[December 20, 2017] The idea that the study of pivotal events in history provide invaluable lessons toward the improvement of humankind (and leadership) is a theme often expressed in this blog; theLeaderMaker.com. While truth behind this idea is often neglected, we should remember both the events at Nanking in 1937 and how it is treated today.1
“Victory usually goes to the army who has better trained officers and men.” – Sun Tzu, ancient Chinese general
Senior Imperial Japanese officers set the conditions for and oversaw the slaughter of 300,000 Chinese (mostly civilians) in what is known as the “massacre of Nanking.” Now, 80 years later, the leaders of both Japan and China are still working to put the massacre and the war behind them to improve economic and social-political relations. This is difficult but the fact that the leaders of each country is helping set the right tone goes a long way to improving the strain between nations.
Chinese officials are leading the way as Chinese President Xi Jinping struck a tempered tone on the 80th anniversary of the massacre, saying China would “look forward” and deepened friendship with its neighbor Japan despite historical misgivings.2 Relations between Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Xi have warmed and promising a “fresh start.”
The problem has been a few Japanese hardliners have denied the massacre occurred (which has been extensively documented) or have downplayed the actual number killed. This is seen as an unnecessary poke in the eye to Chinese, Korean, and Pilipino citizens; especially of those who had relatives killed.
Lessons are often learned slowly and that appears to be what is happening here. The leaders know that downplaying the Nanking Massacre would be wrong yet they also know that the only way to overcome the opposition to the warming of relations is persistence and patience; good leadership at the highest level.
Political leaders are doing their best to improve relations because they understand everyone benefits from such an effort. Unnecessarily dredging up the past to push it in the face of others only fosters problems upon those who had nothing to do with the atrocity. The massacre at Nanking3 will be remembered but not used as a form of leverage.
[Don’t forget to “Like” the Leader Maker on our Facebook Page.]
———————-
- The “massacre at Nanking” was one of the reasons the United States imposed trade restrictions on the Empire of Japan in 1939; eventually leading to events that culminated in war between these two nations. Specifically, the U.S. used economic measures to force the hand of the Japanese in the late 1930s; concluding with their attack on Pearl Harbor in late 1941.
- http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/china-marks-nanking-massacres-80th-anniversary-51757382
3. Official English spelling is Nanjing (see Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanjing).