Japanese Reacts to “How Do the Japanese Teach About WWII?”

What’s up, I’m Kuma!
Today, I’m gonna react to “How Do the Japanese Teach About WWII?” by Today I found out Channel!
I'm getting smarter these days!
Thank you for all the comments!!
🌎Original Video
• How Do the Japanese Te...
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🎵BGM (from KZbin Audio Library)
Play-Doh meets Dora - Carmen Maria and Edu Espinal
#Japanese
#reaction

[@山田うどん-p3y]

こんにちは。日本人としてコメントします。 5:41 この一文、特に"One day, for no reason we ever understand"の部分、Kumaさんは小学校でこのように習ったと言いましたが、本当でしょうか？こんな教え方をしている教科書は見た事が無いですし、一般常識として、日本軍の真珠湾奇襲攻撃から広島、長崎での原爆投下までの大まかな流れはほとんどの日本人が知っていると思います。日本の歴史教育(日本軍の虐殺行為などについて)が悪い部分は確かにあると思いますが、指摘した文章は明確に間違いなので、ここは否定してもらわないと困ります！ Hello. As a Japanese, I would like to comment. 5:41 This sentence, especially the part "One day, for no reason we ever understand", is it true that you said you learned this in elementary school? I have never seen a textbook that teaches like this, and as a matter of general knowledge, I think most Japanese know the general sequence of events from the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese military to the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I'm sure that there are parts of Japan's history education (regarding the massacres by the Japanese army, etc.) are bad, but the sentence I pointed out is clearly wrong, so you have to deny it here!

[@KumaCanJapan]

コメントありがとうございます！確かに！ここは過剰表現として突っ込むべきでした！

[@mikeykun5026]

that sentence was basically to give the gist of the situation of japnese textbooks about their atrocities

[@xyre8443]

I think the man use it in a metaphoric way, he wanted to interpret how it is taught that US bombed Japanese but it was never taught why is the actual reason the US has to do that.

[@alexzhang8318]

what abt the Nanjing massacre, what abt cutting pregnant women's bellies open for fun, what abt the human experiments, what abt the toxic gases, what abt burying civilians alive, what abt stepping on infants, piercing women's vagina with sticks and proping their bodies up after they die.

[@ddmddm7590]

@@KumaCanJapan Japan killed 23 millions chinese civilians between 1937 and 1945 ! You should learn about "Nanjing Massacre" and about "Unit 731".

[@lamia197]

I'll say this as a Korean. We don't care about the apology, it means nothing, we were fooled too many times. We want Japan to acknowledge and teach about it. Almost all Japanese-Korean problems from the trade wars to Sea of Japan/East Sea starts here. People think acknowledging their country's atrocities is shameful. I say the opposite, it is the correct thing and very respectable thing to do. You are respectable and you are great. It is brave to face the shameful history of your country and acknowldge it.

[@igortytarenko9136]

@@walker4376 you haven't read what he wrote, have you? It is not about accusing younger generations. It is about acknowledgment. We have to know history to not repeat mistakes of the past! I don't think that young Germans should be ashamed of past of their country, neither Japanize, be everybody should know the history!

[@JHg-ys4mj]

@@walker4376 Do you know what sort of people says those kind of words you just said? Serial killers standing in front of a court.

[@Jason-er1vf]

Agreed, as an American we are only recently starting to acknowledge the atrocities committed against native americans and already trying to right the ship narratively. Though with how divided our government is, it'll be a long process.

[@plorabare]

@@Jason-er1vf At least the US doesn't have a one party system

[@shorthopdoublelasers4168]

But didn't the Korean army rape and massacre a bunch of Vietnamese civilians during the Vietnam war? Were you taught about that in school? Japan's atrocities during WWII is obviously worse but countries generally don't like to talk about their past mistakes. It's not just a Japan-only thing.

[@injanhoi1]

I spoke with a Japanese man in his 70s once at a family restaurant. He brought up the subject of WW2 to my surprise. He was very critical of the Japanese education system and that WW2 isn't taught properly so consequently many Japanese know little about the facts. There is nothing to lose from learning about the dark side of your country. There is a gain which is not to do something like that again.

[@wyattmund9286]

There actually was a strong tradition of Japanese pacifists, anti-imperialists and others from both before and after the fall of the Empire of Japan. Many protester and were imprisoned/executed in the Imperial age, and many were also creatives. A lot of those generations though have grown old and passed away. Some of the old wave of anime/manga too were part of it - like Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahats, the author of Barefoot Gen - which dealt with the horror of the atomic bombings, while also being fiercely critical of Imperial Japan and its horrible militarism.

[@janlee3776]

My experience was the opposite. I spoke to a Japanese man in his 70s at the okonomiyaka restaurant he owns. I told him i'm from Singapore, and he responded 'oh yes I heard about that country, it's where many of our Japanese soldiers died."....🙄

[@rapatacush3]

Laughs in mexican since every side is the dark side in mexico

[@tonyliu6749]

Now there is a man I can respect. My grandfather was basically a child soldier in the Chinese army during ww2 after half of his family died to the Japanese invaders. But then he told me this story of this one Japanese soldier who smuggled rations and ammunition to my grandpa's unit because he secretly hated everything his countrymen were doing. The guy was caught and killed by his own army, from what my grandfather told me.

[@HolyknightVader999]

That man you spoke of is a man of true honor. Too bad that he seems to be in the minority among the elder Japanese.

[@panther7748]

Speaking as a German, I think that the key difference between Germany and Japan (in this particular area) is that Germany was actually invaded by all the allied powers and Japan wasn't. The front line actually rolled over all parts of the country and Nazi Germany wasn't just forced to surrender, it seized to exist. Between 1945 and 1949, there was no german state and all tasks of government were carried out by the Allies. Unlike in other countries (like Japan or Italy), 1945 was a major turning point in German history. Also, because Germany remained divided between the democratic West and the communist East from 1949 to 1990, there wasn't just one german perspective about history.

[@christinedeshano2872]

I swear, I don't work for the guy, but Simon did a video about how the war is taught in Germany too.

[@dunbar9finger]

I think the point Simon mentions in passing is important too - Germany was a previously democratic country that mutated into something awful. This means when occupying powers forced it to adopt a democratic government, the idea could be presented to the German people as "we're healing your country by putting it back to the way it was.". You can't do that in Japan where their aggression wasn't preceded by a massive shift in government style. The system was the same as it always had been. In Japan the government the occupiers wanted to install really was something foreign to the Japanese. The emperor sticking around was a chance to have some national identity the people could hold onto when everything else that defined the nation was being forcibly changed. It's important to make the occupied countries see the new government as "us" and not as "them", or else there's a revolution that overthrows it the instant the occupation ends.

[@jamesdakrn]

And of course, the '68 movement really made a lot of young postwar Germans to rethink its past, while in Japan the Zenkyoto (org. of student activists in the late 60s in Japan) ultimately failed to do so. And while the CDU was the main ruling party in W. Germany and later Unified Germany, the Social Democrats still took power at certain points, and it was Willy Brandt who really engaged with the German past by kneeling at the Warsaw Memorial.

[@tomfrazier1103]

@@dunbar9finger Japanese governments before 1931 were trending democratic. Elements in the Army used flaws in the 1890 "Meiji Constitution" to foment "Incidents". They were answerable to the Emperor only, not civilian government. A wave of assassinations by "Young offiicers" marked the era, and being Prime Minister of Japan was a high risk occupation.

[@thegringoscottproductions1699]

Speaking as an American, we were taught that Japan was governed by the United States for 7 years after the war. Here is a quote from that: " The occupation of Japan by the Allied Powers started in August 1945 and ended in April 1952. General MacArthur was its first Supreme Commander. The whole operation was mainly carried out by the United States."

[@ericjiang7986]

As a Chinese, my grandfather always have a habit of cursing Japanese, it may sound awful but it is understable. Everytime he sees things related to Japanese, he is outraged.

[@深夜-l9f]

he is ruining himself that way

[@QueenofAwkwardness]

Well, some absolutely abhorrent things were done to the Chinese by the Japanese historically. Nanjing comes to mind. And I have noticed older people are stuck in the mentality of their formative years. I'm sure we will be too when we get old. Just have patience with your grandfather and allow some grace. Shake your head, laugh it off, and be grateful we were not raised in that mentality.

[@juliemcgugan1244]

@@QueenofAwkwardness Yes, it is not the people he is cursing, really. It is the act that was done to him. Many of the older generation were harmed in a way that continues to scar them. Telling them not to have these thoughts and keep that hurt inside is, in a way, re-victimizing them. And they deserve better than that from their own people/family. You have to have more understanding for them. They are not in a place mentally where they can forget/move past this hurt.

[@saulgoodman4597]

@@深夜-l9f of course the anime profile picture is the one trying to defend japan.

[@mairiconnell6282]

The same in my parents home.

[@jackiealmasy7948]

Learning about the dark side of our home countries is incredibly hard. I'm currently reading about the forced residential schools of the Indigenous People. I've had to put the book down multiple times from crying and sheer horror. I applaud you for taking the steps to educate yourself.

[@apomtaylor8054]

You're probably Canadian?

[@boorex4203]

@@apomtaylor8054 they did that in the USA alot too.

[@poppy63765]

@@boorex4203 Yes but it's not taught in Canada and Australia

[@blubberfeet5430]

@@poppy63765 it's starting to. And I was beyond furious. Like seeing red furious. I swear one day all this pain and suffering will bite humanity so hard in the ass there won't be an ass left

[@poppy63765]

@@blubberfeet5430 probably g

[@goldalien2016]

It's important to learn about the bad things your country did. Every country has done bad things. I'm an American, and I remember learning about things such as slavery and what was done to the natives. It felt terrible, but at the same time, learning about these kinds of things helps make sure that they won't happen again.

[@1004Hind_6]

Have you learn the true history of your country though? I really hope you are not someone that turn a blind eyes about what atrocities America do even today. At this right moments. What the remorse of slavery and killing of the natives worth when your country still actively killing children, civilians, aiding in bombing hospitals, universitirs, in other country?

[@jacobtaylor161]

What’s crazy is is this video doesn’t even crack the surface of how brutal the Japanese military was.

[@rudeegruenberg9184]

every military has its own brutal take it or leave it

[@Baldwin-iv445]

At least most aren't guilty of cannibalism.

[@Yes_Fantasy_419]

@@Baldwin-iv445 Chinese Red Guard Students were notorious were eating people during the Cultural Revolution hypocrite!

[@Yes_Fantasy_419]

@A ROBOT WITH 20 M16S FROM AUSTIN Chinese Red Guard Students were notorious were eating people during the Cultural Revolution hypocrite!

[@Baldwin-iv445]

@@Yes_Fantasy_419 Keyword most. Also, seriously? Freaking schoolchildren were committing cannibalism? Jesus Christ.

[@clivedoe9674]

This is the only video on KZbin that I've found of a Japanese person watching a western recounting of WW2 Japan.

[@fender7695]

Western. Sure. But truthful would have been a better phrase.

[@yuyoshida7359]

@fender7695 This is still a particular perspective of the Pacific theatre of WW2. Naturally, different ‘truths’ would be discussed if this video was made by an Asian, or a Muslim. And disregarding those perspectives in favour of naming the western perspective the ‘truth’ is purely disingenuous and ignorant.

[@Arctic-qr9eh]

​@@yuyoshida7359 How can recounting World War II events from the Western perspective be deemed disingenuous when there is substantial recorded evidence of the Japanese military's brutality? While it's true that the Eastern side endured even greater suffering, the Western accounts also reflect significant loss and brutality. To dismiss these accounts as disingenuous is, in itself, an ignorant oversimplification. Recognizing that the Western perspective is just one part of the narrative does not negate its validity or importance. Both Western and Eastern experiences deserve attention and respect.

[@yuyoshida7359]

@@Arctic-qr9eh​​⁠??? I’m lost as to where you’re frustrated about. You state that western accounts of Japan are based on “substantial recorded evidence of the Japanese Military’s brutality” - and yes, you’re right! I completely agree with you, and I believe the western perspective most definitely has a lot of factual basis constructed on. You also suggest that I dismissed the European theatre because I allegedly claimed the Pacific Theatre to be more important and devastating. I don’t have such beliefs; I do believe both are as saddening and atrocious as each other, and must be treated equally in discussions. I’m guessing you’re misunderstood by what I meant by the ‘western perspective’. I meant that as in the western view of WWII in Asia to be disingenuous and misunderstood, and must not be taken as the only truth of the war. It’s important to take in the perspectives of Chinese, Southeast Asians, Indians, Pacific Islanders affected by the war, as well as the average Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese. It’s also important to view the military’s views, such as the Imperial Japanese’s ideas (which should be considered, not straight up believed; like I stated about the western perspective), the Kuomintang, People’s Liberation Army, as well as Chinese warlords, local maliciers in SEA, Asian soldiers of the British Empire, etc etc. So what I wanted to say is, you need to take in all the perspectives of a conflict to get the full picture - and hence the “truth”

[@Arctic-qr9eh]

@@yuyoshida7359 First, let me clarify that I’m not frustrated, but rather challenging your point of view. You claimed that discussing the Western perspective alone is disingenuous, suggesting that perspectives from Asian or Muslim viewpoints would offer different truths which I wholeheartedly agree with. However, Fender never stated that the Western perspective was the ONLY truth; he simply noted that the video represents a Factual Western account of the Japanese military's brutality. This is a world conflict with multiple perspectives. It is called a WORLD WAR for a reason. Everyone knows that there are different perspectives on the conflict. Yet you made it seem like Fender was claiming that the Western view was the only view. He never said that, nor did he imply it. You twisted his words and belittled him by saying something entirely different from what was actually conveyed. If Fender had claimed that the Western perspective was the only one, I would agree with you, but he did not.

[@rbb7555]

sadly my family has had a "bad" experience with Japanese army. My great grandfathers squad was in a pow camp and when the Japanese learned Americans were coming to liberate the camp they lined my great grandfathers squad up on a wall and killed them by machine gun somehow my great grandfather was the only one to survive. He never really talked much about the war and I only found out because of my great grandma and when she told me I was the only member of my family to know so.

[@shiningmissingno.8788]

What is/was your grandfather's nationality?

[@rbb7555]

@@shiningmissingno.8788 my grandfather is American. He was part of a unit that was paradropped into islands to build make shift airstrips for aircraft to land on

[@jacpratt8608]

he was lucky to survive that

[@hkboi7433]

that's so sad but luckily your grandfather survived to tell the story. a blessing in disguise.

[@Conn30Mtenor]

@@hkboi7433 how is being shot a blessing?

[@jamaljyf]

My great grandfather was caught by Japanese soldiers and he was being beaten and tortured because he hide Australian prisoners of war who escaped from Japanese maintain-prison in Malaysia. He is then being sentenced to prison for 5 years for “colluding with the enemy”. After war ended , he was released. Until this day, he is tortured by the memory of the ww2 and he never used any Japanese products at all. Kuma-san, at the least, thank you for at least facing and learning the horrible truth of your country involvement in ww2. I suggest you watch the video “ playing the victim, historical revisionism and Japan “ if you have the interest.

[@ajaysidhu471]

"never used any Japanese products at all" same goes someone I knew who was a POW

[@Baldwin-iv445]

I had a great uncle who was stationed in the Philippines at the start of the war and would be forced to go on the Bataan death March. I never met him, but according to my dad he spent the rest of the war in slavery at a Japanese steel Mill.

[@some_random_wallaby]

As an Aussie, immense respect & gratitude for your grandfather. Legend.

[@dw3403]

I was born in the early sixties and so many people hated the Japanese at that time. Germans also of course. It was still very much in their memories. I did not understand it being a child but did know it had to do with the wars. I do now understand the hatred they carried and its not for us to judge those people because we were not there. but for newer generations it is not their place to hate the generations of Germans or Japanese. I do however think the Japanese need to stop whitewashing their history and teach these things so history cannot repeat itself. We know Americans have their dirty laundry too.

[@bbokkumbabmaster8208]

​@@CKM522Oh REALLY?

[@tonymccain7269]

I have heard that the doctors from unit 731 were given pardons from war crimes and moved to the United States under new identities in exchange for the research findings. The USA also did the same to many German scientists, operation paperclip was the name of the program.

[@str2010]

To be fair both the soviets and Americans were doing it. They know their former enemies had valuable research and with the cold war, both sides knew the other was going to acquire as much of it as possible

[@mroldschool001]

I heard of that being done for German scientists, but I'd never come anything across that towards Japanese ones

[@jimanonymous113]

That's what I heard too. I think you can Google and find out where they lived in the USA.

[@mr.ilikespam6081]

cia loved them

[@jimanonymous113]

@@mroldschool001 an X-files episode mentioned the 731 researchers moving to the US.

[@christinedeshano2872]

Simon can appear brutal, but he is one of the best presenters I know of when it comes to learning about history and historical figures. Biographics and Geographics. He's covered a lot more about Japan. He has about a 13 channels, most of them educational, one where his personality resides.

[@slcpunk2740]

Allegendly

[@bibsp3556]

Casual?

[@oceanberserker]

Very true. He doesn't sugarcoat anything and he always does his best to present the subject matter at hand in a very matter - of - fact way.

[@JS-ih7lu]

Simon is not brutal, he’s just being truthful and objective. It’s people who like to sugar coat things who also want to sweep uncomfortable history under the carpet.

[@micfail2]

He's actually pretty terrible, he gets a lot wrong because he is an alt left extremist so he provides cover for other alt left extremists like the Nazis and the Imperial Japanese.

[@paullooper1090]

No, you didnt learn the Bad side of WWII, you learned the Truth of WWII

[@thenexus8384]

I'd say they're one in the same since there isn't really any "good" side when it comes to war Look at what the unionists did during the American Civil War, yes they were the "right" and "good" side in the war (and this is coming from a born and raised Texan) but they weren't perfect and sure as hell weren't clean even in comparison to the Confederates

[@byronhamilton8021]

@@thenexus8384 the good side to war is stopping the badguy. japan is the badguy.

[@hyperboliccancers3269]

​@@byronhamilton8021That's a pretty low IQ world view. It's easy to justify china's involvement as just since they were defending against invaders but the Americans weren't mad about them raping half of asia, they were salty about pearl harbor and the treatment of their own POWs.

[@HisPurpleMajesty4]

@@byronhamilton8021 The second nuke we dropped was unnecessary as the Japanese were well on their way on surrendering after the the first bomb and the lesser known more deadly fire bombing of Tokyo. But the second bomb killed 60% of the Christian population who were more critical of their government and would of been most open to cooperation. Now America takes part in funding many genocides so I’d say no good guys or bad guys. Humans are all disgusting including you and me imo anyway.

[@WoahJustTakeItEasyMan]

​@byronhamilton8021 that's so naive that I can't help but thinking your trolling 💀

[@BenSATX]

Thanks for posting this video and providing your experience in Japanese schools. I’ve always been curious what was taught to school students about the war. No country is perfect, but by knowing what happened and learning from it, hopefully the same mistakes will never be repeated. 🙏🏻

[@veramae4098]

Years ago I read a comment in a YT vid, an American was dating a Javanese foreign exchange student, and discovered she didn't even know Japan had invaded other courtiers. I could not believe it, but now I do.

[@connergehdatbahng]

@@veramae4098 As in from Java? or was it a typo?

[@backbeat3254]

Kuma, you are part of the healing. Now tell others so they can be part of it, too. It wasn't so long ago, after all. We all have things to learn. Thank you for playing an important part in this story.

[@skeetskeet7041]

Honestly as an American this is scarily similar to how several states are now trying to erase “unfavorable history” because it might make some students full uncomfortable and that’s the point where you really get to say your nation and education is failing you. It’s probably the worst thing for any nation to try and remove any blemishes from its history in order to maintain loyalty or install false pride/security in their citizens and honestly this reaction video is already a far and away better reaction than how most people in the US react to the history they don’t learn

[@Terminal-Vet]

What is most concerning to me is how much of the history being taught today comes from the Howard Zinn school of historical revisionism, that paints much of what actually happened in our history as "America, the West, and Capitalism evil and everyone else as the victim." What most people do not realize is that Zinn was a hardcore communist and was greatly criticized for his selective and deliberately deceptive presentation of American history by most serious historians, but thanks to popular culture, he is now looked upon as a sage and a "critical thinker" in the realm of history, when in truth he was a liar with a hate for all things American.

[@jesuszamora6949]

Difference being that most of the time, those attempts at erasure are met with heavy criticism, and western media helps to fill in the gaps. Seems like there's no real resistance to japan's whitewashing of its history. Granted, both countries are far from the model that Germany represents, but still, we're a lot better than some. @A Panc - History, like all things, is a battle in and of itself. You have the communists who want to paint America as the devil, and the fascists who want to paint her as free of any imperfections. Ours is a nation like any other, with parts to be ashamed of (slave trade, segregation, Japanese-American "internment" camps), and parts to be proud of (civil rights movement, space age, standing up to the Soviets).

[@Terminal-Vet]

@@jesuszamora6949 well said, Sir.

[@spearfisherman308]

the problem is tha gr they are using that to indoctrinate rather than educate if they were going to educate they would mention that both abolitionists and the early womens rights movement were racist.

[@donkeysunited]

I think most countries gloss over shameful acts from their history in school education. Nowadays the information is available on the internet but before maybe 20 years ago, it would be much easier to deceive a nation.

[@TheHockeywitch]

As an older Korean woman my parents, especially my father HATED, hated Japan until the day he passed away. My mother still has a hard time trusting the Japanese. A lot of people say the past was a long time ago & we should let it go. There are still survivors who remember the Japanese cruelty and even experienced it personally. My father was young when he experienced this and his hatred ran really deep. He never bought a Japanese car and I remember he wouldn't speak to my sister for a month because she bought a Honda. I have no real problem with the Japanese people BUT I do have a problem with their government and right-wing policies. The Japanese people need to know their history. They should look towards Germany on how to deal with their past. I would love to accept an apology from the Japanese government on behalf of my parents, especially my father. Some people say that the Japanese government has apologized several times already. Unfortunately, I can't put any faith in the Japanese government because they still pay respect and honor the shrines of those Japanese war criminals. The government still flies the imperial Japan flag almost like a slap in the face of all the people who were terrorized by the Japanese government. You don't see Germans still flying the Nazi flag. To me that is the equivalent of a hypothetical Germany that apologized to the world and especially the Jews for their atrocities but then would honor and pay respect to a Josef Mengela. It doesn't make sense. I don't know if the victims who are still alive from my father's generation could ever forgive Japan. But as a whole I don't think the younger generation of Koreans are as rigid and are willing to forgive if the Japanese government would just acknowledge their history and teach it to their own people. It would be nice if the Japanese government could do this while there are still survivors left from that era so that they can have some peace. Thank you for willing to learn about their own dark history. Take care! PS - I have never bought a Japanese car but own a Volkswagen. LOL

[@erikahua8062]

As someone who grew up in Germany I agree with you opinion. When we learned in history about the ww2 they really told us how it really was and how cruel. Today if you raise a nazi flag, it considered bad and reminds of the history in the past and is not accepted today.

[@gold-toponym]

The Japanese flag has been used long before the modern era, way before Imperial Japan. So it's not really equivalent to Nazi Germany's flag, since it has been used forever.

[@bibsp3556]

Abe was forced to give his final apologies

[@nippononna]

Watch a video titled ”Untold truth of Japanese annexation of Korea PART1”

[@Claudia_Ackermann]

That's why younger generation is important

[@penguinproductions5730]

as a Korean, I would like to thank you for making this video, I had a friend who would deny the war crimes that Japan committed and even went as far as to say that we did it to them. so I am very thankful that you would stand up and accept your country's past.

[@user-to4iq4bq9g]

It's not a thankful thing. It's a certain thing. ROFL This is clear example how Japanese made their attitude.

[@vincentterraneo263]

I think one can love their country and be proud of it while excepting the darker sides of what it did. While the Axis powers were exceptionally egregious almost every country that gained power has it's horrors. You mentioned in another video you didn't learn too much about the Holocaust, the WWII video breezed over it because in the West it's probably one of the most covered topics in our history classes. I'd recommend learning about that if you want to keep delving into the darker parts of history. For a slightly less depressing video, Extra History did a series on Admiral Yi Sun-Sin who fought against Japan for Korea in the Imjin war. I don't know how much you talk about it in Japan but in the US it's not very well known.

[@corey2232]

Exactly. Every country has dark moments in their history. WW2 was filled with them. The Allies had their own too. Stalin went on to be responsible for millions of deaths in the USSR, the US rounded up Japanese-Americans & held them in camps until the war was over (thankfully no systematic "final solution" plots), which resulted in years of their lives wasted (and property/wealth gone). Allied soldiers, from all countries, technically committed war crimes upon liberating Nazi concentration camps. I say "technically," because what happened was pretty understandable given the circumstances. Most people were aware of the Nazis mistreatment of Jews & other minorities, but didn't grasp the full extent. When they were physically confronted with it for the fist time, many were mentally broken in complete shock! Many Nazi SS & camp guards who already surrendered & were prisoners of war, were dragged out into the camps & summarily executed by soldiers lost in rage. On-site justice, execution of prisoners, etc. is definitely violated the Geneva Convention's treatment of POW's & would legally be considered international war crimes. But given what horrors they came into contact with, it was almost universally forgiven. Anyway, ALL countries had their moments. Yes, some were far worse than others. No, I'm not equating the severity of one to another. Just acknowledging them, because with war comes violence & suffering...leading to dark moments in human history for all involved.

[@808INFantry11X]

@@corey2232 part of my family were put in interment camps. I love my country but I believe it's important that we acknowledge acknowledge aspect that are not so great so we can prevent it from happening again.

[@TheGemar14]

Not every country has killed millions of unarmed citizens over the space of a few years.

[@rwsmith7638]

True. We have skeletons in our closet and though a lot was learned about in school, it was presented in such a way as make the US sound great, like annihilating the Native Americans because it was our 'Manifest Destiny' to take over and develop the entirety of the nation from sea to sea, something 'savages' could never do.

[@fzmoifzmoi2575]

Rubbish! How can you love your country knowing what it did and how they still cover it up? What does it make YOU to love your country??? Absolute rubbish!

[@MelodySC2]

I think learning from your own country's mistakes is one of the most patriotic things you can do. As an American, learning about the awful things we did to people in the Vietnam war and the wars in the middle east is painful but important. We need to learn to recognize these actions as wrong and become better! Great video Kuma! ありがとうございます！

[@waynepatterson5843]

@Lingboysc2 --- I think learning from your own country's mistakes is one of the most patriotic things you can do. As an American, learning about the awful things we did to people in the Vietnam war and the wars in the middle east is painful but important. We need to learn to recognize these actions as wrong and become better! Great video Kuma! ありがとうございます！ Wayne Patterson --- Your comment reveals that practically everything that you think that you know about the Vietnam Conflict is false and derived from Communist-Leftist propaganda.

[@MelodySC2]

@@waynepatterson5843 google the my lai massacre

[@bulldog71ss33]

Moron.

[@theaizere]

USA is still doing great in the Middle East

[@blowba]

I'm an American, a new subscriber and a history nerd. My grandfather was a sailor on the USS West Virginia. He was at Pearl Harbor and Midway and many other battles. He told me many stories of fighting the Japanese. I really admire what you're doing now. It takes a lot of courage to look at the history of your country warts and all and to educate yourself about what happened, even when it's painful and ugly. I wish more people would do this. Thank you.

[@enricofermi8200]

I applaud you for seeking the truth. You represent your generation well. No one blames your generation for not knowing, previous generations have let you down.

[@allenpinnix5241]

Good on you for being willing to watch videos like this one, to listen to what is being presented, and for being willing to reflect and think over what you've seen and heard- there are many persons, in a great many countries, who would not do the same.

[@Tortomus]

Those who forget history, may be doomed to repeat it.

[@けんけんぱっ]

Are you talking about Korea and China after WWII?😅😅

[@spennyb89]

I think it's brave and valuable of you to post your reaction to learning about the atrocities committed by your country. We should normalize facing the atrocities in our history seriously and non-defensively. Japan and the US too need to do more of this.

[@remains10]

idk if it's just my school or state but my school teaches about what our ancestors have done alot in the US

[@stratejic1020]

@@remains10 agreed I don't know where the US isn't teaching this stuff but in almost every single school that I've been to they've taught about the atrocities of America during the colonization and throughout its history up until the modern day so when people say that the US isn't teaching it's atrocities through history I call BS.

[@Wilderwolfman]

@@stratejic1020 same its something i learned in school even back in the 90s i think alot people just assume we dont teach about the indian wars or tragedy of the slave trade or even the mexican american war the Philippines the fire bombings or japan the horrors of vietnam. we LEARN ALL OF THIS even "BLAME THE MAINE ON SPAIN" i think people misunderstand americans understanding of this and how we know about this stuff. the confusion from what i see is that we americans know about this and try to move forward rather than wallow in sadness for what older generations have done. acknowledge understand then move forward. (then there are people who just dont pay attention in class)

[@stratejic1020]

@@Wilderwolfman we understand that you can't go back and there is no going back and trying to go back will only destroy society like right now

[@milkman3873]

i agree but us schools cover almost every single atrocity, at least where i was. we could have gone more in detail abt japanese camps during ww2 but it was still covered for a few days and was very anti america

[@Paul66Videos]

Thank you for making this video. It is helpful to hear from someone who grew up and was educated in Japan confirm what the historian said was taught in Japan.

[@CaptBrightside89]

Coming from Australia here - I respect you for educating yourself on the darker side of your country's history. Nobody leaves a war with their hands completely clean but there is no honour in denying or concealing known facts like comfort women, the Rape of Nanking, the death marches, the treatment of POWs by Japanese military and, of course, Unit 731. We need to acknowledge and remember what happened to prevent things like this from ever happening again. I have a lot of respect for modern Germany for owning up to what happened. Japan could be a global leader in this conversation and seek its redemption by doing everything possible to prevent this kind of warfare from ever happening again. I hope things change and the truth about Japanese conduct during the war is taught comprehensively in Japanese schools. Everyone needs to know this stuff.

[@danieljones7843]

Fellow Aussie here. While the Japanese may hide their history, they have done their best not to let themselves fall back into this level of savagery. It is however debatable how much they have pacified themselves voluntarily and how much their hand was forced through the disarmament treaties signed in the surrender declaration and enforced by the allies.

[@CaptBrightside89]

@@danieljones7843 Yeah, I agree. I'd say a lot of it is due to the disarmament treaties, etc. Especially given their reluctance to widely acknowledge their wartime atrocities and teach it in schools. It might just be me, but I think fully owning past actions and making reparations (including teaching an accurate account of what happened, even if you're the bad guy in the story, so that it may never happen again) is the absolute bare minimum if they want to make any claim to true remorse and try for redemption.

[@dr.woozie7500]

I went to a Korean church when I was younger, this was back in the 90s, a lot of hardcore Korean seniors also attended. This one elder in particular vowed to never buy a Japanese product for the rest of his life. I brought a Sony Walkman to church one day and he started ranting about Japan. I thought he was just a crazy old man, but when he died I found out he was held as a slave laborer on a tiny Pacific island during WWII. It was easy for me to judge him but I’ll never know what he experienced.

[@けんけんぱっ]

Hey, don't lie. There are no slave laborers.

[@CaliEye]

It shows wisdom to admit ignorance. It shows bravery and strength to learn about things you know know and to share with others... Bravo to you Sir, great video!

[@ogami1972]

I can't imagine what it feels like as a modern japanese person to watch something like this. i am american, we have a somewhat similar relationship with our pre-civil war behavior. I want to give you a hug and tell you its alright, this wasn't you. what a shitty world.When I was growing up in the southern USA, we were taught many lies about our history, and, to an extent, we are still being told, and dealing with, those lies today. It is a very human experience, I guess. Good video :)

[@xpt8112]

You hug Japanese, who hug 300000 killed by them？😅😅

[@けんけんぱっ]

​@@xpt8112 Why do Chinese and Koreans want to be Japanese? It must be because they have no pride.

[@SuguruGeto-m3k]

​@@xpt8112chinese should keep quiet

[@greenl7661]

Fun fact, unit 731 members went on to become professors, ministers, CEOs, and other very successful roles of post-war Japanese society. They got completely scot-free, lived full fulfilling lives, and have died or are dying and leaving legacy for their children.

[@hansandresen4392]

You have a beautiful spirit - thank you for your open mind and for your care!

[@OverseerMoti]

I appreciate you learning the controversial topics of your nation history, Kuma-san. It takes courage to learn about it, and it takes patience to withstand harassment from people around you once they know you learn about this. If you'd like and ready, Kuma-san, maybe you can get a little more detail on the Nanking massacre, and why the Chinese and Koreans get infuriated whenever a public figure visited Yasukuni shrine. kzbin.info/www/bejne/op-kdGCPbtWSqbs The last well-known figure who got the "flak" for visiting the shrine was Ai Kayano a few months ago; her voice acting contract in the Chinese game Azur Lane was terminated, her existing voices in that game got erased, and other seiyū filled her place. Peace from Indonesia.

[@tenshionslifer3031]

ah yes Kayano Ai some weebs were mad at CN server without knowing what happen actually

[@nigelralphmurphy2852]

Indonesia, the only country in the world that committed an atrocity against Japanese soldiers after the Japanese surrendered, massacring over 100 Japanese troops at Bulu prison, Semarang, central Java. And the Japanese did almost nothing to the effing Indonesians! Typical Indonesians.

[@けんけんぱっ]

The reason is simple. China and South Korea are stingy with Yasukuni Shrine for political reasons in order to turn a blind eye to their own barbaric history.

[@briannacox4878]

omg thanks so much for taking my suggestion! i loved the video.

[@localextremist2839]

I just wish an organization in Japan would educate the Japanese population without any backlash

[@keystonepredictions]

Your English is very good! Keep providing amazing videos!!

[@seleuf]

Proud of you for how you handled learning about this stuff.

[@twix2224]

Thank you so much for making this video. I think every Japanese young people should watch this! Really appreciate you.

[@rainbow2639]

I grew up in Malaysia with people telling me the cruelty of the Japanese towards the Chinese during their occupation of Japan . I would like to think that they are not capable of committing these crimes again but somehow I fear that it is not the Japanese people themselves who would but their government .

[@fargr5926]

Their samurai culture certainly played a role.

[@azuresflames2473]

@@fargr5926 not even, they fully bought into the racial supremacy ideaology at the time. They had similiar ideas as the German "Lebensraum" - living space in the same that they must expand in order to continue existing.

[@TheDarkrebel131]

I’m really glad you’re talking about this 👏👏

[@wardmizell4749]

I attended public school in Midwest America, and I don’t recall much taught about the pacific theatre. I first learned about the Japanese internment in America as an adult after reading a book about Kendo.

[@stl7004]

I'm also American and have learned more about our history after leaving school as well. I can only hope that it becomes more normal for each country to not shy away from teaching the less flattering side of its own history.

[@ffqdoggh]

Yes. The treatment of the Korean people during the Japanese occupation made some of them Nazis soldiers who visited there throw up. Many Japanese people think that the government apologized for everything, but the truth is that they gave money while simultaneously denying the existence of the crimes. This resulted in the victims not receiving their apology, and demanding a sincere one.

[@irisll4260]

There was an experiment . They put mother and infant in the same room. While at the same time , heating up from the ground . They wanted to see if mother’s love to the infant will overcome the pain of heating and not using the infant as a stepping stone to get away from the heat.

[@tiresomeandy507]

This was an experiment done on monkeys, btw.

[@wadeenyart9676]

Hello, I just found your video. As a 50 year old American I want to say it takes a lot of courage to make a video like this. I commend you. I hope there are more youth like you in all parts of the world that want to see a peaceful world in the furure. If there are then the world has a bright future. Thank you for your video

[@juliemcgugan1244]

Thank you for doing this video. It takes bravery to admit that your ancestors did wrong to people and that the future generations need to learn about this in order to learn how to avoid repeating this in the future. As a Brit, I have always thought what my ancestors have done throughout their imperialist campaign is beastly and while I understand that this is nothing I have done and that I do not need to take personal responsibility for it, it costs nothing to understand the wronged person's perspective and have compassion for them.

[@MeMyself_andAI]

I admire your dedication to learning english. As a native speaker i do not really understand how difficult it is to learn, but ive heard that it is one of the hardest languages in the world. It is not hard to see why. Especially with many words sounding the same and having different meanings and spellings depending on context. I tried to learn spanish twice and BARELY passed. English is one of my passions and i have studied it extensively in my free time. You choose your words carefully and you are doing an amazing job at speaking. Thank you for giving me the perspective of a native japanese. It helps expand my world view. If you would like any channel art please let me know! I am a professional graphic designer and i will make you a banner and a logo for your channel for free if you want :) please let me know if you are interested and good luck with your youtube channel! Much love from New York 🤟

[@mariosmatzoros3553]

Where did you hear that it was one of the hardest languages in the world? Here in Europe we are taught the opposite, in terms of grammar,rules ,exceptions ect English isn't really a complex and difficult language compared to others.

[@MeMyself_andAI]

@@mariosmatzoros3553 unpredictable spelling, pronunciation, and grammar are all pretty widely accepted traits of the language

[@remoazaro2243]

I have a russian friend who said english was an easy language to learn. I imagine that it depends on the commitment you have to learning it and what language you originally spoke.

[@idk-ye7ur]

@@MeMyself_andAI Wouldn't spanish be worse to learn then?

[@MeMyself_andAI]

@@idk-ye7ur it depends on what language you have as your first language to determine the difficulty of other languages you want to learn. Then you have to take into consideration any new alphabets or writing styles, like japanese read backwards compared to english. Lastly, different people have different aptitudes for learning languages. You can look up the difficulty rankings for learning languages. For example, for a native english speaker, the hardest languages to learn are korean, japanese, mandarin, arabic. Ive had koreans tell me english was incredibly difficult to learn and ive had spanish and dutch people tell me it was easy. It all depends on many factors but the most important one is what language your native tongue is. That will normally be the biggest influencer in what languages youll be able to easily pick up unless youre like a polyglot prodigy lol

[@historyandpoliticsexplaine4876]

Ur humble style of presentation is so professional and mature. So i subscribed and signed up for notifications

[@Lorkdemper]

I'm an American who attended high school from 2004-2008 and college from 2008-2012, all in Southern California. At least so far as I'm aware, none of this was really taught, except in more specialized History courses in college. I minored in History but didn't take any higher-level courses regarding WW2 or Asian history (I had a different emphasis), and was only exposed to this subject matter by friends and classmates who were taking those more specialized courses. In contrast, many of the darker aspects of US history, both domestically and internationally, were absolutely taught in high school and college, as was the Holocaust. The gulag system of the Soviet Union was at least introduced, but not really emphasized; other USSR human rights abuses were not really taught. This could all have changed by now, and is almost certainly taught differently at different schools or by different teachers/professors, so YMMV.

[@simonwinwood]

❤ thank you for this. your english is amazing , my brother.

[@HenryTitor]

My hometown is in Manchuria, China. I remembered learning 731 in middle school and I did some further search on the subject. We have sirens every year in Manchu region on 09/18 for remembering WWII. So I had nightmares about 731 every year after that 😂. My point is just that I’m glad there’s one more person learned about this. And I hope hate won’t berry us all.

[@vliu5724]

Japanese. Soon to be fucked.

[@HenryTitor]

@@gastondeutsch4622 Lol. Can’t even get the name of the group of people who invaded right

[@shinrapresident7010]

And we know China refuses to teach about the Tiananmen Square massacre.

[@HenryTitor]

@@shinrapresident7010 Oh really? Have you picked up a textbook used in mainland? Or it’s just a saying your government taught you?

[@shinrapresident7010]

@@HenryTitor Because I lived in China as an entomologist doing research on Varroa Destructor Mites when it happened.

[@Kellog888]

You have really well spoken english i can understand you very well and i can tell your trying hard to do that good job man

[@Howyodoinn]

Every country has a past, every country has done horrible things throughout history. I think its awesome that you're looking past what you have been taught in school to learn more. I wish every single child in school should learn about the horror and atrocities of the great wars, and what evil men can do when allowed. Be well my friend.

[@silverstrike5904]

Especially America

[@M_martinez65653]

​@silverstrike5904 "especially America" Sounds like you missed the part in OP's comment about how EVERY country has committed attrrocities. To think that the U.S. has somehow surpassed other developed countries in war crimes is laughably stupid.

[@Howyodoinn]

@@M_martinez65653 it's not a war crime the first time right. Lol

[@nigelralphmurphy2852]

Does every country has done terrible things mean that atrocities don't matter because everyone has done them? Try that if someone murders your partner, child, parents and see how far it goes.

[@PaddyTobin]

Peace be upon you Kuma,it takes courage to chose to face such truths.

[@ruben_zermeno]

Fun fact: Many german citizens still have some kind of shame and fear about showing patriotism and love to their country, after the events of WW2, like showing their flag in public (NOT the swastika flag, nor the imperial german flag either), the actual yellow, red and black flag.

[@ggstatertots]

My friend had a jacket on with a small German flag on it in high school, and his English teacher was Jewish and got very offended by it. It wasn't even a Nazi flag, just a regular German flag. This was in America by the way.

[@sherribarrett1490]

Thank you for this video. Because you have viewed this and sought to understand others in the world, I have gained respect for the Japanese. At this point in America I fear the rise of fascism and ignoring reality. We all must understand our histories and seek to avoid the horrors of conflict and treating others differently. We must avoid leaders who make foolish decisions.

[@jonathonyoung3117]

I think most chinese don't resent the japanese at the individual level. Some still do, but with time that will heal too. Afterall, there are still lingering hurt from history. I also understand why a lot of japanese people would find it hard to accept japanese atrocities in wwii. acknowledging it and the shame, finds uneasy balance with love of one's country. But I think it's okay for an individual to love one's nation for all its glory and despite its ugliness. Japan has a lot of things to be proud of.

[@kamikaze1888]

there is a popular saying on Chinese forum, "we are not qualified to forgive Japan on behalf of our parents and grandparents", let alone Japan is not even asking for forgiveness at all. They play the victim. I am sure history will correct itself through other means.

[@user-ov1ps7go4m]

@@kamikaze1888 China will have its revenge sooner or later.

[@jianchen4204]

The thing is, they don't even teach the real history of WW2 in Japan.

[@mamamememoo]

I’m heartened by your attempt to find out more and I hope you can share about the truths you have learned to others. We learn from the mistakes of the past and pretending the truth of the past doesn’t exist doesn’t teach the right lessons and doesn’t help everyone to move on.

[@liam6170]

It’s hard for many to learn the bad side of their country but necessary at the same time so we don’t repeat those mistakes

[@gaymer42069]

This was a good video. Thank you for giving your perspective.

[@Chann223]

It's good that your choosing to learn these things about your country Kuma. It's always a hard thing, but necessary. And Japan is most definitely NOT the only country with a dark history it constantly tries to cover up. As an American, and African American, I can attest to that. This is why it's so important for people to face the truth and desire the truth above all else. Ignorance is what opens us up to repeating these same horrible mistakes that our ancestors did before us. The world cannot heal properly and move on into the better future it truly desires if we as human beings don't and can't learn from all of our mistakes. This is a HUMAN problem, not just any one country's problem.

[@vincentdarrah]

There is a saying here in America that those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it. I think that by you learning history, both good and bad is a good thing. We Americans have done many bad things in our history. We stole land and their culture from native American tribes, we enslaved Africans, we brought Chinese over to build a railroad across the US then denied them the right to stay, we put Japanese-Americans in concentration camps in our country but not German Americans or Italian Americans during World War 2. So even though your country did wrong in the past, be proud because they are a great nation now

[@icecold9511]

To be fair regarding internment.....it was probably a good idea. The war wasn't exactly going well and trusting people from that country isn't exactly the best idea. One person keeping loyalty and given access to secrets.... Imagine if a Japanese spy had been involved in our counter ambush at Midway. History could be a lot different, and a lot darker. And while it probably sucked to be interred...it also sucked to bleed out, scream out the last of one's life, lose legs or eyes at Guadal Canal. People were forced to stay on jobs because they were critical. Parents never saw their sons again. People came home permanently crippled, entire life ruined. It sucked for everyone. Internment, compared to what others suffered, is pretty gentle. The war at that time needed a potential threat out of the way.

[@mitsumikyoya8746]

@@icecold9511 No, there was no justification for Japanese American internment camps. It's a simply deliberate breach of constitutional rights. I know it's started with the Niihau incident which provoked wartime hysteria. But they is still no justification to intern a whole bunch of people with the ethnicity for it. just imagine if the government round up Oklahoman Caucasian in internment camp just because McVeigh blew up a federal building. Next, the internment order is also majorly motivated and pushed by economic competition by white farmers back in West coast and racial prejudice which plagued Asian American during that time. Hell, even the farms and business property is confiscated and not given back to the Japanese american owner after the war is over. Also, the order is more dumber when you justify "national security" for it. Ten of thousands of Japanese American been asked to sign up for military as the internment going on. You question their loyalty and being hysteric about their loyalty...and yet you suddenly trust them in the military and national secret when it served your interest in war. Lastly why it was purely racial, hundreds of German and Italian American was interned but it was because they were indeed the enemy, such as the members of German American bund and the government doesn't round up a whole bunch of their ethnicity for it. So, no. I know, war sucks and America having a hard time during the war. But, the internment was totally unnecessary and everyone needs learn from that, or we gonna repeat the same shit in the future to everyone else or maybe even you.

[@icecold9511]

@@mitsumikyoya8746 I was unaware of the farm issues. As for German Americans and Italians....there were to many of them to even consider internment. And a lot of things done during the war weren't strictly constitutional. I personally consider taking some kid who never even voted before, give him 3 weeks training and knowingly send him to a highly likely death, doesn't exactly pass constitutional muster either. And I'm just a lot more concerned about what those kids suffered fighting the war than people sidelined against their will. Everyone basically lost their right to do as they pleased, not just Japanese Americans. The little guy forced to be a ball turret gunner, a suicidal job, was picked based on his size. Do you understand what could go wrong trusting people with potentially mixed loyalty? Do you really believe none of them would have been spies? That's expecting a lot of someone whose home nation we were at war with, don't you think? One wrong person in the wrong place.... Yes some were used. Language and cultural experts. But you can bet military intelligence and the FBI were all over them. Some were probably used as double agents.

[@shorthopdoublelasers4168]

@@icecold9511 So based on your argument, should all the Muslims and immigrants from the middle east be in prison camps because they can potentially leak information to the terrorists and cause havoc? Forcing innocent people into camps is a direct violation of the US constitution whether you like it or not.

[@BerryMike-d9v]

Comparing what your American did as you mentioned and others you didn’t mention like in Iraq or Afghanistan, what Japanese did in WWII are much much more horrible and inhumane. No one could easily recognize that is what their ancestor did just few decades ago…. It is just can not be digested. By saying this not means I am okay with Japanese whitewashing there history

[@dupleforce7023]

I just watched one of your videos from 2 months ago and you can tell that you’ve gotten better at speaking English 👍

[@steveh4962]

I dated a Japanese lady in the early 2000s. She told me that many of her classmates from the 1980s often wondered why Tojo was executed, but Hirohito was spared by MacArthur? She said that the royal family were indeed the enablers of the War effort.

[@pauldavies6]

Shocking things done by a lot of nations, do not take any of this onto your own shoulders. We live we learn we do better (hopefully) in future

[@kamwallis3543]

Just keep in mind, no one should feel shame for what was done during WWII today that was not alive to experience it, But this must be taught to ensure the past is not repeated.

[@onlysublime]

The saddest part is when you try to rewrite history it's true that you're doomed to repeat it. Sadly here in the US, a significant group of people are trying to rewrite the history of the US rather than wanting to learn from it. People who want to return to the "glory days" even though they don't realize what those days were really like.

[@oliverortiz8507]

Thank you for this video.

[@tnightwolf]

As someone from a former Imperial and Colonial power (Portugal) there is nothing better than being able to acknowledge your own mistakes and still being able to move-on, trying to make-up for all your flaws without ever forgetting about your own role in History! It might not be the greatest place, but it doesn't matter because (for better or worst) it only depends on how you want to evolve further.

[@victornunes6047]

Devolve o ouro kkk

[@TheGolfdaily]

History repeats it self. That is the reason why we must all learn the TRUTH . - So we can avoid the same wrong doings.

[@Bomber-qz7ng]

Hey! Love your content keep it up I hope you keep working on your English Its getting there, Stay safe friend! With USA and Japan together and working hard, No force on earth could stop us!

[@Unownshipper]

I appreciate you sharing your perspective and educating yourself about your country's history. It's critical that we all never stop learning. A single person is not responsible for the crimes of their nation's history or the failures of their country's education system, but they do have an obligation to be an informed citizen. It's important not stop educating yourself simply because you leave school.

[@DocHolliday1851]

I get a kick out of the reactions I get when I discuss Unit 731. For context, it's usually bozos trying to insult me for my ancestry(I'm Japanese American). It's as if my opinions are taboo, and I'm supposed to deny, justify, or make excuses, etc. It's very telling to the type of person they are. I feel like teaching this in Japanese school is important. It shows a country is willing to admit wrongs, and want it to be a cautionary tale to younger generations. It's a type of strength & courage. Imo, being silent like this is much more deafening when it comes to bringing shame. Many other countries are aware of Unit 731, and it's pretty awkward to try pretending it never happened. It's important to remember no country is perfect or innocent. All countries have done horrible stuff.

[@johnbigelson7471]

On that exact point, lets not forget Ishii himself - the head of 731, was given immunity for biological research, which is nearly as bad as the original crimes; it's like saying, "I won't torture a man, but I'm okay with paying someone else to torture them so I can learn more about warfare." Certainly a dark time worldwide.

[@johnbigelson7471]

@@notting2640 No, they also carried out tests directly related to warfare, like bullet penetration on human skin and grenade radius effects on the body. Describing their research as "making great headway", while technically correct, risks sounding like one condones this behavior or accepts these methods as valid science. Make no mistake, it was a murderous group of evil men. If you or I were a Chinese POW then, we'd risk being dissected alive it we fell into their hands.

[@gibsonraymonda]

@@johnbigelson7471 That and Klaus Barbie becoming a CIA asset.

[@streamofconsciousness5826]

Correct History is not to shame, its to prevent the same from happening again. Good video, that guy in it knows everything, literally. Have a Great Day Kuma 🍁

[@benkanobe7500]

You are a great young Japanese Man. You are the future of Japan. Continue your worldly education and lead Japan to a wonderful and cooperative future with the rest of the world. That can only happen if you learn the true history of Japanese aggression, enslavement, and torture of innocents of so many countries. Japan likes to talk about honor. Honor truthful history. Thank you for being who you are. You are truly International.

[@asorbus1966]

Much respect to you Kumo for your interest in understanding dark chapters in your country's history without being fearful of the shame it has there. To know you are a citizen of a country with shameful acts in its past is not wrong. It gives perspective and understanding that mistakes are in the past of even countries with bright goals. A willingness to understand and move forward is important because people need to learn so not to repeat past errors. This is why history needs to be taught and taught in a way that is balanced. Know past bad deeds, but also what was done to rectify them and how it relates to the present.

[@Ryuu44]

I'm from Poland. My country did bad things in history but also was the victim of things like the Holocaust. All countries have dark pages in their history books and nobody is bad, or evil just because he's from a country that did something wrong in the past. Non of my German friends are nazzis so I don't blame them for nazzism. You didn't torture people in Nanjing, so I won't blame you for that war crime. It's so important to learn about ones countries true history, both the good and the bad to grow as a person. To stop treating different nationalities as separate when we're all Human, we all have a simmilar human experience, want to be happy, want to make sure our loved ones are safe and happy as well. Also nationalism is just so dumb and archaic in my opinion and responsible for a lot of our worlds problems, specially in the 20th century, and it's harder to be blindly in love with your country and consider it superior to others if you know of the bad things it done in the past. I'm not Japanese and it's not my place to tell Japanese people where their culture and society should go, but I do have a lot of appreciation for Japan, know a few people living there, studied Japanese studies for 2 years on university before dropping out so I think it's clear that there are things in Japan's society that don't produce the best possible outcomes and could change sooner, rather than later. Like, we can all agree that forcing children into strict hair style and color rules isn't beneficial in any way, right? Well... I still love all my Japanese brothers and sisters and I hope I'll have an opportunity to visit your beautiful country before I die and sooner rather than later! Thank you for this video and your courage to confront yourselfs with truths that can't be easy to hear.

[@nofrackingzone7479]

Had a guy I went to college with years ago the was from Tokyo. He said he stayed with family in California when he first came to the US. The cousins were hafu and filled him in on what the schools in Japan omitted. He said he was shocked and initially didn’t believe it until they provided it to him.

[@Black_Ryze]

Every country has participated in terrible things. There is no morally superior ethic group or country over others. It's so important to discuss and accept that these things happened because we can't learn from these events unless we do. Historical revisionism damages entire generations in the future.

[@themorningguy906]

This might sound superficial but south asian countries never tormented their neighbours , As far as I've read

[@sheddy22]

@@themorningguy906 😭

[@sheddy22]

@@themorningguy906 you're telling me India and Pakistan have never tormented each other

[@themorningguy906]

@@sheddy22 atleast they don't invade each other and commit serious warcrimes

[@djgroopz4952]

​@themorningguy906 they just oppressed their own people.

[@glennmcc64]

I think the biggest injustice of world war 2 is that the emporor got to keep his job.

[@some_random_wallaby]

Thanks for the reaction. You say that you need to understand your history in the war in order to understand people from other countries: As an Australian, let me just say, ABSOLUTELY, YES! Our national identity barely existed before WWI, which was really when we started considering Australia as a nation, rather than a colony, (with New Zealand as a conjoined twin; a damn shame that we are getting a bit more distant nowadays, but they're still our brothers and always will be). Then WWII happened, and this identity was nailed down completely. And with that, you can understand how we grow up hearing about many, many, stories of Japanese war crimes. It's almost ubiquitous to any conversation about the war in the pacific, and it's personal because most of us born in Australia have grandparents that fought in the war (my late grandfather was in the air force as a navigator in a bomber crew, stationed in North Africa, but was born just late enough that by the time he could enlist, did so, and got trained up... the war was over). It's impossible to understate how much the war still means to us, and it still impacts how we view our neighbours. Even now, when I think Papua New Gunea, among other things, I think Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels and I smile like you wouldn't believe. I don't hold anything against Japan for what happened in the past, but for your education system to leave you in the dark about it angers me. A lot. Even seeing the modern flag makes me uncomfortable, because it's just the same without the sun rays... But to think the old imperial one can be flown and (after a quick check on Wikipedia) is still used in your navy disgusts me to such a degree that I can't explain it. It's primal. Anyway, that was more than I thought I'd write... Dunno if you'll read this, but cheers (& subbed, fwiw) :)

[@Eric-d2s1z]

As you probably found out, the imperial Japanese flag's origins go back to the 1600s, it became the official flag of the Japanese army in 1870, and of the navy in 1889. It long predates World War 2 and associated conflicts, unlike the Nazi swastika flag, and shouldn't be seen in the same way. Most of us don't look at the Union Jack or the Stars and Stripes and automatically associate them with imperialism or genocide, the flag of Japan is no different.

[@DerpyLaron]

Thank you for this very intresting video and otherside view.

[@katrinax_x3689]

Great video! If there’s two things we must learn it’s that: 1. Never place a judgement or hate onto another country for their past. 2. Never judge the counties people by their government.

[@JS-ih7lu]

Speak for yourself. I wonder if you would be so blaise if your grandfather was a victim of Unit 731 or your grandmother a “comfort woman”.

[@gaming4life788]

​@@JS-ih7luDidn't america conduct the tsukgee syphilis experiment on black people so should I pass that hate onto citiziens

[@kentl7228]

Japan is a nation full of great people and a beautiful culture. I have no grudge to any Japanese person if today for the sins of the past, let alone all nations or cultures have some parts of their past that are regrettable. I wouldn't hit a Mongolian for reasons of Genghis Khan. I say this with the purpose of encouraging that if Japan is honest about it's past, I would only repect it more, not less. The same for all cultures in this respect. I hope that Russians can be honest with themselves about what their nation is doing now in terms of ethics.

[@davidk7324]

Thank you Kuma Can Japan for posting this and I congratulate you on your curiosity. I'm 64 years old and spoke with American WW2 Pacific Theater veterans about the atrocities they saw the Japanese Army and Navy commit against civilians, POWs, and allied soldiers. This lead me to explore the conduct of the Japanese Empire in the 30s and 40s and I am appalled that subsequent Japanese generations are largely ignorant of what their people did. All countries have darker sides and actions for which they must account. For example, the USA's genocide of indigenous/Native American populations and African-American slavery/subsequent discrimination are 2 obvious things we need to atone for. I feel that Japan's reluctance to welcome asylum seekers/refugees is a present day manifestation of racism that the Japanese people need to confront. It is directly connected to the racist actions against non-Japanese in the 30s and 40s. If I may, please consider viewing the library of videos available on the WW2TV KZbin channel. There are scores of well-researched presentations/discussions on the Pacific Theater. Due to the ubiquitous crimes of the Japanese Empire, these atrocities are a recurrent theme regardless of the topic. I will also leave you with a statement that I have made in the past regarding the planned invasion of the Japanese home islands in 45-46: "The use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki probably saved the Japanese people and culture." After you explore how the Japanese Empire conducted war in greater detail, I think this will make sense. I encourage you to view the WW2TV Okinawa and Saipan videos. Also, anything related to the Japanese Empire conduct in Singapore and the Philippines, earlier in the war.

[@scottbracken1284]

Kuma. If everybody did their due diligence as you have, we would have an amazing world. Thank you Sir.

[@tniles817]

I think its very courageous for you to make this video. Im half and live in Japan. I have family on both sides of this war. At least once a year I usually have an older guy come up to me and tell me how I should go visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki and I can see the hate in there eyes. I wish they knew more about the whole history, not just the one they know and enjoy. War is terrible. America wasn`t right on some things and Japan wasn't right on some things. I love living in Japan.

[@RG-zt4ox]

It’s really good that you and a lot of other Japanese people are going out of their way to learn the history and it always hurts to hear about your culture and country doing awful shit In the US in the north we have history like Columbus or the civil war taught in a bright light avoiding anything bad in highschool some parts are rectified others are left unfixed and most people in the south grow up learning “slavery wasn’t that bad” and “the north were aggressors upon a peaceful way of life” and I don’t know what the west teaches it’s always good to learn even if it’s hard

[@ErikVdVijver]

Speaking as a Chinese, I think two atomic bombs were not enough. So in 2023 maybe the radioactive contaminated water will make up for it

[@darkpharaoh542]

Great video. Thanks for making this.

[@Hoo88846]

My paternal grand-uncle was shot and drowned in the Pearl River in Guangzhou, China, during the Japanese occupation. His body floated up after a few days. The problem with the continuous lack of education about WWII in Japan is that the class A criminals were released back into Japan and became prominent politicians after WWII, because the United States was bribed by Emperor Hirohito, the real person who orchestrated the WWII Japanese invasion in Asia. Emperor Hirohito used the treasures stolen from the Asian countries and the medical data gained from Unit 731 and Unit 100 to bribe General MacArthur into laying all the blames on the prime minister, so as to exonerate and spare the Imperial family's lives. 东条英机 Hideki Tojo got all the blames and was hanged, but most class A criminals were spared and released back to Japan after light sentences. They became prominent politicians in post-war Japan under the American occupation. This is why we have the current Japanese revisionism problem, because these class A criminals wanted to whitewash, downplay, and euphemize their WWII crimes, such as Rape of Nanking, Unit 731, Bataan Death March, comfort women, etc. The following video can explain the exact details of the bribery given to the American general MacArthur by Emperor Hirohito. This is why most western countries don't even teach much about Japanese WWII crimes. Even in American world history textbooks, WWII is about Nazi German crimes, Fascist Italian crimes, the Holocaust, Pearl Harbor attack, and then the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but Rape of Nanking, Unit 731 and other Japanese war crimes aren't mentioned. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gpaahHaMg6ZqkJo

[@Hoo88846]

Shinzo Abe 安倍晋三‘s maternal grandfather Nobusuke Kishi 岸 信介 was a typical class A criminal released back to Japan. He became the prime minister of post-war Japan. He was nicknamed "Showa no Yokai" The Monster of Showa (the rule of Emperor Hirohito). If it hadn't been for that bribery consisting of treasures stolen from the Asians with the "Kill All, Steal All, and Burn All" (Three All's Policy) 三光政策, he would have been executed after the war. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobusuke_Kishi#:~:text=Nobusuke%20Kishi%20(%E5%B2%B8%20%E4%BF%A1%E4%BB%8B%2C%20Kishi,2007%20and%202012%20to%202020.

[@CactusJackIV]

My man needs more subs, he has over 100 thousand view but not that many subbers. You seem like a nice guy, you have gain a sub today. Thank you.

[@SC-dm1ct]

He didn't even cover all the worst horrors committed by Unit 731. You should look up more.

[@kvonkirk2340]

Not while he's in Japan he shouldn't. A person can be arrested in other countries for looking at certain historical things. He's not in the US and Japan doesn't allow Is teaching or learning about Unit 731.

[@TheAlchaemist]

​@kvonkirk2340 that's not true. In Japan you can indeed search for information, it's just that the vast majority of them CHOOSE not to. And stating your opinions publicly can lead to something similar to shunning. But that has nothing to do with laws...

[@Eric-d2s1z]

His purpose was to review that video, it wasn't to tell everything and anything about unit 731.

[@kevinbobo9185]

All countries on the face of the earth have things in their past that we should be ashamed of, but there is no shame in admitting these things happened as long as we strive to make sure they don't happen again. You should love your country, I as an American love learning about your culture, people and history. I find it fascinating! May GOD bless You on your journey and discoveries.

[@jstantongood5474]

Well done. Simon Whistler Speaks quickly.BUT very clearly. And this is one of his best videos. I'm happy you found it and shared your reaction to it. Cool hair by the way.👍

[@limbodog]

Yeah, in America we still gloss over just how bad slavery was. Just how badly we treated the natives who lived here before it was invaded by European colonists. And just how badly we treated Pacific islanders as we expanded further westward. Nothing I learned in public school came close to the truth, and we Americans were typically depicted as intrepid explorers out discovering a new world and bringing civilization with us as we did so.

[@peacew6]

I don't understand why Japanese people don't seem to want to learn about an event that led to nuclear bomb falling on their country. If I learned that another country dropped a nuclear bomb on my beloved country I would do anything to find out as much as I can.

[@arl4422]

i remember hearing that there was this Japanese history textbook where ww2 was only 2 pages lmfao.

[@Kevsterkicks]

I applaud you for being humble and taking time to learn all this, but how is that video not an English overload to you?

[@KumaCanJapan]

I actually watched this video again and again with English subtitles before making reaction video 😝 It was hard to understand

[@jacpratt8608]

@@KumaCanJapan What an ordeal! I could barely get through it once, and I skipped over it the 2nd time to see Kuma Can's reactions. Can't say I'd want to buy a cartoon of wine from that man, Simon? Enough said.

[@Big_Bruh]

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

[@sunahamanagai9039]

Japan apologized many times??? Go look at wikipedia right now. Japan apologized DECADES AFTER the war ended. Whatever "apologies" they issued are too little too late. It's like pulling teeth and NO sincerity.

[@gracemanock2471]

Don't be ashamed of your history,it was a different world and mindset then.