Sam

**//Read today's article on Nogun-ri and write a half page reflection explaining how this is the same or different from Korea-Japan controversy. Note how the perceptions of the Koreans and Americans involved in this incident differ. Do you still have the same opinion about compensation? Why? If you believe this situation is different, how is it different?//** The incident of //Nogunri// during the Korean War was not revealed until the late 20th century. Numbers of civilians and the reasons for the killing wasn't clear enough to explain the whole disaster. AP, a worldwide newspaper, made the United States and Korean government to search about the incident through revealing the fact that took place in //Nogunri.// Relating to this, American government and President Clinton made a public apology for the incident and took an action of honor and remembrance towards the deaths of innocent civilians and victims. However, the actual families of the survivors weren't satisfied with the compensation of America. Relevant to the thinking of compensation, I strongly believe that compensation with money or any kinds of support can't satisfy or erase both physical and mental panic of the victims. It doesn't mean much despite the fact that the country helps another country with a purpose of compensation. The mental and physical pain can't be compensated with any kinds of material in this world. Thinking about Korea-Japan relationship, Japan is an unforgivable country that doesn't have morality at all.

Do countries have an obligation to compensate each other for injustices done in time of war?

 1) Read through the allegations (accusation). Choose three of the most compelling ones whether you agree or not.

2) Which rebuttal seems the least credible and why based on your knowledge of the Rape of Nanking? 3) What do you make of Coox’s argument that the RON was not a Holocaust? Does calling it as such really detract from the German holocaust, as Coox states? 4) Coox attacks the notion that Nanking was perpetrated from the highest levels of the Japanese government down and that it was orchestrated to instill terror. Do you think his argument is credible? How much actual evidence is there in Chang’s book suggesting that high governmental officials knew and condoned the atrocity? (You should refer to chapter 8 to help you)

Guiding Questions:
1) What is a massacre, holocaust, and genocide?

- Massacre is the unnecessary, indiscriminate killing of a large number of living beings - Holocaust is a great or complete devastation or destruction (Ex. Final Solution of the Nazis) - Genocide is the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political, or cultural group.

2) Was "The Rape of Nanking" a genocide and/or holocaust?

I strongly believe "The Rape of Nanking" is both a genocide and a holocaust. Japanese soldiers murdered people with brutality and massiveness in numbers. Despite the fact that the Japanese didn't plan it completely, they still intentionally killed both Chinese soldiers and civilians. So, these actions of massive killing of Japanese represent that "The Rape of Nanking" was both a genocide and a holocaust.

3) Why do you think some refer to it as a massacre?

Japanese soldiers had no reasons to murder large numbers of innocent Chinese civilians, however, they randomly killed and humiliated them. Thus, it can also be considered as a massacre.

4) Does the term we ascribe (assign to) really matter?

The term ascribe matters a lot in this event, because it clearly and firmly shows the brutality of Japanese soldiers in China.

5) Why do we study such horrific events?

People always learn from mistakes. Numerous horrific events such as "The Rape of Nanking" occurred in history. Throughout those events, people were able to notice evilness of humanity. The society considers them as huge mistakes and bad decisions that people made for one's or ones' benefit. However, studying these horrific events will teach us not to repeat the same thing that the people in the past did. Thus, later on or in the future, we can prevent those things taking place in society.

__//**Response to RON**//__

Rape of Nanking written by Iris Chang is a novel that shows the general cruelty of humankind. World War II (WWII) shows a clear description of the fearful competition between the Axis power and the Allies. Japan and Germany were two primary and significant countries of the Axis power. In the process of the war, Japanese made another important country to join the war. On December 7, 1941, the sudden attack of Pearl Harbor caused United States to be a part of World War II (WWII). World War II is thought to be one of the most disastrous and barbaric wars in history. The beginning and ending of World War II is just a little part of a description of humankind's cruelty and brutality. The core part of its description is the process of World War II. The novel Rape of Nanking focuses on the specific process: rape. As the title of the novel states, it specifically issues the rape that was placed in Nanking by the Japanese soldiers. Raping innocent women just for the physical satisfaction of soldiers is selfish. Tremendous numbers of people were rapped and killed by the hands of Japanese soldiers. Selfishness of Japanese is unreasonable and unaccountable. Japanese clearly reflected the barbaric and cruel human beings can be. //Rape of Nanking// is a good novel showing the evilness of men.


 * //Write a short reflection of what you learned from these readings. With the benefit of hind site and knowledge of China and Japan, would Korea had been better off if it had “opened up to the west.”//**

On the issue of Korea's closing from Western society, Korea's decision was truly stupid. I strongly believe that Korea could have become a superior nation than what Korea is currently. //Taewongun// thought he was protecting Korea and its tradition by rejecting all attempts of Western countries' opening of Korean market and society. Even the Catholic missionaries were persecuted and killed by //Taewongun//. Negative perspective towards foreigners or Westerners rooted into Korea deeply. However, I think that Korea's rejection of opening its nation to Western society is profoundly stupid and somewhat dumb. I understand that the ruler's duty is to keep the spirit of the whole nation. But, that mind of duty caused negative result to Korea. Korea had to suffer under the brutal control of Japan for thirty years. Korea was technologically and militarily behind its neighbor countries, Japan and China. I truly believe that it's all because of Korea's closing movement from Western society. The Korean market was abandoned and isolated at the end. That was the primary point of Korea's techonlogical isolation. Korea wouldn't have to suffer in Japan's control if they had an advanced technology and strong military. Consequntly, Korea would've been much better if it had "opened up to the west".

1) Finish up Scholarship and Knowledge

“My words are very easy to understand and very easy to put into practice,” but “Straightforward words seem paradoxical…” What does this mean? How does it come into play in __The Tao of Pooh__ with regard to scholars?

Taoism is very different from Confucianism. Even in the book, __The Tao of Pooh__, it illustrates the simplicity of Taoism and the complexity of Confucianism. I believe that the quote basically shows that the simplicity is superior to Confucianism, which used showed all those education and knowledge through their gigantic words. The pooh shows the arrogance of scholars such as how they use words just to brag about their knowledge and educational background.

2) Read the poem on page 30. What does Pooh seem to think about scholars? How does that relate to the Taoist view of knowledge?

In this poem, Pooh basically displays the simplicity of life. He also illustrates scholars as ones who think everything in complicated means. As it is written on the poem, everyday Pooh wonders whether “something” is true or not. It basically shows numerous parts about that “something”, however, it somewhat comes to the point of thinking that “something” as quite meaningless and empty. “How very readily one sees. That these are whose-but whose are these?” (Hoff 30) Through this quote, Pooh presents that it is quite useless and ineffective as well as thinking that scholars are quite thoughtless. The poem relates to the idea of Taoism, which is simplicity in life.