The brutality and racial hatred exhibited by Japan’s military during the Pacific War piqued outrage in the West and fanned resentments throughout Asia. Public understanding of Japan’s wartime atrocities; however; often fails to differentiate the racial agendas of its military and government elites from the racial values held by the Japanese people. While not denying brutalities committed by the Japanese military; Honored and Dishonored Guests overturns these standard narratives and demonstrates rather that Japan’s racial attitudes during wartime are more accurately discerned in the treatment of Western civilians living in Japan than the experiences of enemy POWs.The book chronicles Western communities in wartime Japan; using this body of experiences to reconsider allegations of Japanese racism and racial hatred. Its bold thesis is borne out by a broad mosaic of stories from dozens of foreign families and individuals who variously endured police harassment; suspicion; relocation; starvation; denaturalization; internment; and torture; as well as extraordinary acts of charity. The book’s account of stranded Westerners―from Tokyo; Yokohama; and Kobe to the mountain resorts of Karuizawa and Hakone―yields a unique interpretation of race relations and wartime life in Japan.
#580036 in Books Harvard University Press 1988-09-02 1990-04-14Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.23 x 1.28 x 4.86l; 1.47 #File Name: 0674745787414 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. how it happened in an excellent way. I would highly recommend this bookBy ChrisFascinating detail about the Nazi empire and how industrialized killing became a thing. Unlike a lot of other books on the topic; he doesn't go off on flowery tautological loops of fancy about the same issues; or get excessively abstract and theoretical. Instead; he focuses on examples; evidence; and describes exactly what happened; how it happened in an excellent way. I would highly recommend this book. It opened my eyes and showed me a great deal about the horrors of public health policy run rampant; of which fears when provoked can lead to such enthusiastic consent of such evil policies. Reading this really dispels the myth that the holocaust was about simple hate/racism and shows the full picture of how an ideology capable of such great evils came into existence and what made that ideology what it was. I couldn't put it down.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Parts of this are pretty tough to get throughBy rbeParts of this are pretty tough to get through; but it's an important read. Know that you will be heartbroken by our species. I covered this book with a paper bag; though; so that I could read it in public without misunderstanding stares.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Hygiene?By Allene JimenezEverything is so interesting when it comes to these horrible camps. I cringe to read the part of medicine under these horrible so called Drs.Jews were treaded so terrible that I am lost for words when describing medical care in these camps.
