[UriDepkeeks]

my initial reaction to that book was that I felt offended. however after a few seconds to calm myself, I really don't think it is that big o f a deal. The fact is, a lot of Americans had absolutely no exposure to Asia during those times, so they must have wanted a way to pick out their enemy. Though a little ignorant, the booklet was an attempt to educate people.

My personal opinion in this whole matter is that we have to acknowledge the fact that people from other countries may have a completely stereotypical and superficial view of how we are, and honestly I don't see it as much of a problem. If someone is making some racist remarks against me because I'm italian, I would at most feel sorry for him for being ignorant and unpolite, but we have to understand that we can't pretend the whole world to know and believe the same exact things. Our richness is in diversity, but diversity brings also lots of problems. When I travel to faraway countries I love to discover and understand the different lifestyles of different people from different nations and religions. Which doesn't mean that I have to stand still while offended gratuitously, but understand that a person living so far from where I came from does not necessarily have the duty to know or care about me and my country.
It happened more than once to be treated badly while in Japan only because I was a lousy "gaijin" but, believe it or not, I didn't blamed the persons who acted harshly against me nor would I scream the now so fashionable word "racist!".

[Annevecenqp]

If someone is making some racist remarks against me because I'm italian, I would at most feel sorry for him for being ignorant and unpolite, but we have to understand that we can't pretend the whole world to know and believe the same exact things.

That's very admirable and I agree. Btw, Italians are not a race but, rather, a culture and national identity. Caucasians are a race.

Frankly, the whole concept of "race" is a 19th-century Anglo-Saxon construct which made the whole concept of a "people" or a "volk" fashionable and that led to it's mis-use during the 1930's in Europe.

We can certainly without that!

[SkapySisy]

That's very admirable and I agree. Btw, Italians are not a race but, rather, a culture and national identity. Caucasians are a race. Frankly, the whole concept of "race" is a 19th-century Anglo-Saxon construct which made the whole concept of a "people" or a "volk" fashionable and that led to it's mis-use during the 1930's in Europe. We can certainly without that!

The existence of the biological concept of race is unquestionable, you can try not to look at it if you don't like, but indeed it does exist. Extremization of the concept or race as its absolute denial are both wrong ways usually dictated by cultural trends, in the 1930's of the last century as, on the opposite, today (the herd culture of political correctness).
We must accept reality as it is, not as we would like it to be.
That's all.


ps - obviously italians are not a "race",you don't need to tell me. Do you know the conventional and accepted meaning of the term "racism"?

[curcercanty]

I disagree it's the lounge section, and the purpose of Legionario for posting that fact of history wasn't to promote racism.

Didnt say it was.

Honestly I don't understand your judgement.

Id just prefer to see something positive. Or something about kendo. Theres already a lot of random stuff in this forum.

Is or isn't this one the Lounge forum where (almost) everything goes?

Go for broke and enjoy yourself.

[Misebeita]

no, never did wonder about that. as I was raised for several years in Taiwan, the teachers and people generally don't like "China" too much. At school, they just always had the current Taiwanese flag

Taiwan didn't even exist back then. Wasn't it after WWII that they separated?

[disappointment2]

This was a completely misguided attempt to "educate" US troops. There have been countless studies that have shown that there is more genetic variety within a "racial" group than across racial lines, putting the lie to the whole concept of race.

I'd say that it's more than likely that this book ended up causing trouble for some unfortunate Chinese rather than actually helping to identify any Japanese, and probably led to at least one wrongful death. Promoting racism as education tends to do that.

[bloriMal]

Taiwan didn't even exist back then. Wasn't it after WWII that they separated?

hmm back then? when are you talking about? back when I was in school? I am only 22. so yes there was a Taiwan when i was in school. as for before that, I don't know the history of taiwan too well. and to be honest, I don't care much. (despite the fact I am half Taiwnese, their current president and just their over all foreign policy pisses me off)

[NEWyear]

The existence of the biological concept of race is unquestionable, you can try not to look at it if you don't like, but indeed it does exist.

ps - obviously italians are not a "race",you don't need to tell me. Do you know the conventional and accepted meaning of the term "racism"?

I know the common politically-correct tendency to apply the term "racism" to pretty much anything.

The concept of race is a new one, created in the 19th-century. Prior to that, people identified themselves by tribal, religious, or familial affiliation.

Biologically-speaking, race only applies to broad genetic classifications. For instance, Arabs are Caucasians as are Italians. However, both have different cultural identities which some people mistakenly consider to be racial.

[ZesePreodaNed]

hmm back then? when are you talking about? back when I was in school? I am only 22. so yes there was a Taiwan when i was in school. as for before that, I don't know the history of taiwan too well. and to be honest, I don't care much. (despite the fact I am half Taiwnese, their current president and just their over all foreign policy pisses me off)

Back when they made that book with the "Taiwan" flag. Didn't I already say before WWII?

[moopierof]

Well, perhaps this whole thread would've been more appropriately posted in Flames, considering the inflammatory nature of the content. I first looked at the thread because I simply couldn't believe the title of the thread.

[Nwxffgke]

Back when they made that book with the "Taiwan" flag. Didn't I already say before WWII?

i didn't know I was suppose to interprete every question as a definate statment. in that case, "are you an A$$hole?"

[Imampaictjg]

I'd be very surprised if it was.

I stated the obvious because some reacted as if it was so.

[Styparty]

Sorry for the double post:

Taiwan didn't even exist back then. Wasn't it after WWII that they separated?

As Paikea pointed out, the flag was China's flag under the Kuomintang party rule,Taiwan became the exile land for the chinese nationalists after there defeat against the communists thus they kept the flag which was china's flag in WW2.

[Nakforappealp]

That's the Kuomindong flag - flag of the party in China existed before the oppositing Communist Party of Mao.

From a graphic design point of view, I quite like this little vintage book. Have a bit of nostalgia and wartime propaganda attached to it. The symbol they uses for the phrasebook part is kinda funny. It also questions your history knowledge with the covering flag. Thanks for sharing.

[MrsGoo]

It is a standard practice in war to try and de-humanize the enemy.
We are socially indoctrinated to not kill other people, so the de-humanizing is to overcome that by portraying the 'other' as not human and therefore OK to kill.

WWI the Germans had square heads (and ate children)
WWII the Japanese were, ... oops also very similar to the Chinese who were our allies.
Vietnam - not people but Gooks!! whatever that means.
In the mid East I have seen the term 'towelheads'

and in a history class I have viewed a chilling movie made by the Nazis for occupied Holland portraying Jews as rats. Apparently successful as that country 'gave up' a higher percentage of their jews than any other occupied country.

After WWII's genocides became known "never again" was the cry.
Biafra
Congo
Rwanda
Cambodia
Dafur
Bosnia
Iraq (shiite under Saddam)

Africa, Asia, and Europe, from a continental perspective Antartica seems to have no genocides.
Unfortunately things have not improved

[WaydayFep]

What was really shocking was the nice racist little strip Dr 'Cat in the Hat' Seuss made around the same time. Just do a search on Wiki about him and you'll find it.

[Heaneisismich]

gook

no offense, but i thought gook was a bad name for the koreans? and not vietnamese people? am i wrong? are all my korean friends wrong?

[greekbeast]

no offense, but i thought gook was a bad name for the koreans? and not vietnamese people? am i wrong? are all my korean friends wrong?

I do not know. I am a little young for the Korean war, I did have an uncle involved but I was just a little kid at the time.
I do know that the term was used during the Vietnam war which is more in my timeframe. Ye gods, next Memorial day look how old the Vietnam vets are, am I that old ????

[WenPyclenoWex]

What was really shocking was the nice racist little strip Dr 'Cat in the Hat' Seuss made around the same time. Just do a search on Wiki about him and you'll find it.

Wow. Quite illuminating. Thanks for the tip. Those editorial cartoon archives are really freaking me out. It's like someone just sent my childhood memories on some bad trip.

[omaculer]

i didn't know I was suppose to interprete every question as a definate statment. in that case, "are you an A$$hole?"

WASN'T IT AFTER WWII THAT THEY SEPARATED?

Not that hard to interpret. And no, I'm not an asshole, but apparently you are. Why are you getting so upset over my comment?

no offense, but i thought gook was a bad name for the koreans? and not vietnamese people? am i wrong? are all my korean friends wrong? They used that term for the Vietnamese, but apparently, later came to the Koreans. I don't think it was from the Korean war though as Manuka suggested. From my understanding, it was actually made up by Koreans. I've never heard anyone call a Korean a gook as a joke, or in those moment when they argue. I think people were more likely to call the Koreans communist or N. Korean or Kim Jong Il.

What was really shocking was the nice racist little strip Dr 'Cat in the Hat' Seuss made around the same time. Just do a search on Wiki about him and you'll find it. Dr. Seuss Goes to War or something. You can find it at book stores still, but it's obviously used more as a historical piece today than propaganda. It's an entire book. If you look, Hitler doesn't look too bad, but they made the Japanese look horrible.