Ever since I came to United States and started to learn history, I always felt awkward talking about World War II. It was sensitive topic in my personal opinion, because I have totally different view than the History taught in the United States of America. In such a historically significant event, Japan played a role of "an enemy" of the Allied Nation. Representing Japanese, I always felt awkward. Yet probably Germans face more of that blame and nervousness in talking about that portion of the history. Hitler's name and genocide of the Jews are so well known that people can easily make a connection to the Germany. Japan has done war crimes in China, Korea, and several other Asian countries that still creates tension in the international diplomacy today (especially China and Korea); however, the impacts and impression of Japan's acts in World War II are somewhat hidden behind the "tragedy" of atomic bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
I do not recognize any of the "monuments" of the World War II in Japan except for the memorials of the atomic bombing. Instead, I see all of the post modern architecture, representing rapid economic growth after the war. Of course there are monuments of the, but because most of the events occured outside of Japan, I believe people are less attached to the history.
In the contrary, I feel Germans are more bound to remember the Third Reich and all of the Hitler's crimes. However, I also believe there's a need to "step forward" without forgetting the past.
Olympicstadion is a definitely a great example of preserving a past monument and transforming into a feasible stadium for a "new era"'s international event, World Cup 2006. I believe the label of
Olympicstadion as a "Nazi's Olympic" will never diminish. At same time, it created another layer of meanings attached to the monumental building, representing the forward direction of the history.
(Speaking of
Olympicstadion, I really want to see Fussball but anyone interested?)
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