The Germans, Japanese, and Italians started WWII. Do they accept responsibilty?

Question

I know everyone is the hero of their own story, so it wouldn't shock me if kids in those countries are taught a very different version of history than Americans are. It may even be that our version isn't 100% correct either (blasphemy!). But I'd like to get the perspective of those outside America.

Answer 1

The Germans have and their government is still paying reparations to their victims and the truth about the war is taught to their children in school. The Italians were kind of just along for the ride and anything they could get out of it. To the extent that they sent some army types into battle at the insistence of Hitler they participated and recognize that, but their sins in WWII pale in comparison to the other "Axis Powers". (The term power is a misnomer when used for Italy, which was very much unabashedly second rate.)

Japan not only never accepted responsibility they were never made to, mostly because MacArthur was put in charge of post war Japan and was more interested in being a demigod than in exacting justice for their victims; in fact, a man who boasted that he ate the liver of a downed American pilot became a high government official. There were some show trials, mainly away from the Japanese main islands and a few executions, but most, if not all, of the Japanese atrocities like the rape of Nanking, using American prisoners and Chinese citizens for medical experimentation, killing and torturing and overworking POWs to the point of death and on and on and on were swept out of sight and under the rug.

The man who ran the main experimentation facility in China to explore germ warfare and who conducted live dissections of his victims was allowed to go free when he gave the notes of his experiments to the American forces. He became quite wealthy and successful in postwar Japan. Unlike Germany, where known Nazis were prevented from holding public office, in Japan there was no such restriction.

The actual actions of Japan and their soldiers is not taught to their children and most are very surprised to learn of it when they study outside of Japan. They also seem not to believe the truth or to think it relevant or important to them.

For this subversion of the truth I dislike the Japanese and would never knowingly buy one of their products or support any Japanese business. They have never even apologized for the millions of Chinese they killed in their attempt to seize the country and its rich natural resources.

Answer 2

became the internment of eastern human beings justified? To us as we talk? No. yet Pearl Harbor, Hawaii AND Darwin Bay, Australia did not ensue the day previous. the international became interior the midsection of a terrible conflict. Canada, being portion of the British Empire, became in from the onset, not merely like the US. Then without provocation, Japan hit Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor became the US, and the US wasn't even interior the conflict. And Pearl Harbor became way too close for convenience for Canadians. Then one month later Japan hit Darwin Harbor, Australia. The dying & destruction in the two places became undesirable and thoroughly unpredicted.... and maximum folk sense thoroughly uncalled for. the US wasn't even interior the conflict. no person had made any assualts on eastern land. The Germans and the Italians had not flown over to the US and bombed us. Canada, extraordinarily British Columbia, not felt secure. We weren't at conflict with Japan. Japan unexpectedly grew to alter into the worst enemy of Canada & the US, Australia and New Zealand.... on a similar time. (Canadians unfolded eastern-Canadian internment camps additionally) concern. Horror. distrust. Paranoia. armed forces AND civilian casualties. Sneak assaults. Prejudice. place of foundation secure practices. The particularly polite, industrious, complicated working, properly mannered and save to themselves form of people, the eastern merely committed the two worst monstrosities interior the historic previous of Hawaii and Australia. the folk of Canada, the US, Australia, and New Zealand have been merely terrified.

Answer 3

Don't ask me where I read it because I've forgotten the author's name and the title, but the book was written by a woman who was German and living in East Prussia during the war. She wrote that Hitler always said in his speeches that Germany did Not start the war. Germany was only taking what was its own ancestral territory - its rightful homeland. France, Great Britain, etc. declared war on Germany - therefore they, not Germany were responsible for the bloodshed.

One Canadian airman who was shot down and thus became a POW recalled a woman at a railway station calling out to him and the others locked up on the train, "Why are you bombing us? Why don't you let us alone?"

Answer 4

As a German, we blame Hitler and the Nazis for WW2, not Germany or the German people. We see ourselves as taken advantage of by a dictator and his personal agenda, and we are keenly aware of how it could happen again to anyone, anywhere. It's for this reason, disassociating ourselves from Nazis is a top priority, leading to the banning of Swastikas and the Nazi party, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if Italians and Japanese had similar outlooks, blaming their leaders rather than themselves. To be honest, I see a lot of support for this; people are pretty similar and good no matter where you go.

Answer 5

They mostly do, at least superficially, as is evidenced by the comment of the German guy above, - the disassociation is common, not just of Germans, but people throughout history.

Of course, Hitler was German, all the Nazi's were German, and most Germans were Hitler fans, so it's a stretch to say "he took advantage of us".
I have a German friend who told me that quite a lot of the older Germans wish they'd won, and didn't think that bad of Hitler. But they can't publicly express that, of course.

And for the idiot above: WWII is one of the best documented events in world history.
I've never heard anyone say that we started it, or that Japan, Germany & Italy didn't start it, even the most lunatic conspiracy theorists.
You can have the opinion that they were the good guys, and we were the bad guys if you want, but there's absolutely no question about the sequence of events.
They started war first.

Answer 6

hi joe m nancy i have great interest in history
2nd w.w was totally based on the injustice treaty of versails m not siding the axis powers but germany was responsible for 1st w.w after this they were tretad very badly by allies they had to pay huge war indemnity and even germany was divided into 2 in order to regane its old glory and prestige germany again starte 2nd world war. its just a brief about germany. pleze con. me at [e-mail] .

Answer 7

Japan has behaved disgracefully since the war in refusing to compensate their victims in China and Korea and the POWs who they maltreated horrendously.

As someone else said, Japan started WW2 in the 1930's, so even if the British are sometimes critical of the late arrival of the Americans, we ourselves weren't exactly out of the traps fast. China, Czechoslovakia and so on were attacked before we declared war.

A postscript. Although Britain and France declared war on Germany (following an ultimatum on Poland). Germany declared war on the US - an often overlooked fact.

Answer 8

Everyone should accept responsibility (it takes two to tango)!!!
I'm not outside of America (I'm an American), but I'll be th first to ask you ' how do you know for sure that they are the ones that started it (in every aspect)'. In my opinion, every country has their way to spice up the truth...
If I had kids, I wouldn't let them go to a public school until they know the difference between b*ll$h!t and reality... they would be home schooled!

Answer 9

The Germans and the Italian accepted responsibility for their actions. The Japanese goes through denial.

Answer 10

hmm... i learned that the japanese went to china and they were SO horrible to the people (i won't include the details but think inhumane testing for the purposes of "science".
but then, in japan, they teach that china invited them to come and rule for a while.

and though some ex-soldiers have applogized for what they've done, the government still refuses to make a formal appology to the chinese.