Russo-German War (1941-1945)

Kafka's City of Prague and Czech Literature

Chapek's "White Disease" Synopsis and Impressions - An unknown plague suddenly begins to spread in the world just before the war! What is the fate of mankind?

This work is science fiction written in the form of a play, and is quite compact, with only a little over 150 pages in the paperback edition. However, like his masterpiece "Robot," it is surprisingly dense. I was drawn into the story and read through it in no time. This work is also full of Chapek's charm. I highly recommend this work.
Stalin and Hitler's genocide and holocaust

B. Stangnet, "Eichmann Before Jerusalem: The Peaceful Life of a Mass Murderer" - The "banality (mediocrity) of evil" theory is overturned!

It is a shocking work that could overturn Arendt's "banality of evil" theory!

The Eichmann revealed in this book is the exact opposite of the "banality of evil." Arendt is told in this book that he fell into Eichmann's carefully planned trap in Jerusalem. Eichmann was no mere cog in the wheel of power. It is a terrifying book.
Stalin and Hitler's genocide and holocaust

Can Arendt's "banality of evil" be exonerated - Can crime be forgiven if you are a cog in the wheel of power? Considering Genocide.

Is Aren't Arendt's "banality of evil" an excuse to get away with sin? This was the question that occurred to me in the process of studying Srebrenica and the Rwandan genocide. The perpetrators do not consider themselves responsible for their actions, saying that they had no choice. But is that really enough? This article is my attempt to think about that question once again.
Learning from the History, Thought and Literature of the Cold War World

Tony Judt, "Thinking about the 20th Century" - What should we do to prevent a repeat of our tragic history?

It was a very interesting dialogue between two great historians of prewar, wartime, and postwar Europe. I felt that this is what a chemical reaction between listener and receiver is all about. Intellectuals of overwhelming levels seriously discussing the world with each other. That is what this work is about. The dialogue woven by these two people makes for an overwhelming read anyway.
Buddhist Columns & Dharma Talks

The Dead and Spirituality: Reconsidering Modernity, edited by Fumibishi Sueki, How to Face Death Today in the Wake of the Corona Disaster

This book is very important because of the current moment in the Corona Disaster. How should we think about illness and death? How should we deal with invisible beings? Are we so blindly trusting in science and rationality that we have lost sight of what is important? This is a book that makes us think about such things.

Now our view of life and death is being questioned.
Nietzsche and Dostoevsky

Nietzsche's "Twilight of the Idols" Synopsis and Comments - What are the connections to Dostoevsky and Frankl's "Night and Fog"?

The Twilight of the Idols is a book of value shifts, a series of strong words that shake our values.

And what is said here is directly related to the work "Antichrist," which will be published shortly after this.

In this work, Nietzsche attempts to bring down the hammer on the moral system that has shaped the history of Christianity.

Also, in 1887, just before this work was written, Nietzsche encountered the works of Dostoevsky and was shocked.

This article will also consider Nietzsche through such a connection with Dostoevsky.
Stalin and Hitler's genocide and holocaust

What Did Soviet Soldiers Believe and Why Did They Keep Fighting - "Learning from the Battle of Germany and the Soviet Union" Articles

The book reveals what each soldier went through and why he continued to fight.

Each one of them is an ordinary human being just like us.

A person has the potential to be anything. Depending on the circumstances, people can commit atrocities with impunity. Even if you think you are a good person, you never know what you might do. This book makes you think about that.
Stalin and Hitler's genocide and holocaust

To learn about the history of the Soviet Union and the Nazi genocide - "Learning from the Russo-German War and the Holocaust" article list

The work "Bloodland: The Truth About Hitler and Stalin's Genocide" was a truly shocking book.

It made me realize how little I knew about anything. There are facts in this book that we cannot see in the history of the world that we learn. And it seems to me that these invisible facts are what we really need to learn.

In today's chaotic world, learning about dark history can be a painful experience. However, I believe that this is why it is important to learn, even if it is painful, in order to prevent such history from repeating itself.

We hope you will be happy to read these articles.
German-Soviet War: The Soviet Union and the Nazis' War of Extermination

List of 16 recommended reference books on the German-Soviet War - The German-Soviet War to learn about now.

This article provides a list of recommended reference books for learning about the German-Soviet war.

The war between Germany and the Soviet Union puts the nature of war before us as never before.

Why did war happen? How does war change people? The Russo-German War provides an amazing insight into why genocide occurs. I myself was very surprised to learn about the Russo-German War and felt fear of war. It is a different kind of fear than I had felt before. It is not the "victim fear" that I have seen in dramas, movies, and documentaries, but the fear of war itself.

Each of these articles introduces the book in more detail, so if you are interested, please refer to the articles as well.