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The world was shocked when Putin's Russia invaded Ukraine: how could a war break out in Central Europe in the 21st century?
But it happened. Why?
One key to understanding this atrocity lies in Putin's twisted vision of Russian history, a past that glorifies his motherland. Such examples of the glorification and misuse of history can be seen elsewhere, but most clearly in Japan during World War II, when suicide attacks were called "Kamikaze". In reality, the term "Kamikaze" refers to events some 700 years ago when Mongol fleets attempting to invade Japan were blown away by a miraculous typhoon. This historical event profoundly shaped Japan, leading to the naming of suicide missions during World War II as "Kamikaze" in a desperate attempt to turn the tide of the war in Imperial Japan's favor.The selective misuse of history for political gain by autocratic governments, also known as the "Kamikaze" Syndrome, can also be observed in countries such as China, Myanmar and in President Trump's America. His political slogan "Make America Great Again" or MAGA, resonates an idealized and conservative version of a nostalgic past, which shares some similar traits with the memory politics of China and Russia.
"Kamikaze Syndrome: How Fake History Crushes Democracy and Ignites War" examines Russia, China, Myanmar, and America as comparative case studies of the Kamikaze Syndrome and memory politics and explains why this syndrome has the power to destroy democracy and ignite wars. It is an essential reading to understand today s turbulent world, where the superpowers like Russia, China and America pursue the rejuvenation of their past greatness and, if necessary, would use military force and violence to achieve their goals.
List of contents
Fake History and Memory Politics.- Putin s Russia.- Xi s China.- Tatmadaw s Myanmar.- Trump s America.- Memory Politics Unleashed.
About the author
Yoshikazu Mikami is an author, journalist, and a Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at Mejiro University, Japan. He started his career as a reporter at Agence France-Presse (AFP) and later as a foreign correspondent at Reuters and
Time magazine, covering Tokyo as well as different parts of Asia. His first book was “
Aung San Suu Kyi Fighting Peacock Under Arrest” ¿1991¿, one of the first studies of the Nobel Peace Prize winner in the world. Since then, he has written articles and books, including the chapter “Press Freedom Under the Government of Aung San Suu Kyi: The First 5 Years” (in “
Social Transformations in India, Myanmar, and Thailand: Volume I,” Palgrave Macmillan, 2021).
Professor Mikami was awarded a Knight-Bagehot Fellowship, at the School of Journalism, Columbia University, and an International Fellowship at the School of International and Public Affairs, also at Columbia University. He was also Awarded a Rotary Foundation Scholarship and a Dean’s Honorary Fellowship in the same year. As a media expert, he has written numerous articles and chapters, including “Kamikaze” Syndrome from Russia to China to Myanmar: Fake History in a Post-truth Era Crushes Democracy and Ignites a War” (in “
ASEAN and Regional Actors in the Indo-Pacific,” Springer, 2023), a shorter version of this book, on the selective misuse or abuse of history for political gain by autocratic governments, otherwise known as “Kamikaze” Syndrome.
Summary
The world was shocked when Putin's Russia invaded Ukraine: how could a war break out in Central Europe in the 21st century?
But it happened. Why?
One key to understanding this atrocity lies in Putin's twisted vision of Russian history, a past that glorifies his motherland. Such examples of the glorification and misuse of history can be seen elsewhere, but most clearly in Japan during World War II, when suicide attacks were called "Kamikaze". In reality, the term "Kamikaze" refers to events some 700 years ago when Mongol fleets attempting to invade Japan were blown away by a miraculous typhoon. This historical event profoundly shaped Japan, leading to the naming of suicide missions during World War II as "Kamikaze" in a desperate attempt to turn the tide of the war in Imperial Japan's favor.The selective misuse of history for political gain by autocratic governments, also known as the "Kamikaze" Syndrome, can also be observed in countries such as China, Myanmar and in President Trump's America. His political slogan "Make America Great Again" or MAGA, resonates an idealized and conservative version of a nostalgic past, which shares some similar traits with the memory politics of China and Russia.
"Kamikaze Syndrome: How Fake History Crushes Democracy and Ignites War" examines Russia, China, Myanmar, and America as comparative case studies of the “Kamikaze” Syndrome and memory politics and explains why this syndrome has the power to destroy democracy and ignite wars. It is an essential reading to understand today’s turbulent world, where the superpowers like Russia, China and America pursue the rejuvenation of their past greatness and, if necessary, would use military force and violence to achieve their goals.
