Sunday, April 01, 2007

Never Unbiased

I was reading the local news and there is a bit of controversey about the new textbooks coming out; there is more detail about the Nanking massacre, they are being more candid about the sex slaves, and there is a major issue with whether the Japanese army ordered the citizens of Okinawa to committ suicide before the American troops landed.

The most interesting thing, though, was when I read what is put in one of the textbooks:

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The Battle of Okinawa

The Yomiuri Shimbun

The Battle of Okinawa was the only ground battle of the Pacific War to take place on Japanese territory and involve local residents.

U.S. forces attacked the Kerama Islands on March 26, 1945, and landed on the main island of Okinawa in April. During the battle, middle school boys were mobilized as student squads and girls as military nurses.

The battle effectively ended on June 23, claiming about 188,000 Japanese lives.

More than 600 local residents, mainly on Zamami and Tokashiki islands, committed mass suicide with hand grenades or sickles.

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It's interesting to note that the numbers don't include American soldiers killed in the Battle.

Of course, American textbooks record that.

It's interesting to see who writes what in textbooks.

---Biased.

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