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[Blablurn]

China's top education authorities said all elementary and middle school history textbooks will be revised to state that the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression lasted for 14 years beginning September 18, 1931.

A notice issued by the Ministry of Education(MOE)'s basic education department said the ministry is urging education administrative departments at all levels to make the revision.

The revised textbooks will start to be used for the 2017 spring semester for elementary and middle schools, an unnamed official with the MOE was quoted by the Beijing News on Tuesday as saying.

Japanese forces attacked the barracks of Chinese troops in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning Province on September 18, 1931, marking the beginning of the Japanese invasion and occupation that lasted 14 years.

Previously, phrases like "8 Years of China's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression" were used in Chinese textbooks, counting the beginning of the War from the July 7 Incident in 1937, which ushered in Japan's full-scale invasion of China.

On December 13, 1937, Nanjing, the Chinese capital for six dynasties, fell to Japanese forces, who went on to slaughter civilians for more than a month. About 300,000 Chinese were killed, and 20,000 women raped.

More than 35 million Chinese were killed or injured in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, accounting for one-third of the total casualties of all countries during World War II, according to incomplete official data.

Source: http://en.people.cn/n3/2017/0110/c90000-9165079.html

It seems like China wants to push the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression more in recent months. For example when Abe visited Pearl Harbour some weeks ago, Chinese media published many articles on why he didn't visit Nanjing yet.

 

[Chuck Norris]

If it's accurate then why not

 

[Bananajama]

Newly discovered information confirms it was 14 years not 8

 

[massoluk]

I really have no problem with this.

 

[hamchan]

Fair enough.

 

[Mistake]

The only thing I disagree with is teaching it at such a young age. Like 5 and 6. Other than that, I have no problem

 

[Seiryoden]

"Who do we want people to hate more, the Japanese or Jiang Jieshi?"

 

[Ethranes]

What happened in Nanjing was disgusting. Glad that they have found this evidence and updated their books.

 

[MGrant]

"Remember that time imperialists killed almost 10 million people?"
"Yeah, that was awful. Unforgivable. Unforgettable."
"Remember that time Mao starved 55 million people to death?"
"Hmmm well okay yeah but he was still 70% good and saved us from those imperialists!"

 

[chillybright]

Japan has been saying the 14-year war since the beginning.

It is never too late to give at least some credits to Chiang's army.

 

[chillybright]

"Remember that time imperialists killed almost 10 million people?"
"Yeah, that was awful. Unforgivable. Unforgettable."
"Remember that time Mao starved 55 million people to death?"
"Hmmm well okay yeah but he was still 70% good and saved us from those imperialists!"

How is Mao relevant to this discussion at all? Is his terrible deeds somehow make Japanese invasion more forgivable?

 

[SiteSeer]

How is Mao relevant to this discussion at all? Is his terrible deeds somehow make Japanese invasion more forgivable?

extreme whataboutism.

 

[Metal B]

How is Mao relevant to this discussion at all? Is his terrible deeds somehow make Japanese invasion more forgivable?

No, but it only builds up hate in a young age. It's more important to learn from your countries mistakes to not repeat them, instead of focusing on an external thread too much.

I'm German, so I know, what I am talking about. We learned a lot about our own errors and consequences.

 

[MGrant]

How is Mao relevant to this discussion at all? Is his terrible deeds somehow make Japanese invasion more forgivable?

I'm just saying that a broken clock is right twice a day. I'm not going to give out any points for updating their history textbooks one time when their entire education system has made countless tendentious revisions to history to bolster those in power and foment hatred towards their neighbors.

 

[Machina]

I'm just saying that a broken clock is right twice a day. I'm not going to give out any points for updating their history textbooks one time when the entire system of their education system has made countless tendentious revisions to history to bolster those in power and foment hatred towards their neighbors.

Then both were as bad as each other at various periods in history, how human

 

[chillybright]

I'm just saying that a broken clock is right twice a day. I'm not going to give out any points for updating their history textbooks one time when their entire education system has made countless tendentious revisions to history to bolster those in power and foment hatred towards their neighbors.

Are you denying the acts of Japanese during the war? Teaching one of the most horrendous acts in recent civilization is "tendentious revisions to history"?

No, but it only builds up hate in a young age. It's more important to learn from your countries mistakes to not repeat them, instead of focusing on an external thread too much.

I'm German, so I know, what I am talking about. We learned a lot about our own errors and consequences.

You could do both. The inadequate teaching of Mao does not invalidate the scrutiny of foreign invasion.

You brought up that you are German so you know what you are talking about. On the contrary I don't think you know what you are talking about when you try to speak or reflect for the victims. Could you tell the Jews to focus on their mistakes instead of what happened in the gas chambers. How do you think that will turn out? What you said should target toward Japanese.

 

[MGrant]

Are you denying the acts of Japanese during the war? Teaching one of the most horrendous acts in recent civilization is "tendentious revisions to history"?

Of course not. I'm saying that for every thing horrendous thing the Chinese teach grade schoolers the Japanese and Westerners did to China, there are equally horrendous things committed against the people by the Party that are swept under the rug, if not outright banned from discussion. Is that not tendentious?

 

[chillybright]

Of course not. I'm saying that for every thing horrendous thing the Chinese teach grade schoolers the Japanese and Westerners did to China, there are equally horrendous things committed against the people by the Party that are swept under the rug, if not outright banned from discussion. Is that not tendentious?

As I mentioned above in a perfect world they should do both. But the lack of one (which is not the problem of education but society as a whole) should not make the attempt at the other less valid. By your metric history class are all tendentious if we can't get contemporary facts straight, which is a struggle for every country in thr world.

 

[Earthpainting]

Updating history books to reflect new information makes sense.

"Who do we want people to hate more, the Japanese or Jiang Jieshi?"

Or the third option, Jiangshi.

 

[NeOak]

Updating history books to reflect new information makes sense.

Or the third option, Jiangshi.

What new information? They've finally caught up with the account given by the actual oppressor for what looks like a political minded reason.

 

[Timbuktu]

Japan has been saying the 14-year war since the beginning.

It is never too late to give at least some credits to Chiang's army.

They probably don't mention that KMT had to fight against the Communists at the same time for years. If not for the Japanese Invasion, the CCP might never have won.

I found Frank Dikötter's books to be pretty good for modern Chinese history for English speakers.

 

[chillybright]

They probably don't mention that KMT had to fight against the Communists at the same time for years. If not for the Japanese Invasion, the CCP might never have won.

I found Frank Dikötter's books to be pretty good for modern Chinese history for English speakers.

Although downplaying their contributions, their textbooks do mention KMT.

They even spend quite a few pages depicting the battle of Taierzhuang and attribute this key victory to KMT's effort and sacrifice.

Soviet Union played a bigger role in the civil war than the aftermath of Japanese invasions. US tried but failed to help KMT dur to significant geographical disadvantages.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

Updating history books to reflect new information makes sense.

It's not new information, it's just usually considered a separate war, the Japanese invasion of Manchuria. They're separated by several years and a ceasefire agreement. Considering them to be one war isn't necessarily wrong, it's just that their motives for making the sudden change seem fairly transparent. The Party only cares about history insofar as it serves their ends.

 

[hirokazu]

How is Mao relevant to this discussion at all? Is his terrible deeds somehow make Japanese invasion more forgivable?

This happens every time in threads about the war in China. I don't know what the CCP's motives are here though. Preparing for some muscle-flexing against Japan maybe.

Also, just because these textbooks are being prepared for primary school level students doesn't necessarily mean they teach it to 5 year olds. Come on, I learnt about facets of the Second World War in primary school. Unless they actually do teach it to 5 year olds.