No nation is free from the charge that it has a less-than-complete view of the past. History is not simply about recording past events—it is often contested, negotiated, and reshaped over time. Debate over the history of World War II in Asia remains surprisingly intense, and Divergent Memories examines the opinions of powerful individuals to pinpoint the sources of conflict: from Japanese colonialism in Korea and atrocities in China to the American decision to use atomic weapons against Japan.
Rather than labeling others’ views as ‘distorted’ or ignoring dissenting voices to create a monolithic historical account, Gi-Wook Shin and Daniel Sneider pursue a more fruitful approach: analyzing how historical memory has developed, been formulated, and even been challenged in each country. By identifying key factors responsible for these differences, Divergent Memories provides the tools for readers to both approach their own national histories with reflection and to be more understanding of others.
Table of Content
1. Historical Memory, National Identity, and International Relations
2. Fashioning a Patriotic Narrative in Contemporary China
3. Confronting Collaboration in Korea
4. Multiple Memories of War in Postwar Japan
5. The Uncomfortable War: the Pacific War in American memory
6. Japanese Colonial Rule, Forced Labor, and Comfort Women
7. The Sino-Japanese War and Japanese War Crimes
8. The War in the Pacific
9. The Atomic Bombings of Japan
10. The United States and Postwar Settlements
11. Toward Historical Reconciliation in the Asia-Pacific
About the author
Gi-Wook Shin is the Tong Yang, Korea Foundation, Korea Stanford Alumni Chair of Korean Studies; Professor of Sociology; Director of the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center; and Director of the Korea Program at Stanford University.
Daniel Sneider is the Associate Director for Research of the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center at Stanford University, and, with Gi-Wook Shin, is Co-Director of the Divided Memories and Reconciliation Project.
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