Stories about History from August, 2017
One Year On: Uzbekistan's Unhappy Ex-Ruling Family
A year has passed since despot Islam Karimov died, following 27 years in power. He left behind feuding relatives and a toxic regime.
A Popular Japanese Cosmetic Surgeon Is Called Out for Admiring Nazism
"The last thing our world needs today is the embrace of Nazi ideology, under whose banner physicians carried out unspeakable crimes in the name of ‘progress.’"
A Look at Some of Syria's Destroyed Heritage
"This is like blowing up the Taj Mahal or destroying the Acropolis in Athens. This is a disaster."
Seventy-Two Years Later, Japan Remembers the End of a Devastating War
Prime Minister Abe's remarks on the anniversary of the end of World War II did not express Japan's guilt. The emperor's remarks expressed feelings of "deep remorse".
On Anniversary of Nagasaki Bombing, Japanese Government Criticized For Refusing to Sign Ban on Nuclear Weapons
“Whose country are you leader of anyway?” — a representative of survivors of the 1945 bombing lashes out at Prime Minister Abe Shinzo
Jamaica Police Review Absolves Officers in Tivoli Gardens Incursion
The Jamaican Constabulary Force's assessment of its actions during the 2010 state of emergency is being interpreted as "defensive and dismissive in a manner that is not appropriate or useful."
Japanese Politician Pressures School Principal About the Use of History Textbook that Explains the ‘Comfort Women’ Issue
‘Why was this textbook selected?’ trended on Twitter after a Japanese politician questioned the selection of a school textbook referencing the ‘comfort women’ issue.
Guinean Filmmaker Paul Théa Speaks About His ‘Slave Route’ Project
"We are the first to propose a museum about slavery in Guinea, and to include the story of the slaves in South Carolina," says the filmmaker.
What Once Was the Main Slave Port in the Americas Is Now a World Heritage Site
The recognition forces Brazil to acknowledge a period of its history that it still struggles to fully confront.
Even the Best Dancer Leaves the Dance Floor: African Strongmen and Political Transition
"The fear of challenging leaders who cling to power is, for some Africans, rooted in anxiety about alternatives—alternatives which remain unknown because they are never allowed to emerge and develop."
‘My Freedom Is Mine’ — Caribbean Netizens Discuss Emancipation Day
"I choose to question myself every day and put down other people's loads that are no longer mine to carry. That is my freedom. What is yours?"