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| Brought to you by: | Shu Luan Chen |
| Susie Lee |
| AMST 151: Asian American Experience |
| Interviewees of Chinese Descent | ||
 Katarina Yee |
18 years of age | Chinese Vietnamese American |
 Kenny Chan |
19 years of age | Chinese American |
 Michael Ngo |
21 years of age | Chinese American |
 Matthew Chan |
18 years of age | Chinese American |
 Tiffany Phillips |
19 years of age | American |
 Victoria Tran |
14 years of age | Chinese Vietnamese American |
Katarina Yee
Katarina Yee is currently a student at Emerson College with plans of majoring in journalism. She feels that students are only exposed to what happened in the Japanese internment and Rape of Nanjing when they are in their junior or senior year of high school or even as late as college. In addition, she notes that parents and family members who were victim may also contribute to students' awareness. As Katarina elaborates her points...
Q: How old are you?
A: 18.
Q: If you could classify yourself, would you say that you are Chinese, Chinese-American, or American? Or something else?
A: Chinese-Vietnamese-American.
Q: What is your background? (E.g. Born and raised in China? Or America? If so, which state?)
A: I was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts.
Q: Do you more easily identify with America or China? Why?
A: America because I am a third-generation American and I've never been to Asia.
Q: Are you first, second, third, or fourth generation Chinese American (Note: First generations are the immigrants. Second generation Chinese Americans are the children of the immigrant.)? Or none?
A: 3rd.
Q: What do you think of when you hear the word Japan?
A: I just always remember my dad saying how my grandparents hate the Japanese because of "what they did to the Chinese". My mom would just say that the Japanese were really mean and killed a lot of Chinese people. It was like the Holocaust, only in Asia.
Q: Do you know about the Japanese's role in the Rape of Nanjing?
A: I was young, so I'm sure that's why no one went into detail with me.
Q: Where did you first learn about the Rape of Nanjing?
A: The first time I heard the term "Rape of Nanjing" was my senior year in high school in a class called Facing History and Ourselves. That was when I learned about what really happened.
Q: Were your grandparents or other members of their family victims of Japan's invasion? Do you or your family know people who were involved in the Rape of Nanjing? If so, what have they shared about their experiences?
A: I'm not completely sure about my family's history and involvement with the Rape of Nanjing, but I'm thinking that perhaps they were victims or related/knew people who were victims because my grandmother used to be really upset about it.
Q: Do you think the Rape of Nanjing left a long-lasting impact on your family with relation to Japan? And Chinese Americans in general? If yes, how so? Do you think that your family holds grudges against Japanese or Japanese Americans because of the Rape of Nanjing?
A: I think it left an impact on the older generations much more than the younger ones. My grandfather hates the Japanese no matter what, but my dad and I do not.
Q: Do your parents/elders ever talk about the other side of WWII such as the internment of innocent Japanese Americans during WWII?
A: It's not that we don't talk about stuff, but we just haven't talked about WWII all that much.
Q: Have you or your family ever experienced any anti-Japanese sentiment in terms of people who remember Japanese crimes in WWII? Have you ever expressed any anti-Japanese sentiments due to the Rape of Nanjing? If yes, what did you or your family members do?
A: I don't think so.
Q: If you have not heard of the Rape of Nanjing or the Japanese Internment, why do you think that is so?
A: I don't know why it took so long for me to learn about it. Perhaps it wasn't as well documented as other horrific events in history, I'm not sure...
Q: How old are you?
Q: If you could classify yourself, would you say that you are Chinese,Chinese-American, or American? Or something else?
Q: What is your background? � Q: Do you more easily identify with America or China? �Why? Q: Are you first, second, third, or fourth generation Chinese American(Note: First generations are the immigrants. �Second generation Chinese
Americans are the children of the immigrant.)? �Or none? Q: What do you think of when you hear the word Japan? Q: Do you know about the Japanese's role in the Rape of Nanjing? � Q: Where did you first learn about the Rape of Nanjing? � Q: Were your grandparents or other members of their family victims of Japan's invasion? � Q: Do you or your family know people who were involved in the Rape of Nanjing? If so, what have they shared about their experiences? Q: Do you think the Rape of Nanjing left a long-lasting impact on your family with relation to Japan? �And Chinese Americans in general? �If yes, how so? � � Q: How do they express their resentment? � Q: Do your parents/elders ever talk about the other side of WWII such as the internment of innocent Japanese Americans during WWII? � Q: Have you or your family ever experienced any anti-Japanese sentiment in terms of people who remember Japanese crimes in WWII? �Have you ever expressed any anti-Japanese sentiments due to the Rape of Nanjing? �If
yes, what did you or your family members do?
Q: How old are you?
Q: If you could classify yourself, would you say that you are Chinese, Chinese-American, or American? Or something else?
Q: What is your background? (E.g. Born and raised in China? Or America? If so, which state?)
Q: Do you more easily identify with America or China? Why?
Q: Are you first, second, third, or fourth generation Chinese American (Note: First generations are the immigrants. Second generation Chinese Americans are the children of the immigrant.)? Or none?
Q: What do you think of when you hear the word Japan?
Q: Do you know about the Japanese?s role in the Rape of Nanjing?
Q: Were your grandparents or other members of their family victims of Japan?s invasion?
Q; Do you or your family know people who were involved in the Rape of Nanjing?
Q: Do your parents/elders ever talk about the other side of WWII such as the internment of innocent Japanese Americans during WWII?
Q: Have you or your family ever experienced any anti-Japanese sentiment in terms of people who remember Japanese crimes in WWII? Have you ever expressed any anti-Japanese sentiments due to the Rape of Nanjing? If yes, what did you or your family members do?
Q: If you could classify yourself, would you say that you are Chinese, Chinese-American, or American? Or something else?
Q: What is your background? (E.g. Born and raised in China? Or America? If so, which state?)
Q: Do you more easily identify with America or China? Why?
Q: Are you first, second, third, or fourth generation Chinese American (Note: First generations are the immigrants. Second generation Chinese Americans are the children of the immigrant.)? Or none?
Q: What do you think of when you hear the word Japan?
Q: Do you know about the Japanese's role in the Rape of Nanjing?
Q: Where did you first learn about the Rape of Nanjing?
Q: Were your grandparents or other members of their family victims of Japan's invasion?
Q: Do you or your family know people who were involved in the Rape of Nanjing? If so, what have they shared about their experiences?
Q: Do you think the Rape of Nanjing left a long-lasting impact on your family with relation to Japan? And Chinese Americans in general? If yes, how so?
Q: Do you think that your family holds grudges against Japanese or Japanese Americans because of the Rape of Nanjing? If so, how do they express it?
Q: Do your parents/elders ever talk about the other side of WWII such as the internment of innocent Japanese Americans during WWII?
Q: Have you or your family ever experienced any anti-Japanese sentiment in terms of people who remember Japanese crimes in WWII? Have you ever expressed any anti-Japanese sentiments due to the Rape of Nanjing? If yes, what did you or your family members do?
Q: If you have not heard of the Rape of Nanjing or the Japanese Internment, why do you think that is so?
Q: How old are you?
Q: If you could classify yourself, would you say that you are Chinese,
Chinese-American, or American?
Q: What is your background? (E.g. Born and raised in China? Or America?) Do you identify with China more or America? Why?
Q: What do you associate with Japan?
Q: What do you think of when people say Japan?
Q: What do you know about the Rape of Nanjing? What happened in the Rape of Nanjing? Where did you hear about the Rape of Nanjing?
Q: Do you have any relatives who have ill feelings toward Japan? If so, why? Why not?
Q: Do you know of Japanese Internment during WWII in America? What do you think of that?
Q: How can the victimization of Japan be justified?
Q: How old are you?
Q: If you could classify yourself, would you say that you are Chinese, Chinese-American, Chinese Vietnamese American or American? Or something else?
Q: What is your background? (E.g. Born and raised in China? Or America? If so, which state?)
Q: Describe the neighborhood that you have grown up in. Are there many Japanese Americans? Are there many Chinese Americans?
Q: Do you more easily identify with America, China or Vietnam? Why?
Q: Are you first, second, third, or fourth generation Chinese American (Note: First generations are the immigrants. Second generation Chinese Americans are the children of the immigrant.)? Or none?
Q: What do you think of when you hear the word Japan?
Q: Do you know about the Japanese's role in the Rape of Nanjing? If you have never heard of it, why do you think this may be so?
Q: Were your grandparents or other members of their family victims of Japan's invasion? Where were your parents during World War II?
Q: Do your grandparents talk about their experiences during war?
Q: Do you or your family know people who were involved in the Rape of Nanjing? If so, what have they shared about their experiences?
Q: Do you know anyone in your family (most likely those from the older generation) who hold grudges against Japanese or Japanese Americans because of the Rape of Nanjing? If so, how do they express it?
Q: Do you know of Japanese internment camps? What do you know?
Q: Most of the internees were American citizens by birth and had no relation to their mother country. What do you think of that fact?
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Kenny Chan
Kenny Chan is currently a freshman at Bentley College. He is fascinated with Japanese products--cars, computers, and other electronics. He plans to major in finance and attend business school upon graduating from Bentley.
A: 19.
A: Chinese-American.
A: I was born in US (Boston, Massachusetts), raised in china until I was 2, then returned to the US (Boston, Massachusetts).
A: America because I was raised here.
A:�I am 2nd generation.
A: Technologically advanced.
A: I have some what heard about it.
A: I learned from my grandparents and parents.
A: Yes, my grandparents were.
A: Some of my family members were probably involved, but they have not told me any stories.
A: Yes, there is still some resentment against the Japanese.
A: They do so by placing the Japanese on a lower level of ideals.
A: No, they do not.
A: No, it has not happened yet. I think that may be so because there are not a lot of Japanese in Boston.
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Michael Ngo
Miko Ngo's parents were refugees who fled to Vietnam during the Cultural Revolution. Later, they immigrated to America and resided in Boston. The family has lived there since.
A: 21.
A: Chinese American.
A: I was born and raised in America (Massachusetts).
A: I identify more with American culture. I don't know anything about China.
A: I'm 2nd generation since my parents are immigrants from Vietnam.
A: I think of war.
A:I don't know.
A:I don't know...
A: No.
A: No.
A: None. My parents never talk about it. They're too busy working and taking care of everyday things to talk about things like that.
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Mathew Chan
Matthew Chan is currently a freshman in college with plans of majoring in Computer Science. He has lived in Boston all his life. Since Boston is not as racially diverse in terms of Asian minorities, he is shunned from anti-Japanese sentiments or knowledge of what exactly happened during WWII. As he states in his interview, his ignorance may be a way for his parents to protect him from reliving the bad times.
Q: How old are you?
A: 18.
A: Chinese American
A: I was born and raised in Boston, MA.
A: I identify more with America. It's where I grew up. It's where I met people. My ability to speak Chinese has decreased tremendously since I was a child. I've been to Hong Kong twice (when I was a little kid and when I was 16). It felt different because I was surrounded by everyone who was the same ethnic origin as me. I felt like I belonged, but at the same time that I had nearly nothing in common with them.
A: I'm a second generation.
A: I think of that country in Asia that makes tons of cool technological things. I also think (this is my own opinion here) that it's a difficult spot to maintain when playing Risk.
A: No.
A: Never did.
A: I really don't know.
A: I personally don't know anyone who has. I don't know about my parents. They never bothered to tell me anything about themselves or their pasts.
A: I can't answer for same reasons above.
A: See number 11. (I don't want to turn this into a "I hate my parents for" thing.)
A: Never.
A: Nothing.
A: Ok, here's that parent rant. The reason why I think they never told me anything when I was a child was because they wanted a better life for me. It seemed they wanted me to grow up in a world free from hate and other bad things like that. Their intentions were good but I always hated how they kept things hidden from me. I mean, I really had no concept of racism or anything like that until I started meeting other kids. I think they wanted me to grow up without any malice towards any particular group of people. But the fact that they never told me anything bothered and I couldn't relate to them at all. I couldn't feel like I could talk to them at all, so I also ended up growing up keeping a lot of things hidden from everyone else.
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Tiffany Phillips
Tiffany is half Chinese and half Caucasian. She hears stories of Japan during the World War II from only her maternal grandparents. Her grandmother suffered emotionally from the invasion of the Japanese because she was living in China at that time. Her grandfather fought against Japan for the United States during World War II. Although her grandparents have history with Japan, Tiffany does not hold any anti-sentiments against the country nor the people from that country.
A: 18
A: American
A: I consider myself as an American because I am only half Chinese.
A: Sony, Playstation, WWII.
A: Toyko
A: Sadly, I know nothing at all.
A: Yes, because the Japanese invaded China.
A: Yes. It wasn't a good idea but it was justified.
A: When people are scared, they make irrational judgments. I didn't say it was right, but it is an understandable element of human nature. Back to Top
Victoria Lee Tran
Victoria is an eighth grader who attends the Boston Latin School, an exam school in Boston. She considers herself as an Chinese Vietnamese American because her parents were refugees who fled to Vietnam from China. Although she identifies with both Chinese and Vietnamese culture, she considers herself more as an American. Here are her feelings on being an American and view of Japan:
A: 14.
A: Chinese Vietnamese American.
A: I was born in Massachusetts.
A: There are not many Japanese, but many Chinese.
A: America, I'm more fluent in English.
A: I'm second generation.
A: World War II.
A: Yes, I have heard of the Rape of Nanjing.
A: No, they were in Massachusetts.
A: No, they do not.
A: No.
A: No.
A: Yes. During World War II, Americans suspected all Japanese were spies and sent all Japanese they could find to the camps to stop the risk of spies.
A: It's very unfair because anyone who was Japanese was blamed for the war and had to suffer horrific ordeals. The fact that they had no relations to their mother country was not even considered.