Reaction #7: The Truth About Comfort Women

It was shameful to have been a part of the Comfort Women in Japanese history. Many stayed silent simply for this fact. Many who were a part of the raping were left to live lonely, solitary lives for the rest of their lives. The worth tied with a woman being a virgin in those days is astoundingly more so than the thought people give it today here in the States. Thus, when the women were finally released from the wartime Comfort stations, the women were left on their own. They’re status in life had been stolen from them, leaving them as the worst class of unclean women. Not only did others view them as unclean and unworthy, but their own views of themselves created a downfall in their own minds. The value placed on a virgin status of a woman only heightened the affects that the Comfort Women saw after they were released from their station.
In one astounding recollection from a Comfort Woman’s diary, she claimed to have been recruited forcibly by the government to go work in a factory. If any family member argued with or tried to keep the officials from taking their girl, they would be brutally beaten or even killed. But, of course, they did not take her to a factory. They took her to China, and placed her in one of the Comfort stations available for soldiers. The deception involved in taking these women was just a small part of the trouble these stations caused.
Many of the government officials viewed all of these rapes as just an “unfortunate consequence” of war and nothing more. They never thought about the status that was placed on the women after the stations closed, or the inflicting pain put upon the women. After the war, the women forced into these stations were released into a world that saw these women as unclean. They were left to live the rest of their lives seen as dirty, even though they did not willingly give up their bodies for sex. The pain that these women were put through is unreal. Being raped once in a lifetime is mentally challenging enough in today’s world, but these women saw between 20-30 men in a day. Even if they fought the men, they were not strong enough to fight them off. If they got pregnant, they were given a shot of the antibiotic Terramycin which would induce a swelling throughout her body and usually an abortion. The same antibiotic was given to those in pain after the rapes. The many rapes made many of the women sterile, and heightened their rank of outcast after the war. The view shared by so many countries that rape is always going to be an outcome of war are so highly untouched by the occurrence of rape. The emotional toll it takes on a woman to be over powered and have taken from her the one thing that makes her a woman is unbelievable.
These words and actions from the Japanese officials can be seen as another attempt to silence them because it degrades those that speak up against them. It puts them in a worse social situation and makes them feel worse of themselves because they think that it is such a big deal to be raped continuously day in and day out. The feelings of the women were never heard for so long mainly because of the degrading views of the social community, their old friends, and the government. The government would do anything in order to keep these women from pointing out the actions they have put upon them during wartime.

FDR's Four Freedoms

FDR initially meant the “freedom from want” to relate to the elimination of trading barriers to international trade. But, the people saw this “freedom from want” as more of an economic promise of stability after the war. This idea was appealing to all the classes, assuring they would have enough to eat, schools to send their kids to, and really being able to share in the American dream of life. The effects of the Great Depression heightened this “freedom from want” because just about everybody wanted during this time period. Fighting for this idea was a way to think that they will be better once they get out of the Depression and be able to move on towards a better life.
The “freedom from fear” that FDR fought for referred to the security of the United States and other countries to be without war. The world that “appeared to be out of control” needed to gain a sense of security and a sense of peace. He wanted to reduce the worldwide number of armaments that would create the ability of countries to aggress on their neighbors. During wartime, this sentiment is always high because the politicians and the population always see the negative effects first hand.
The desire for these freedoms came from the turmoil that Americans and Europeans faced during the 1930s and 1940s. The Great Depression hit both countries very hard during this time period and caused their economies to drop very low. Also World War II began during this time period which installed a sense of need in everyone. The “freedom from want” and “freedom from fear” both were heightened by the war mentality that everyone faced. Both the Great Depression and World War II created these freedom ideals that FDR touched on in his State of the Union Address in 1941.

Alain Locke- "The New Negro"

What does Alain Locke mean when he says, "The day of 'aunties.' 'uncles,' and 'mammies' is equally gone."? Why does he say this?
Put quite simply, Locke means that the days of slavery are truly over for African Americans and that now they must make changes to better themselves. Even though they have some hardships ahead of them, the worst days are behind them. The “New Negro” he talks about is coming through in all the ways possible, and Locke wants them to realize it.
Alain Locke wants this new generation to go through a transformation away from this concept of slavery. He wants his people to rise up and realize that they are going to be better than they ever expected. He wants them to put this idea of being an ex-slave behind them and focus on being a new person. Rather than to dwell on the past, he wanted them to make a new life for themselves.
A main point for Locke was for this New Negro to be intelligent. Intelligence is a key to so many doors, even today, that Locke felt his people needed to have in order to succeed in life. Intelligence would allow African Americans to look forward, instead of backward, and overcome all of the psychological speed bumps they have encountered before this time.
Locke says this because he believes it is time for African Americans to step up and realize their dream to be their own race. No longer should African American’s be the “wrong doer” of this society, they should come to realize that they are not the problem in this equation. African American’s should become and independent race, and should put this past idea of being slaves in any way behind them.