At the end of World War II vast swathes of Europe and Asia had been reduced to rubble. Borders were redrawn and homecomings, expulsions, and burials were underway as life goes on for those who survived the Great War.
When the war began in 1939, the world’s population was approximately 2 billion. In less than a decade, the war between the Axis and the Allied powers had resulted in 80 million deaths, erasing the existence of about 4% of the world’s population. Behind every statistic and figure surrounding the Second World War there are real people and real lives being greatly affected.
To prevent such grand scale violence from recurring it is crucial that every world citizen acknowledges and reflects on the past. Northeast Asia, however, has much to learn from the successful experience of post-war Germany and Europe, as well as the once conflict over-ridden ASEAN region, which serves as the core institution upon which layers of multilateral cooperation have been built. This is often invoked when discussing the relatively retrogressing cooperation between the three nations in Northeast Asia.
Over time Northeast Asia has rapidly grown in significance and its sphere of influence expanded beyond its border, however, only to a certain extent. The lingering shadow of its past has always served as a barrier between the three nations – Korea, China, and Japan – from going a step further and achieving greatness. Geographically, these three economies are neighbors with Seoul, capital of South Korea, located around the midpoint of a line joining the capitals of the other two countries, Beijing and Tokyo. Indeed, there is every reason for them to work together in harmony when considering the interrelated state of the world in economic and historical aspects. Regardless of the absolute gain, which can be garnered only when the level of mere “partnership” among the three nations develops into “friendship,” each country remain recalcitrant against one another when it comes to subjects associated with history. But that needs to change now.
To this day, there are a number of people who postulate that the notion that the end date of the WWⅡ, as well as the Pacific War, was 1945. This may actually be inaccurate. What they are suggesting is that in some ways the war is continuing, if not, escalating. For instance, the ever-present territorial disputes over the Daiyoutai/Senkaku and Dokdo/Takeshima islands, as well as the uproar over the collective memory of World War II tragedies, such as the recent flare up of controversy regarding Korean sex slaves, are all conducive to the abhorrent possibility of yet another war in the region.
Hence, political leaders should consider ‘shelving’ territorial claims in favour of cooperative behavior first, declaring the non-use of force and demilitarising the disputed areas, thereby reducing tensions and preventing accidental clashes.
As World War II continues to haunt Northeast Asia, one of the most dynamic regions of the world and a region with great potential yet to be uncovered, the role that independent citizens and associations can play in preventing conflict and promoting long-term reconciliation between the people of different states ought to be brought to light. The government in each country, who are the de facto decision-makers, will proactively implement measures that will contribute to putting WWII to rest, only when grassroots efforts prevail. In line with the pressing need to sincerely reflect on the past and make amends for the brighter future in the midst of global recession, the 70th anniversary of the end of the World War II offers an opportunity for Northeast Asia to reflect on the lessons learnt from the past and to forge a vision for a peaceful and prosperous future.
Any attempt to cover up the historical facts or deflect moral accountability for past wrongdoings will only prolong the much needed and indispensable reconciliation within Northeast Asian countries. Moreover, any country’s attempt to reshape the history discourse of its neighbors, even if well intended, will only lead to regional and national backlash along with counterproductive and hazardous outcomes.
Therefore, the best that each nation can do is to share its understanding of its own history with its neighbors through bilateral and multilateral dialogue while making sure that no country is slighted, dishonored or threatened during the aforementioned conversations.
Northeast Asian countries should take pride in the depth of economic integration they have achieved through their trade and investment activities. The remarkable economic development and transnational economic linkages have fostered civil society development as well as cross-national social and cultural contacts.
Although recently with rising interest in regional economic integration among the Northeast Asian countries has resulted in exploration of the possibilities of closer economic relations and cooperation, they still have a long way to go to accelerate the process of regional economic integration. If they continue to work together as friends rather than partners, Northeast Asian leaders can realize their dreams for the region’s hopeful future.
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