Dimensions
129 x 197 x 22mm
A study of German and Japanese war guilt from an acclaimed writer.
Why are Germans so well informed on World War II while most Japanese know almost nothing about it? Why do so many West Germans feel guilty, Japanese victimised, and "Ossies" virtuous?
Ian Buruma explores the causes of these varied attitudes by travelling through Germany and Japan, visiting Buchenwald and Hiroshima, a former kamikaze base, and many other loaded places. He talks to Japanese veterans, German and Japanese students, artists, thinkers, and political figures. The result is a fascinating study of the politics of memory in east and west, studded with unexpected facts and rare insights.
