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deathbybroccoli — APH: Forgive
Published: 2010-08-08 08:25:20 +0000 UTC; Views: 33752; Favourites: 1131; Downloads: 407
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"We cannot change the past, but we can change our attitude toward it. Uproot guilt and plant forgiveness. Tear out arrogance and seed humility. Exchange love for hate --- thereby, making the present comfortable and the future promising."EDIT: Sorry if I dont reply to you all..I'm too tired to now. But thank you for leaving comments; I do read them to get an idea of everyone's opinions on this matter~
This was mainly to do with a conversation a friend on LJ had posted...in regards to the Hiroshima bombing memorial day.
On several sites, there were many comments made about the bombing about how the Japanese "deserved" it, (and that bombing Hiroshima to end WWII was "one of the greatest humanitarian acts in human history.”)
Instead of rant forever, I'll just quote this comment, which pretty much states my opinion towards this kind of attitude/statement:
“How do heinous acts by Japanese soldiers (most of whom were forced into military service through drafts, and would be killed if they did not follow orders) compare to bombing and killing 200,000 civilians whose families had already been torn apart by, abused by, and were terrified of their own government?..... But I guess that is the bright side of being a victor in a war....you can focus on your defeated enemy's atrocities, while ignoring or justifying your own....” #please see note at bottom of page
After reading all those comments...I asked my brother,
"Do you think peace is possible?"
He very bluntly replied "No, because people will never change their thinking"
Well to me, if we don't try to change it, how will we know? I really hope that one day we will be able to obtain World Peace. The first step - hard, yes, but not impossible - is forgiveness. This "blaming game" needs to stop...
*"Forgiveness does not equal forgetting. It is about healing the memory of the harm, not erasing it."
* "It takes courage and commitment to act in a more forgiving fashion. It is not at all a sign of weakness but a mark of strength."
* "Let us forgive each other - only then will we live in peace”
* "...in a very real sense, without forgiveness, there is no future."
(by the way, Kiku was trying to paint over it himself (by precisely writing over all the words to cover them), then Alfred came along to help (and decided just to paint over the whole thing xD)...Together they're trying to clear the wall o3o~)
INSANELY LONG EDIT
EDIT 1 Ahh because it's not entirely clear, I have to say this now: I'm not trying to state who is wrong/who was wrong, and who's right in terms of the war, the bombings, or whether the bombings were necessary or not. Not the point of this picture, sorrry if you got that impression. that's not, nor will it ever be my intention - I'm not here to argue about the past actions of any country.
((long justification/explaining my point of view below, you dont need to read it unless you want to know what I mean. xDD))
my anger comes from the comments on news sites that were about the Hiroshima memorial day...Not at a country, just a particular attitude.
What I'm trying to get at...what I personally feel the problem in this situation is this:
when the Japanese are mourning the death of innocent people, there are people with the attitude 'they deserved it' - this is the kind of attitude I really...dislike. On a day of mourning, is it right to point fingers at people, and blame them or try justify your own actions by comparing them to theirs? that kind of thinking is cruel, it's wrong, I believe it needs to change. the attitude behind that thinking is what I believe drags people back - leaves them clinging to the past, hate, etc. The memorial day for bombing of Hiroshima is to remember and honour the innocent people who died. It's not a "America was horrible" or "Japan deserved it" moment. I feel it really serves as a reminder to us who the true enemy is: and to quote a US soldier who had made a statement to a japanese civilian... "You are not my enemy - war is."
Both sides committed atrocities. The Japanese definitely did. As did America. I'm not denying any of those facts at all. I'm not blaming America, I'm not blaming Japan. This blaming game, whether against each other or against ourselves doesnt help anyone. People can spend too long trying to blame the other - and this is one thing (that I feel) that prevents us all from working together, from striving to make changes for the better.
what Im hoping is that the anger, resentment, hatred towards each other will stop - and the only way I can see this happening is if people forgive (I mean everyone. Both sides. not referring to one...), I'm hoping attitudes like this will change so we can work together and prevent something like this from ever happening ever again, to prevent history from repeating itself...
of course, this picture is just my own opinion - i'm only wanting to make people think a bit, I'm not here to force it on others (copy-pasta'd from a comment I made, because Im too tired to repeat myself. xDD sorry)
EDIT 2: re:# note
this comment was made by someone (an American I think) when the "their loss was nothing compared to ours" kind of statement came into play at some point...So my point is this: it is cruel to say that people "deserved to die", and try to overlook the fact that innocent lives were lost from this act...Comparing whose actions were "more horrific" does not somehow justify that the loss of these lives 'is nothing to mourn about', or the deaths of these people should not be honoured (which is what a few of the comments were getting at). I apologise greatly for not providing the context to which the top quote was in; so it makes it sound like I was trying to shift the blame. I cant emphasise this enough - it is not my intention to do so...
and if it's of any relevance - (judging from a few comments, I have a feeling I may sound like I'm writing from the perspective of a Japanese person) I grew up in New Zealand (kiwi for life!); my parents are Taiwanese; my late Grandfather was Chinese(by descent)-Taiwanese, and always held a grudge towards the Japanese for what he experienced in WW2...Though I definitely felt hurt every time he looked sorrowful or angry at the recollection of his experiences and suffering, (and honestly, I felt angry myself at some stage) I decided not to let this influence what I should feel towards the Japanese people due to what was inflicted on my grandfather in the past and try to forgive. I am not disregarding my grandfather's suffering - if anything, I am extremely grateful that I am where I am today because of his efforts and his struggles to support his family and survive through crisis. But I want to end the bitterness that has somehow been passed onto the current generation (my father especially; is still somewhat bitter as well...) ...
Once again, I am just one person. I'm not speaking up for any country (as in, I'm not pro-'insert country here'; anti-"insert country here"). Please, if my comments offend you in some manner, I ask that you don't attribute my thoughts/opinion to either of the countries' people: it would seriously break my heart if I knew someone suddenly felt angered towards either country because of what I wrote/ drew. So please, if anything, keep in mind these are the remarks of one person (who usually would not post anything like this because she finds it impossible to word her opinions/thoughts in a coherent fashion).
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Comments: 302
thank you..!
yes, I did enjoy drawing that part xDD in the end, despite their different approaches - they are still aiming for the same thing.
I couldnt have said it better myself c'8!
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thank you for drawing this, i am japanese and get picked on constantly because of it
so thank you
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you're very welcome....I'm sorry to hear that you do get picked on for this sort of thing, ;u; *hugs*
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thanx don't worry i totally tell them off
then say certain words in japanese
lol
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Stunning picture and a strong message.
It utterly sickens me how people just go around and blame the country for what their leaders ordered! Then again, war brings out the worst in people, plus all of that sugarcoated propaganda brainwashing people.
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this is amazing i love it so much, and very true wow this has made me speechless it's just breathtaking and i totally i agree with all your statements.
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I completly agree with you and the image is beautiful
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As a Japanese citizen, thank you. ^^ <3
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Wow, I love this peace! I was thinking of what you said not too long ago as well. I told myself, 'It is definitely hard to start World Peace, but it's not impossible to accomplish." You should be heard more, I definitely think you could change others feelings about this topic for the good. c:
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This is gorgeous, and very touching. I loved it.
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thank you for your time QuQ <333
have a lovely christmas <3
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i read most of your artist comment thingy (the text started to get really small XD). i thought we were over pointing fingers at people over something that happened over a half century ago (it was a big something but it still happened so long ago)... i guess there will forever be people holding grudges no matter what.
what matters now is that there are people who are leaving the past behind. remembering the past, yes, but leaving it behind.
This is an awesome creation you have going on right here. So simple yet so powerful.
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LOL wow, you did? XDD *amazed*
to be honest I edited this a few times...so I had to keep adding since people were accusing me of taking a viewpoint that I didnt intend to have/didnt have at all lol OTL
but yeah...I agree!! It's good that people are leaving the past behind; but still remembering it as well/honouring those who died/
thank youu!!
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This is just an absolutely fantastic piece. I'm sorry you've gotten so much trouble for it. I think the way you explained your thoughts were eloquent and moving. I feel the same and I always make sure to speak up and try and change the thinking of those who want to blame and de-humanize the enemy. They're people just like us, with families that love/loved them.
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thanks so much x'DD
I think by now I'm just unable to answer every comment on this picture, because there are so many different opinions, and Im just one person with an opinion ;u;"
but yeah...let's hope that somehow people will change a little bit...
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thanks so much ;u; <3
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This is very powerful...in my opinion. This deserves a DD...BIG TIME!
I'm on your side on this case.
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Wow, this message is very, very powerful. Well done.
I'd like to note, though, that it's also an important step for both sides to admit their wrongdoing. Sometimes forgiveness is very hard if one side doesn't cooperate. For example, denying that an atrocity ever happened in the first place would definitely make it very hard for the other party to drop their grudge
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Okay, so, as an American, I was taught that the bombings brought a "swift and quick end to the war"(the exact words of my 6th grade History teacher. They've stuck with me for years), so they were justified. And, admittedly, I have a rather heartless view when it comes to humanity in war (mainly because war is not a humane thing). Trust me, I've been chewed out by my friends for that mindset and I won't be surprised if you chew me out too.
That being said, this piece of art wrenches my heart out and stomps over it with steel-toed boots (in a good way). The theme behind just kills me. It's so simple yet complex and I'm pretty sure I'm going to show this to a gazillion of my friends to see their reactions and get them thinking. I completely agree with the "forgive, but don't forget" idea (that also applies to 9/11, I think, though my family doesn't agree with me). I've never actually thought about the bombings on a personal level, I've always seen them as a war strategy and nothing more. On a selfish level, I am thankful for the bombings because if they hadn't happened, my grandfather would've had to go into combat and he most likely would've died. Actually thinking about it, I feel like crying myself to sleep over the lives lost.
On a different note, I've never heard someone actually come out and say that the Japanese deserved the bombings (though I'm pretty sure I have a friend that would say that they did just because he's that kind of person). And about calling Germans 'nazis', that happens way too often. They mean it in a joking manner, but it's not funny.
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But if we forget, we'll commit the same mistake... what we must forget is the rancor (poor english, sorry)
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Anyone who makes the claim that the innocent civilians who died in the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings "deserved it," is a heartless bastard with no soul; anyone who claims that the bombings were unnecessary to end the war has no brain. The mutual hatred exhibited by both sides (a good chunk of it racial) had contributed to one of the bloodiest conflicts imaginable, and it would have dragged on for years if the US hadn't dropped those bombs. Tactical analysis from the Iwo Jima and Okinowa invasions had convinced US war planners that it would take half a million CASUALTIES, just to take the Japanese home islands (which is why Roosevelt let the Russians have so much at Yalta, but that's another story). Without those bombs an invasion would have occurred, and the Japanese would never surrender after that, which would led to an occupation that would have made Iraq look like a UN Peace Keeping mission, which would have been enabled by the Soivets which would have done to the section of Japan they occupied as they did to East Germany; leading to a much less stable world with more deaths then I care to even fathom resulting from what would be a decades long occupation and ground war in Japan, that would most likely would have left the island a pile of smoldering rubble via conventional warfare.
What we did was horrible, that is beyond dispute. It was an act that should be remembered as one of the most terrible acts of violence one people could commit to another and we should never stop asking for forgiveness from the people of Japan; but I would rather bear that guilt than have let Japan be consumed by a forever war.
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I can't believe there is a hetalia art i actually like, so much of it is just boy on boy. innocent people dont deserve to suffer because of what their government or military does, that goes for the US and japan and any other nation. half a million innocent people died in seconds.Whether or not the bomb stopped the war or if there was another way doesnt matter, it is possible it was the only way to avoid even larger losses, but that doesnt mean the Innocent people in japan deserve it, whether the military or government did would be a different argument...
It's sad that people cannot at least open their eyes to the innocent lives lost, whether you think it is the only way it could have ended or not there is no way you should be thinking the innocent people in japan deserve it.
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My boyfriend would agree with you, and so do I brocc <33
He's a victim of racism even here in Canada - his social studies teacher was teaching WWII and calling Germans "evil" right in front of him; not just Nazis, Germans themselves. He's German. If he had gone and complained to someone, no one would have cared. Now, had he been black and the teacher been calling black people evil or stupid or worthless or anything of the sort, the teacher would have been fired. But no, because "we won the war," we "have the right" to say such things, which I think is completely wrong, my boyfriend is the sweetest boy in the world and doesn't deserve to have to sit and listen to so many people call his people evil.
Same goes for this... Japan didn't "deserve" any of their innocent people to be killed, just the same as German women didn't deserve to be raped by American soldiers. People are too quick to judge, and are to quick to be ignorant of their own "evils," if you will. If innocent Japanese people deserve to be bombed into oblivion because of what their army did, then Americans deserve to be shot many times over because of what their army has done. Everything goes both ways, and what people need to realize is that everyone is a person, with feelings and morals and values and likes and dislikes - not a faceless "evil" enemy intent on killing anyone different than themselves. Because if your opposer is like that, then so are you. One of the many reasons I despise war, and the media for that matter. The public eat/ate up propaganda, exactly why this is still an issue.
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Mmm, yes, thank you~ I get so sick and tired when war comes into topic at school and such because everyone seems so insensitive to any side but our own. War is not black and white with a good side and a bad. Perhaps the leader of one may be what people call horrid, or one side may be fighting for something people would consider a evil cause, but never will one side be completely evil, and with that, never will be a side that deserves their lost. Everyone has losses in war and we do nothing but puff out our ego by justifying our actions of destruction because so and so did this to us.
Woo for America, we just destroyed million lives but it is legit because they attacked us first and then we ended the war. Never mind the fact we didn't care in the least bit about the war until we were bombed. e.e Not saying Japan ended the world, just America does draw glory from questionable places.
And, like, arg, just I am so glad someone is sharing all the same thoughts that I had. I really hope I don't sound like I'm ranting, cause, well, I am, but I hope I don't sound like a hateful bitch. Just, to see people watch footage and pictures of what the bombing did to the Japanese civilian, people were innocent and not even part of the war have their skin melted off and have to fight away flies who tried to lay eggs in their raw flesh, to see fellow humans in that condition and still say "oh, well, I don't care because they bombed us first" something is wrong with that. Very wrong. Plus, I never agreed with acts of pay back. So what someone wronged you, to hurt them will only feed to a chain of pain and hate. Not saying America, as a country, shouldn't have done a thing in response to the attack, I am not well verse with political and war strategies and would not be the person to ask what should have been done in such a situation, just saying never will taking someone's life make up for another nor will it justify the crime.
Some people in America also still haven't forgiven Germany for the time of Hitler and think all Germans are Nazis, also notice some people who still think Russia is filled with communists, which I could be mistaken but I believe is no longer true. Heck, there are some Americans who hate Brits because of way back before the Revolutionary war. Not saying America is the worse, just I live here so I seen personally how some Americans think. I am sure there are people with similar thoughts in other countries. It is just sad to see people still go on about wrong done to their ancestors, not them, but their ancestors, and use that wrong to make horrible racist jokes and be insensitive to anything that isn't of their nation. We need to move on an aim to make a better future rather than live in the past.
And I shall end my comment here xP other wise I will talk myself in circles. Sorry if this seems like spam 
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I love Japan's small corrections and America enthusiastically painting everything white... 
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both countries have done horrible things and neither shuld be proud of what they've done.
I hated it when in U.S. History last year, when the teacher said the movie we'd see was about the surrender of Germany and the Hiroshima and nagisaki bombings and one kid said "heh...sweet karma.."
this is why I love my teacher her response was:
"You know what we did to them was just pearl harbor on a larger scale? We killed people who weren't involved in the war like they did."
and in the movie it wasn't just the american side of the story. They had Hiroshima survivors talking out the horror and pearl harbor survivers.
I nearly cried when a soldier on the enola gay said:
"I didn't know....I thought they were soldiers....I didn't know the bomb was that strong. I didn't want to hurt women and children...I'm sorry."
and then he cried.
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Can u tell me the name of the movie that u watched?
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it was documentry.
peter jennings was hosting it.
it was on the history channel i know.
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sorry 2 brother u..nerd here nd Thx it sounded really kool
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I love this. Ignore the assholes on the internet. They just want to get away with saying horrible things or justify something horrible instead of just dealing with the truth of the matter.
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i support this message! need i say anything else?
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Them or us. Choose. Nice job btw
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This is why some of people should notice difference between "Forgiving" and "Forgetting". Even here. Everywhere.
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Amazing. Your art and your words are very inspiring. We hold similar views (except maybe when it comes to football 
The soldier's quote about war being his enemy, not the Japanese, continues to give me chills.
Also, I love your style here. The idea itself is wonderful, and you pulled it off. Love it.
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Ahhh thank you so much for your kind words ;~; <3
I tried to post it and explain it, but because it's an opinion, there was a lot of misunderstandings as well x'D lol. OTL
I think I presented my opinion in a way that looks too unbalanced, but...now I just dont have the energy to rewrite it so people are dead certain that I'm not biased OTL ...(I think I might sound anti-American in this, which is totally wrong OTL OTL OTL)
But yes, thank you so much. 
...
LOL who do you side for, in football? x'D
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You win!
This picture win, your rant win, your ideals win, YOU WIN!
That's all, you said it all
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Lovely, and very true.
To be honest when it come to the Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it truly is a sad time in Japan (I lived there and on Okinawa while growing up), and yet it is a time of celebration in other parts of Asia, and many people have lost sight of the real tragedy of those innocent people lost during those two bombings. Those people should be remembered and it should be a time of morning for all.
But I think why so many bristle when it comes to this day, is because they see it as Japan trying to wrap it's self up as the 'victim' , 'white-washing' it as it were what those before them had done during the war. Unlike Germany which has a ton of Holocaust memorials, museums, their citizens who live and deal with the horrors of those before them, excepting and learning from them so such horrors as the Nazis never rise again (my friend is German and every year they are in school they have to study WWII). The Germans are never allowed to forget, and they never let themselves forget.
But Japan is different, there's been a lot of white-washing of what they did during the war, history books altered or not even taught at all or with only 'some' things mentioned. There are many Japanese that refuse to admit that Nangking even happened, saying that China is lying, while the Japanese Government is literally waiting for the last of the 'comfort women' to die so they don't have to apologize or make any restitution. Growing up on Okinawa, I even knew some of the islanders that were still angry about how they had been lied to and starved.
As you said, there where hideous atrocities done on all sides. But you can also understand why the great 'emphasis' the Japanese put on the anniversary of the two atomic bombings, and how many Japanese would like an apology from the US, when they themselves refuse to deal with their own monstrous deeds wrankles so many around the world. In the end I think its all about saving face. They think they will loose face if they admit as Germany has done, thinking it over-kill, thinking counties like China, Philippines, Korea and others wish to grind their faces into the mud. Yes, there has been some apologies, but they have always been rather small and few, and they in turn feel as if others want too much, their national pride unwilling to do more.
Over all it a sticky and ugly mess on both sides, but you are utterly right about how people of both sides have lost sight of the true tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Those two citys and those living in them where just as much victims of the war as those lost in Nangking, Manchuria, the Pacific and others. And the hard part for everyone to admit is that they were victims of the terrible bombs and radiation, but also of Japan's military blind sighted madness and pride.
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I have no words. *^*
If pictures are worth a thousand words, this is worth ten thousand and more. It's worth 1000 to whatever power is the amount of people this speaks to.
I LOVE IT.
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Beatiful peice and wonderful message. I wish more people in this world thought like you. There would be less hate then.
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Bravo. C'est magnifique et très juste je crois. :] Merci for putting so much poetry into all of this !
I agree wholly with that (but I still think that Hetalia treat the whole thing too lightly)
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Magnique ! The message is just wonderful. This pict is really a blow of heart for me. Very touching.
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This. Is. Awsome.
It seriously reminds me of a debate that my World History class had about wheather what the USA did was right, people mainly said the bombing was correct but after we where informed and every actually thought abou the topic, not blindly listening to past generations.
I know how you feel about the whole older generations slight bitterness, my grandparents still look at me odd when I talk about Japanese culture or when my sister and I say we want to visit Russia. Oh well, forgiveness is the best thing for the world!
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Hmm regardless of how lovely the art is,
(which it is <3)
what makes me want to comment is just to say I'm quite proud of the Hetalia fandom for producing something like this- counteracting it's reputation for yaoi and babble about pairings. I'm not going to go into my own feelings here- I think every person who finds an affinity with Japanese culture through manga has to confront issues like this at some point- but I do appreciate you trying to use Hetalia as a vechical to debate in such a serious manner.
Another example which may come in use when your defending your views is that of Northern Ireland here in the UK. That's an example of how poisionous hate can be if it's left to fester for generations. I appreciate you're probably a busy person but you may find the topic interesting since it reflects this piture very well:
[link]
Best of luck <3 x
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Very beautiful. I hope everyone in the world can have peace someday.
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Instant fave.
I visited Japan this summer, and we went to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and I can't even describe what I felt there. The atomic bomb museums were very well put together, and very chilling, and all the while I thought about how much the Japanese might hate us.
And yet, and the end of the museums, there were pictures everywhere with a simple word on it: "Peace." And I think that's what this piece really presents.
Thanks so much for posting this picture. 
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I understand both sides but I agree that no innocent human being deserves to die..Just because someone is of a country that has done something "bad" doesnt mean that all they agree with it. I love this picture btw 
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