Japan's Colonization of Korea: Discourse and Power

by Alexis Dudden, Alexis Dudden, Peter Duus

From its creation in the early twentieth-century, policymakers used the discourse of international law to legitimate Japan's empire. Although the Japanese state aggrandizers' reliance on this discourse did not create the imperial nation Japan would become, their fluent use of its terms inscribed Japan's claims as legal practice within Japan and abroad. Focusing on Japan's annexation of Korea in 1910, Alexis Dudden gives long-needed attention to the intellectual history of the empire and brings to light presumptions of the twentieth century's so-called international system by describing its most powerful--and most often overlooked--member's engagement with that system.

Early chapters describe the global atmosphere that declared Japan the legal ruler of Korea and frame the significance of the discourse of early twentieth-century international law and how its terms became Japanese. Dudden then brings together these discussions in her analysis of how Meiji leaders embedded this discourse into legal precedent for Japan, particularly in its relations with Korea. Remaining chapters explore the limits of these "universal" ideas and consider how the international arena measured Japan's use of its terms. Dudden squares her examination of the legality of Japan's imperialist designs by discussing the place of colonial policy studies in Japan at the time, demonstrating how this new discipline further created a common sense that Japan's empire accorded to knowledgeable practice.

This landmark study greatly enhances our understanding of the intellectual underpinnings of Japan's imperial aspirations. In this carefully researched and cogently argued work, Dudden makes clear that, even before Japan annexed Korea, it had embarked on a legal and often legislating mission to make its colonization legitimate in the eyes of the world. In so doing, Tokyo's early twentieth-century policy makers confirmed Japan's place in the international history of empire.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War, World War II, American

232 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2006

Reviews

[Kori-Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm reading this book as it's quite personal. My grandfather, Yozo Yamamoto, was a member of the all-nisei 100th Infantry Battalion. In fact, my grandfather was interviewed for this book while he was alive.

I heard and read things here and there about the 100th Battalion and 442nd Regiment, but never took the time to really learn about their experiences. I'm starting to understand the terrible obstacles these Japanese Americans had to face, and have come to appreciate the sacrifice these men and their families made. In a sense, they were in caught between two worlds, they were not American enough to the Americans and not Japanese enough to the Japanese.

I've read that in some families, one son fought for the US and the other fought for Japan. What a horrible predicament for the family, and for the brothers fighting on both sides of the war. And for many of them they were fighting for the US, the very country that held their families behind barbed wires in internment camps.

In light of what's going on in the US goverment and in the Middle East, it's important to remember that we cannot discriminate and act on fear-mongering. I remember sometime after 9/11, a news broadcast showed how Japanese Americans publicly came out to support Arab and Muslim Americans to show how the treatment of Japanese Americans after the Pearl Harbor attack paralleled the treatment of Arabs and Muslims after the 9/11 attacks.

[Diz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the history of the 100th and the 442nd, which were made up of Japanese-Americans fighting in Europe during World War II. It's amazing to see how dedicated these second-generation Japanese-Americans were to the United States despite the racism of the time and the internment camps that many Japanese-Americans on the west coast were imprisoned in. The author allows us the chance to get to know some of the soldiers personally, so it is really heartbreaking when many of them are injured or killed during battle.

[Judd Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Likely, the best unit ever to serve in the US Army. This is a incredible story that will likely never be repeated. Fortunately, their racist and ignorant General Dahlquist will hopefully never be repeated as well. For the men of the 100th and 442nd, our debt to you can never be repaid. RIP , you are great Americans.

[Selena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mostly repeating info from other sources.

[Incunabula_and_intercourse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderfully informative read about a topic I deeply care about! Cleared up a few questions I had about the 442nd and raised new ones to be explored.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent and well written.