SPIDER’S WEB with CHEELA CHILALA
It is erroneous to assume that inspirational lives are always those of what we could, for lack of a better term, classify as good people.
Even the lives of people we consider evil – or people with a negative reputation – can inspire some people.
There is such a thing as negative inspiration and positive inspiration. A bad person can inspire his own horde of fanatical followers pretty much like the good person.
The world has had good leaders and bad leaders, but all of them have had loyal followers. Churchill inspired many, so did Hitler. Mandela inspired the world, but even Amin inspired some people.
The Second World War was a terrible experience which led to the death of millions, but three dictators were in large measure responsible for the expansion of the war: Adolf Hitler of Germany, Benito Mussolini of Italy, and Emperor Hirohito of Japan.
These three are considered villains of history – yet there are millions who looked up to them as heroes, not villains.
Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito were as different in temperament and character as the nations they ruled – but one thing was common among them: the desire to conquer and rule the world, not only individually but also collectively.
They were so passionate about the idea of conquering the world, in fact, that on 27 September 1940 they met in Berlin, Germany, to sign the Tripartite Pact, which led to them being called the Axis Powers, or the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis.
The Pact brought together three men with evil schemes and visions that were merged into one big plan to subdue the whole world.
Japan had the Tanaka Plan – also referred to as the Tanaka Memorial – which was crafted in 1927 by the Japanese Prime Minister at the time, Tanaka Giichi. Emperor Hirohito used in the plan to try to conquer the world. At the time Japan was already one of the world’s great powers, and part of the Tanaka Plan read:
“In order to take over the world, you need to take over Asia; in order to take over Asia, you need to take over China; in order to take over China, you need to take over Manchuria and Mongolia.
If we succeed in conquering China, the rest of the Asiatic countries and the South Sea countries will fear us and surrender to us. Then the world will realise that Eastern Asia is ours.”
To be sure, the Tanaka Plan, just like Hitler’s plan to conquer the world, was not only unattainable but a sheer display of madness.
Yet, despite the fact that Hirohito had an evil plan impossible to achieve, he was the revered 124th emperor of Japan.
So revered, in fact, that his fanatical admirers regarded him a god. His message, vision and character still inspired millions of Japanese then – and even now there are some Japanese who are inspired by his life and vision. The Japanese military were ready to die for Hirohito.
The motto of the Japanese army, in fact, was: “To Die for the Emperor is to Live Forever!” Blind loyalty? Perhaps, but these people still looked at Hirohito as an inspiration.
Hirohito died in 1989, but his legacy lives on despite the negative vibes that surround it.
Mussolini died in April 1945, but his Fascist doctrines still inspire many people around the world.
This is the out-and-out dictator who once said, “Democracy is beautiful in theory; in practice it is a fallacy.” He also said, “The truth is that men are tired of liberty.”
The question today is: Who inspires you and what effect do they have on your world view and attitude to other people, and to life in general? Do they inspire you for good or evil?
cheelafkc@yahoo.co.uk