Poppy Wars & Manchukuo Monsters

RF Kuang's series, The Poppy War, draws on the Chinese Resistance against Japanese aggression in 1937-1945. Fadi Lama's Why the West Can't Win tells about Kishi, the 'Monster of Showa,' who became Prime Minister of Japan despite, or because of, his horrific war crimes. Kishi is also Shinzo Abe's grandfather. I'll look at this gruesome history and grimdark fantasy, and what it means for China and Japan today.

Third Paradigm on Substack: https://thirdparadigm.substack.com/
How to Dismantle an Empire: https://www.amazon.com/How-Dismantle-Empire-2020-Vision/dp/1733347607