Wages of Guilt: Memories of War in Germany and Japan - Softcover

Why are Germans so well informed on World War II while most Japanese know almost nothing about it? Why do the majority of West Germans feel guilty, Japanese victimised, and 'Ossies' virtuous? Ian Buruma explores the causes of these varied attitudes, both in the past culture of each country and in their post-war treatment and other subsequent events, and looks at how they were or are manifested in museums and memorials, trials and textbooks. The result is a fascinating study of the many faces of events, studded with unexpected facts and rare insights.

Ian Buruma was born in the Netherlands. He studied Chinese literature in Leyden, and Japanese cinema in Tokyo. He is a regular contributor to the New York Review of Books. He lives in London.