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【ニッポンの新常識】米国人の１人としてＰＲＣに戦勝国を自称されると腹が立つ　Ｋ・ギルバート氏

http://www.zakzak.co.jp/society/domestic/news/20150212/dms1502121550003-n1.htm

ニッポンの新常識②

Common Knowledge Revisited②

　There are countries which always complain about Japanese understanding of history. Actually, as an American, I am also dissatisfied with Japanese understanding of history. Today I will write about my understanding of history.

　If I were to ask, "What is the only country in Asia that is a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council," the majority of Japanese would probably answer, "China." I am not saying that answer is wrong, but the precise answer is "The People's Republic of China (PRC)."

　Originally, the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council were the five countries victorious in World War II. However, the PRC was founded in October 1949 and did not exist at the time the war ended. It joined the United Nations in 1971.

　During the war, China was the Republic of China (ROC) under the Kuomintang (KMT = Chinese Nationalist Party) led by Chiang Kai-shek. That is why the important cultural treasures of China are contained to this day in the National Palace Museum in Taiwan. At that time, the army of the Chinese Communist Party (PLA = People’s Liberation Army) led by Mao Tse-tung which founded the PRC was a guerilla organization fighting a civil war with the KMT army.

　The history of the PRC is a mere 65 years, less than one-third that of the United States. Compared to that of Japan, with the longest history in the world, it is less than 3%.

　During that short history, it has invaded Tibet and Uighur, and participated in the Korean War and the Sino-Indian Border Conflict. Domestically, it has produced a vast amount of victims in the Great Leap Forward, atmospheric nuclear tests, the Cultural Revolution, the Tianmen Square confrontation, etc.

　As an individual American, I take offense at PRC calling itself a victorious country in the war. The four countries of Great Britain, the United States, Russia and France suffered great casualties in the fight against Germany. But the KMT army in China, while killing many unarmed Japanese residents of China, continually fled the Japanese army. It killed many Chinese and blamed it on the Japanese army. And the PLA engaged only in sporadic guerilla battles.

　The ROC army was treated as a victor for political reasons without having really fought the Japanese army. Thereafter, largely through skillful lobbying efforts, the PRC had the ROC thrown out of the U.N. and obtained a permanent seat on the Security Council. The 4,000 year history of Chinese plots is not to be taken lightly.

　Surprisingly, it is not well known why the PLA, which was a guerilla organization, was able after the war to equip itself as a functioning army and win the Chinese civil war.

　The Japanese Army (Kanto Army) in China was disarmed upon losing the war, and Russia commandeered all of its armaments. Russia then gave the equipment to the PLA. Of those Japanese left in China at the end of the war, soldiers, doctors and nurses were held for forced labor to teach military strategy, aircraft piloting skills, and medical skills. In this way, the PLA was able to turn itself into a modern army with an air force, artillery units, and medical teams, and win the war against the KMT army.

　The PRC was thus indebted to the Japanese people from the time of its founding, and thereafter obtained massive ODA (Overseas Development Assistance) and private investment from Japan. However, the PRC now shows open contempt for its most important benefactor, destroys its natural resources, and threatens it militarily.

　Do you see why I said I am dissatisfied with Japanese understanding of history?