an issue that Americans don't typically like to discuss. 
   
   Also, I think that by acknowledging the racist propaganda that occurred, it destroys any sense of World War II being a "good war" for the Western Powers.  The war is often depicted as a struggle between good and evil -- and rightly so, when we consider the many atrocities of the Nazis, Japanese, and Axis powers.  However, by admitting that racist propaganda towards the Japanese was prevalent within the United States during this time, we somewhat place ourselves on the same "thinking-level" as Hitler and all the enemies we were fighting.

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   lions44posted 7 years ago

   It's very much discussed where I live (WA State) and every year around the anniversary of Pearl Harbor.  I saw two documentaries on the racist posters and movies this week and a CNN report this morning.  So I don't think it is not discussed.  It should never be forgotten.  Many years ago I even worked in a building that had been a transit camp for the local Japanese residents before they left for Wyoming.
    
   But I saw the racism close up from my uncle who slammed the door in the face of his grandson because he was dating a Japanese American girl. 50 years later he still had bad feelings.  Sad.

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   tamarawilhiteposted 7 years ago

   Just as the war posters calling for hatred of Nazis and Germany to the point saurkraut was renamed Liberty Cabbage and dachshund dogs became "wiener dogs".
   And we don't talk about Japanese racism, whether the brutal mistreatment of American prisoners of war, Japanese soldiers in the Rape of Nanking, Japan's biowarfare division experimenting on Chinese civilians AND their government never punishing the men like when the Allies punished German murderers.
   To this day, a Korean is offended if you give them a business card with Japanese text on it, and Japan still mistreats the Korean minority in that nation descended from forced laborers brought there before WW2.

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   1. 59

      karinliz01posted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I am not saying you are wrong with your answer - I completely agree with you.  My question still remains why are these things not brought up?  You hear about Germany but not Japan as much unless you know/knew someone that had personal knowledge.

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   2. 86

      tamarawilhiteposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      1. To avoid showing what is considered immoral and offensive though educational. 2. To avoid discussing the evils the Japanese did.

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