Perhaps more so than any other war, World War 2 and bombing go together. The bombing of Tokyo on March 9 and 10 of 1945 is one of many bombing campaigns from that war. Although overshadowed by the use of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945, in terms of immediate body […]
Tag: Japan
Japan’s Occupation of Manchuria in 1931 – The Risk of Allowing Aggression
Today, Japan is famous for cheap consumer electronics, fuel-efficient cars, and anime. It’s easy to forget that one hundred years ago it ranked as perhaps the most militarily aggressive nation on earth. Japan’s occupation of Manchuria in 1931 is a case in point. In fact, it’s an easy temptation to compare Japan’s occupation of Manchuria […]
The Last Rose of Shanghai – Rob’s Latest Book Review
I had high hopes for The Last Rose of Shanghai by Weina Dai Randel. High enough that I semi-broke one of my personal rules, which is to avoid World War 2 historical fiction. Why do I avoid World War 2 books? Because they’re so ubiquitous. Every writer has a World War 2 novel, it seems. […]
Patriotism vs Nationalism. What’s the Difference? Does it Matter?
Of course the question of patriotism vs nationalism matters. Otherwise, why post about it? The better question, of course, is why the difference matters. That’s what I want to explore today. Patriotism vs Nationalism: What Patriotism Is The definition of patriotism, at its base, is wanting to see one’s country do well. Cheering your national […]
Thaddeus Stevens, the Man Who Should be an Icon
It’s unlikely you know much about Thaddeus Stevens. Unless you enjoyed his portrayal by Tommy Lee Jones in the 2012 movie Lincoln, you may not recognize his name at all. This is unfortunate and deserves to be rectified. Thaddeus Stevens is, in fact, one of the great American statesman of the mid-19th century. Before the […]
The Values of Manifest Destiny, Part 2
In my last post, (click here to read) I laid out the values of Manifest Destiny. Hopefully, I made the case that it was among the most influential doctrines put forward in US history. Today, I’d like to show how the values of Manifest Destiny interacted with some other events in American history. I’ve already […]