Japanese Militarism

According to writer Iris Chang, the molding of young men to serve in the Japanese military began early in life. And by the 1930s, military influence seeped into virtually every aspect of Japanese boyhood.

In her book The Rape of Nanking, Chang noted that "toy shops became virtual shrines to war, selling arsenals of toy soldiers, tanks, helmets, uniforms, rifles, anti-aircraft guns, bugles, and howitzers."

Memoirs of that time also described pre-adolescent boys waging mock battles in the streets using bamboo poles and imaginary rifles. Some even tied logs of wood on their backs and fantasized about dying as "human bomb" heroes in suicide mission.

Historians also cited the story of a squeamish Japanese schoolboy in the 1930s who burst into tears when told to dissect a frog.

His teacher reportedly slammed his knuckles against the boy's head and yelled, "Why are you crying about one lousy frog? When you grow up you'll have to kill one hundred, two hundred chinks!"