Memory, Identity, and Commemorations of World War II: Anniversary Politics in Asia Pacific

by Daqing Yang (editor), Mike Mochizuki (Editor), Akira Iriye (Foreword)

Why do some governments and societies attach great significance to a particular anniversary year whereas others seem less inclined to do so? What motivates the orchestration of elaborate commemorative activities in some countries? What are they supposed to accomplish, for both domestic and international audience? In what ways do commemorations in Asia Pacific fit into the global memory culture of war commemoration? In what ways are these commemorations intertwined with current international politics?This book presents the first large-scale analysis of how countries in the Asia Pacific and beyond commemorated the seventieth anniversaries of the end of World War II. Consisting of in-depth case studies of China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, United States, Russia, and Germany, this unique collective effort demonstrates how memories of the past as reflected in public commemorations and contemporary politics—both internal and international—profoundly affect each other.

305 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 11, 2018

About the author

Daqing Yang is Associate Professor of History and International Affairs at George Washington University.

Reviews

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for my masters class, however I really enjoyed the depth and research the author interweaves into the topic. Traditionally we look at the events of World War 2, this book looks at how various countries commemorate it after and the effect on their national identity.