History of East Asia
PART 1
- What place does a popular movie, such as the one on which you wrote your movie review, Play in the study of history? Is there any place for popular movies in a history course such as History 1601E at UWO, or should the study of history at university be restricted to academic sources? Give reasons for your answer.
Popular movies have become a key element of youth popular culture. When such blockbuster movies touch on history, teachers cannot resist the urge to use them during a history lesson to spark interest in students. Are there some educational benefits when such movies are used in a history lesson? It must be understood that unlike documentaries that are created with the aim of achieving educational purposes, popular movies that touch historical topics are originally meant for entertainment purposes. Therefore, to answer whether popular movies have a strategic point in a history class, it is vital to give special attention to the historical context that the movie contains and how accurate it is, and also how the movie connects the past and the present.
Although there is little guidance on how teachers can use teachers to enrich the history content ent they give to their students, the learning of millions of students is already getting shaped by movies, and many teachers are employing them in their classrooms. To start with, teachers need to ensure that a movie is conveying accurate information about a particular topic. Due to the nature of their purpose, popular movies are not restricted from editing and trimming some crucial historical details such as dates, real names, and places out of their plot (Metzger, 129). Their key aim is to entertain, and not giving special attention to this can result in students consuming fiction instead of facts. However, popular films are effective because it has been shown that a movie that has the correct information about a historic incident in the text increased the ability to recall by over 50% comparative to consuming information only from the text (Everding, para 3). This shows that popular movies have a special place in universities, especially during history classes, as it will enhance the ability to recall in the students. The reason why teachers need to give special attention to the accuracy of the information in the movies they want to is that a movie that contradicts a text is dangerous as students tend to recall the false information the movie (Everding, para 3). This shows that failure to be keen on the information in the movie can lead to doing more harm than good.
Some challenges that usage of popular movies may pose in the classroom include their length- movies are usually long. Teachers may solve this problem by showing their students only the key portions of the movie. These portions may be spread over several lessons. Another challenge is the way the community may react to the usage of movies in classrooms. A university that intends to use popular movies in a classroom should communicate with parents and assure them that the movies are fit for student consumption. Another key challenge of popular films is their tendency to include objectionable content such as graphic violence, nudity, and obscenities. Teachers may solve this by skipping or editing out such scenes to maintain the primary goal of learning. Therefore, popular movies are key to enhancing understanding and the ability to recall and provided that the information is correct; they have the potential to increase the quality of learning in Universities.
Work Cited
Everding, Gerry, “Historical movies help students learn, but separating fact from fiction can be a challenge” (2009) Retrieved from https://source.wustl.edu/2009/08/historical-movies-help-students-learn-but-separating-fact-from-fiction-can-be-challenge/
Metzger, Scott Alan. “Maximizing the educational power of history movies in the classroom.” The Social Studies 101.3 (2010): 127-136.
- According to Charles Armstrong’s article, “Familism, Socialism and Political Religion in North Korea,” (this was one of your tutorial readings), how has Confucianism been utilized in North Korean political ideology, and why? In 1949 Communist China rejected Confucian ideology as seen in the status of women and the exploitation of peasants, so how can Confucianism be reconciled in a socialist state?
Name
Institution
Course
Date
Confucianism was developed by a Chinese philosopher known as Confucius. It is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system that bases its teachings on humanism. Humanism is a belief that it is easy to teach human beings. The focus of Confucianism is cultivating virtue and maintaining ethics. In his article “Familism, Socialism and Political Religion in North Korea,” Charles Armstrong describes the vital role that the Confucian values played in Kim Jong I1’s system. It is evident that King I1 Sung and Kim Jong I1 re-created and manipulated various elements of Confucianism because they needed to validate their supremacy.
Understanding the history of North Korean society and the way it functions, it is vital to first view it from its historical point of view, majoring on what drives people’s lives. Therefore, it is arguable that Confucianism is a strong foundation for the political scheme of North Korea. The Confucian culture was always used as a propaganda tool to strengthen the stability of Kim I1 Sung’s regime. Confucianism stated that a family was a cell and had a leader. Using this to strengthen his system, “Korean Family” was the family, and Kim I1 Sung was the “head of that family.” Besides, Confucianism compared the political structure to the human body, where the leader of the country represents the brain, and citizens are the body that must perform all the commands and instructions of the leader. Also, the Confucian view also considered a leader as the wise father responsible for caring for his royal nation. By using these concepts, Kim I1 Sung was able to influence the Koreans and command a collective political loyalty to support his regime (Armstrong, 384-92).
Reviving Confucianism in a socialist state is not a simple task. But Left- Confucianism, which works by combining Confucianism values with socialism in a way that Confucianism will emerge as the dominating tradition; hence change socialism can be the best method. Left- Confucianism should promote values such as democracy and human rights. Left-Confucianism encourages intellectuals to shun bad policies, and the state is required to promote equality and well-being of all classes of people. It must be noted that Confucianism was initially rejected because it exploited peasants and women. Therefore, Left-Confucianism should ensure that it promotes equality and brings justice to all. However, it must be noted this may pose a challenge as it appears to spread “Western” ideologies in a socialist nation.
Work Cited
Armstrong, Charles K. “Familism, socialism and political religion in North Korea.” Totalitarian Movements and Political Religions 6.3 (2005): 383-394.
PART 2
(a) What led to the rapid economic recovery of Japan after the Second World War, and why did China, North Korea, and South Korea not recover as quickly?
Name
Institution
Course
Date
After the war, around 40 percent of Japan’s industrial plants and infrastructure were demolished, and production slowed down to levels of more than a decade earlier. The aid from the United States totaled about $1.9 billion when it occupied the nation (BWH, para 23). Numerous measures that were introduced by the U.S. during the occupation, such as land reforms, played a crucial part in Japan’s economic growth as it increased the nation’s competing power.
Besides, foreign trade was also essential as it helped in expanding the exports rapidly enough to afford the importation of technology and industrial machines without succumbing to debts. Factories and industries were able to acquire the best modern equipment, which gave Japan a stronger competitive muscle than other nations who only depended on their outdated technologies. A huge portion of Japan’s industrial capacity was lost during the war, and the nation invested heavily in sectors such as chemicals, steel, coal, and power in order to reclaim the lost glory. By the mid-1950s, Japan was producing goods at a pace matching the prewar period. Since the government had was not spending more on the military as it was during the war, the economy had recovered not only its lost pace but also outshone the momentum of the previous period. By 1965, infrastructure, construction, manufacturing expanded by around 12%, 11%, and 13% per year, respectively (BWH, para 28-29).
The post-war education system is another factor that stimulated growth. The education system contributed to a higher literacy rate and improved education standards, which expanded the nation’s economic growth. Another key factor is the increased rate of investment. During the prewar period, investment stood at only 11%, but by the 1950s, it was at about 20% and surpassed 30% in the late 1960s (BWH, para 30). Since Japan came late to industrialization, it was able to avoid the ineffective technologies that other nations had and only imported improved equipment. Japan started adopting development and research in industries that sparked creativity and new innovations. Economic growth was also fuelled by the nation’s labor force. After the Second World War, agricultural workers were transferred to modern industries, which increased production while maintaining a moderate wage increase.
While Japan Was experiencing a rapid economic recovery, other nations such as South Korea, North Korea, and China were lagging behind due to several factors, as discussed. By the end of the 2nd World War, the Korean Peninsula broke into two regimes, which replaced the colonial government. Communist Russia established a Korean administration in the North while the southern half was occupied by the United States military government. This political division and de-colonization was the first thing that disrupted trade both with Japan and within Korea, which led to critical economic chaos. The U.S. military government attempted to deal with the post-colonial mayhem by privatizing properties previously owned by civilians and Japans. Land reform was carried out by the first South Korean government in 1948, which made the land distribution more democratic. Another event that totally crippled the economic power in the Korean peninsula happened- the Korean War. It took place in 1950 and destroyed about 25% of capital stock, not to mention that it led to the death of about 1.5 million people (Myung, para 12).
Other factors that crippled economic growth in South Korea is the military coup led by General Park Chung in May 1961. Park Chung Hee was eliminated in 1979, and these events were causing unhealthy interruptions in the economic growth of the nation (Myung, para 15-17). Around the 1950s, North Korea was economically stronger than South Korea, which motivated it to invade South Korea. Unfortunately, their economic muscle could not sustain the war for long, and North Korea’s living standards rapidly collapsed in the 1990s (Myung, para 17). The importation of capital goods and energy to North Korea weakened it more. Similarly, China had engaged in a civil war before World War 2 was even over. Also, the damage that was done in China by the Second World War was much greater, and millions of people had fled their country. Millions of acres were flooded, and bombs had destroyed many dykes (Lary, para 2). Although China, South Korea, and North Korea picked up later a considerable economic growth pace later, it was after Japan had established itself as a strong economic superpower.
Works cited
“Boundless World History (BWH),” Japanese Recovery. East Asia after World War II, Lumen (2015). Retrieved from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-worldhistory/chapter/japanese-recovery/
Lary, Diana. The Ending of the Second World War in China, fifteen eighty-four, Academic Perspectives from Cambridge University Press (2015). Retrieved from http://www.cambridgeblog.org/2015/08/the-ending-of-the-second-world-war-in-china/
Myung Soo Cha, The Economic History of Korea, Yeungnam University (2016). Retrieved from https://eh.net/encyclopedia/the-economic-history-of-korea/
(b) What were some of the historical factors that led to China and North Korea becoming
Communist states, and why did Japan and South Korea reject communism?
Name
Institution
Course
Date
Communism is the theory that encourages property to be owned by the community and discourages privatization. East Asian nations have accepted or rejected communism as a result of various historical factors, as discussed below.
The rise of communism in China is attributed to Mao Zedong. Although he never received sufficient education, his intelligence was high and took a keen interest in the philosophies of Marxism. After the Boxer rebellion of 1900, where Christian converts, missionaries and foreigners were all massacred, and people were hit by grief, famine, and starvation. This is the factor that played a key role because these historical events laid a platform for acceptance of Mao Zedong and Communist philosophies inspired by Karl Marx. There was a great desire to change the nation, and many Chinese joined revolutionary parties and political groups, which also nurtured a path into communism. Those hard times were crucial as they prepared the way for Mao, who enjoyed the support of over 85% of the nation’s poor peasants. During the revolution, Mao ordered his army to treat peasants well and avoid harassing them. The communists started implementing effective social-economic policies that favored the poor farmers, and they even paid for what the peasants wanted. Also, they established favorable interest and rent controls and ended abusive tax collection processes. The peasants also started receiving a basic education, and in turn, they supported the Communists giving them a strong mass base. After defeating the nationalists, Mao Zedong led the communists after finishing the revolution (“All About Philosophy”, para 1-2).
On the other hand, communism was encouraged by the continued supremacy and expansion of Japanese in Korea. Japanese ruled Koreans starting from 1910 to around 1944. A significant number of Koreans were poor and only practiced small scale farming. Japan was able to develop steel mills, hydro-electric dams, and mines, and many Koreans were employed, and this saw the growth of industrial activities, especially in the North. However, the need to have freedom gave rise to a communist group led by a young Kim II Sung, and a guerilla war sparked. The high number of poor Koreans formed a significant foundation for the movement motivated by the need to set themselves free from Japanese rule.
Anti-communism in South Korea started immediately after World War 2 after an eruption of the Cold War between the USA and the USSR, which was based mainly on new military conflicts. Instead of exclusion of Koreans who had helped Japan occupy Korea, the U.S. government that occupied South Korea offered them administration and police chiefs’ positions to help in governing the new nation. The escalating conflict between the USA and the Soviet Union was the factor that encouraged anti-communism with a primary intention of getting rid of political enemies that wanted to destroy the trust between South Korea and the U.S. At the end of Korean War, Anti-communism in South Korea was the most popular political ideology that outshone other ideologies. Several factors made South Korea shun communism at an early stage. The role of the United States government and domestic politics in South Korea played a critical role (Shin, para 3-5).
When the U.S. government settled in South Korea, it recruited those who worked for Japan to help in administration, and local people saw this as a betrayal. Protests emerged, but the U.S. treated them as protests getting funds from communists in North Korea. Also, in 1961 after the military coup, the new government introduced anti-communism law that barred any activities or ideologies associated with communism. Communism was made illegal, and opposition movements spreading communism were punished and terminated (Shin, para 7-9). Similarly, there are several factors that have led to unsuccessful communism in Japan. Communist movements have always been harassed by the Japanese government. After its defeat, Prince Konoe Fuminaro spread the fear of a communist revolution, which is known as the “Red scare in Japan.” Japanese Communist Party (JCP) had been successful, but by 1917, JCP had fallen under Stalinist influences around the 1920s, and it became a socialist party. This is why Japan is not a communist nation (Crooke, para 1-2).
Works cited
“All About Philosophy,” Rise of Communism in China, What led to the rise of Communism in China? (2020). Retrieved from https://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/rise-of-communism-in-china-faq.htm
Crooke, Matthew J. “Betraying Revolution: The Foundations of the Japanese Communist Party.” (2018).https://repository.usfca.edu/capstone/775/
Shin, K. The trajectory of anti-communism in South Korea. Asian j. Ger. Eur. Stud. 2, 3 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40856-017-0015-4