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From: jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: (Translation) Blood of the Old Kings by Sung-Il Kim
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2024 22:59:11 -0000 (UTC)
Organization: Public Access Networks Corp.
Message-ID: <vepgfv$qt2$1@reader1.panix.com>
References: <veocvv$8tm$1@reader1.panix.com> <4551b48eb3c951be11a93550ec6beaf6@www.novabbs.com> <robertaw-EAA20F.09500616102024@news.individual.net> <7b114ec2-1fd4-4607-8f5a-6266f58d8795@dslextreme.com>
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In article <7b114ec2-1fd4-4607-8f5a-6266f58d8795@dslextreme.com>,
Bobbie Sellers  <blissInSanFrancisco@mouse-potato.com> wrote:
>On 10/16/24 09:50, Robert Woodward wrote:
>> In article <4551b48eb3c951be11a93550ec6beaf6@www.novabbs.com>,
>>   quadibloc <quadibloc@gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> No doubt the comment in your review,
>>>
>>> "I wonder where on Earth a Korean author would get the idea of a
>>> relentlessly expansionist, exploitative empire determined to replace the
>>> cultures and religions of neighboring countries with the Empire’s
>>> hegemonic culture? It seems almost as though Kim has specific models in
>>> mind. I suppose we will never know what those models were."
>>>
>>> was intended as a joke, and was written with tongue in cheek.
>>>
>>> I can think of two candidates off the top of my head, of course.
>>>
>> 
>> And I thought of ONE direct example off the top of my head. Japan from
>> the late 19th century to the end of WWII ruled Korea ... firmly.
>> 
>     For firmly read "by martial law and humiliation" of the Koreans.
>Korea has a long history of division and rulers who wished to be
>treated like gods and were as remote as possible from the people
>who did the work which was much like Japan before it was really
>opened to the West in 1945. Japan has mounted military expeditions
>to Korea for various reasons from Imperial expansion to simply
>piracy.
>  	Japanese had traveled to the West around the time of the
>Meji Restoration but they did not bring many democratic ideals
>back with them. They were after western science and technoly in
>order to create a powerful state to contest for control of Asia
>with the West.
>  After Meji and after the death of his son. Young Hirohito came
>to power influenced by the State Shinto cult and the militarists
>who wished to expand their power on the Asian continent.
>	Shortly they usurped the Civilian Govenment and assassinted leaders 
>opposed to the rush to War in China then with the Pacific
>Powers who finally allied to oppose the Imperial Japanese Army, of
>which the Navy was a subordinate branch, led by the USA after Pearl 
>Harbor. Which is when the Allies in the Pacific began to make
>progress.
>	Korea and Taiwan were quite happy to throw off the Japanese
>rule. And as in the past the Korean Peninsula split into warring
>states. And the result of the Japanese Colonization is emnity
>by both the North and South Koreas toward their island neighbors.
>
>I read about this stuff because I developed an interest in manga
>and Japanese anime and wanted to understand the background of the
>images and ideas.

Back in August, I reviewed Showa: A History of Japan by Shigeru Mizuki,
which covers Hirohito's reign, as witnessed by Mizuki.

One interesting aspect is that Mizuki portrays himself as an
absolute knucklehead, the sort of fellow who would, on finding
himself stuck with boring band duty during WWII, request a 
transfer because he was unaware this would involve being sent to
the front. 
-- 
My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
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