A Thought:

Today I finished reading Unit 731: Testimony by Hal Gold. I was lead to this book by working through the reading list that Dr. Jordan Peterson has published on his website. Other works on the list would include the Gulag Archipelago and The Raping of Nanking. As I read, I was amazed by two revolving ideas which appeared in almost every testimony provided in the book. First, All the atrocities were done in the name of the ruler, for the sake of the country; thereby, placing the weight of their actions onto the country and not upon themselves. Those who did shoulder their actions often could not cop with them and self-destructed. The Second idea I found repeated was that they seamed to justify their actions by arguing that because these events took place during the "War Time" (WWII) that this somehow lessens the crime. Again it can be viewed as a coping mechanism. i.e. what I did is inhuman, but the soviet's are doing X therefore my crime is not as horrible giving me the moral high ground. In summary, this book contextualizes some of the most inhuman, sadistic torture and killing of the past century. I would only recommend this book to a person who is willing to change. Books like this leave lasting impressions and can construe one's view of the society in an everlasting way.