This unit examines the legacies of World War II in the Asia Pacific region, especially Japan,Korea, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. It considers such well-known events as the Nanking Massacre of 1937 and the sexual slavery of so-called 'comfort women , as well as lesser known issues such as the use of Asian forced labour on the Burma-Thailand Railway or the experiences of colonial soldiers (Korean, Taiwanese, Filipino, Indian) in the conflict. Importantly, the unit examines critically how debates about the past affect international and domestic relations in the region, and why the wartime past continues to haunt Japan and its neighbours to this day. -- Course Website
Instructor: Dr Beatrice Trefalt
Prerequisites: An appropriate first-year sequence or first-year unit such as ATS1318/ATS1319 or ATS1318/ATS1327 or ATS1320/ATS1321 or ATS1325/ATS1326 or ATS1873 or ATS1354.
