Fun Stuff > CHATTER
patriotism/nationalism
jhocking:
NOOOOO not my carbons!!!
ruyi:
--- Quote from: RedLion on 01 Aug 2008, 13:33 ---History has shown that Japan had been looking for a way out, but wouldn't accept unconditional surrender because they feared the Emperor, whom they regarded as a living god, would be dethroned and/or killed.
--- End quote ---
Uh, don't you mean the emperor wouldn't accept unconditional surrender because he cared about his own power over the well-being of his people?
And not that it contradicts what you're saying, but he didn't end up dethroned or killed, which I find unfortunate.
Ozymandias:
It's worth noting that some have interpreted Japan's surrender as not even as a result of the atomic bombs. Their actions in the Nagasaki bombing (getting people to place themselves in the bombs way, in different positions and hiding in different areas to find out how best to survive more of them) certainly supports this. Rather, it was the entrance of the Soviets into the Pacific Theater that compelled Japan to surrender to America: they had no hope of survival either way, but at least the Americans would treat them better than the Russians.
Nodaisho:
It seems I got into this thread a bit late, but I echo the thought that it really depends on your definition of patriotism and nationalism. I love what America could be, the American Dream, no, not getting rich and having the media pay constant attention to you, being allowed to live your life the way you see fit. I would hazard a guess that most of the immigrants to the U.S. throughout history since the 1600s came here for that, coming from persecution, hoping to find a place to live their life free of interference. If being a patriot is loving what your country should and could be, I am a patriot, if being a patriot is doing what you are told because someone said that it is patriotic, I am not a patriot, and despise those who are.
RedLion:
--- Quote from: ruyi on 03 Aug 2008, 18:10 ---Uh, don't you mean the emperor wouldn't accept unconditional surrender because he cared about his own power over the well-being of his people?
And not that it contradicts what you're saying, but he didn't end up dethroned or killed, which I find unfortunate.
--- End quote ---
The emperor wasn't exactly in control of Japan. Obviously he knew what Japan was doing, but he wasn't really running the government. The Shogunate was. Hideki Tojo was the "leader" of Japan during WW2. The Emperor was already largely a figurehead, just one conveniently exploited by the nationalists.
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