Do you agree or disagree with my grandpa who always said?

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Question:

that it was a mistake for us (the US) to industrailize the people in Japan!.
He was a World War 2 vet, who died in 1997 at the age of 81!. I believe strongly he felt the way he did because of the war! So my question is do you agree or disagree with his line of thought and why or why not!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

I guess I'd have to disagree!. We tried that route with the Germans after WW I and it precipitated WW II so I think we absolutely did the right thing in helping them to industrialize!.

You can't blame your Grandpa for feeling that way though!. The Japanese were a formidable, relentless and sometimes cruel enemy!. He probably saw many things that he couldn't forgive or forget!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It depends on the perspective one takes!.

I would say, taken all-together, that no, it was not a mistake!.

Sure, the Japanese were our enemies in WWII and they caused a lot of trouble for a lot of people, but that's just a portion of the history that has happened since then!.

Japan was an important forward staging area for American and NATO forces during the Cold War!. She developed an electronics industry that still pushes along global technology!. Their economy and the US are very closely intertwined now, making the benefits to their economy help our own!.

The way that Japan industrialized helped shape the world and the US as we know it today!. It would be foolish to speculate on a world without those events and how it would look, but it could have ended up far worse!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I disagree!. if we would of done anything else Japan would be an enemy of ours and as the world now stands we need all the friends we can get!. Look at Germany we did the same there!.If we did not help we would have been at war again years ago!. A good economy is the course of freedomWww@QuestionHome@Com

In hindsight I do not think it was a mistake!. If it was then we sure did not learn from it for we do basiclly the same thing with China and Russia!.
We supported Japan after WW2 to be a fall against the USSR and Red China!. We wanted Japan to be democratic, pro west, and capitalist and bear influence in Asian Pacific!. Which it has done!. The US did not do this on its own the Japanese also stood up and put post war Japan back together!.
Before we critize others we should look at ourselves!. We helped Japan not entirely out of the goodness of our heart, we also benifited from a strong Japan!.

Japan's industry is based upon the American Industrial model!. The Model we have just forgotten!. In the 1970's a former GM CEO went to Japan to improve Japans Auto industry, and apperently they have learned what we have forgotten!. To build the best product one can, at the cheapest price possible, and pay your employees the most possible!. Most Japanese work 60 hours a week and take only 7-14 days vacation a year!.Www@QuestionHome@Com