We have to appreciate Japan for it:
The day when Japan conceded its defeat was called "Victory over Japan Day" and commemorating events were held in some big cities. Ratnapura was one of those cities and Somasiri Devendra lived here. His father addressed on behalf of the people in Sri Lanka after the speech of the representative of Great Britain.
Our colonial master, Great Britain, won the war and we got together to celebrate it now. However, we were inspired to have patriotism for our own nation, Sri Lanka. We are ruled by Great Britain right now and this condition is insane. The concept of patriotism that all of us should imprint into mind, spread to other Asian countries by Japan. This war gave consciousness of confidence and nationalism to the people in Asian countries, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Burma and so on. We should appreciate Japan for this fact.
His act was amazing and audacious. He thanked Japan on the Victory over Japan Day in front of officials of Great Britain. It might be his unstoppable exploding emotion.
Sri Lanka managed to get independent on Feb. 4th in 1948. After the war, in the court martial, Great Britain tried to punish the leaders of the Indian National Army that had been supported by Japan during the war. However, this attempt became a trigger of nationwide riots and the general strike spread across the country. This national movement ended in the acquisition of independence. Great Britain got out of the country.
A young boy, Junius Richard Jayewardene, who had been at the harbor to have a quick look of the Cruiser which Japanese Prince Hirohito had been aboard was in an important position of the independent government of Sri Lanka at that time. He got to give the speech supporting Japan in the San Francisco Peace Conference later.
Japan has continued to encourage the people in Sri Lanka to become independent since Meiji era and Sri Lanka helped Japan to restore the independence after the World War 2. Don't you think it is a beautiful, secure and heart-warming relationship?
P.S.
I'd like the people in Sri Lanka to find these 8 articles that I have written in the past several days. If you are from Sri Lanka or India or any other Asian country, don't hesitate sending an e-mail to me. I'm looking forward to hearing from you. I'm eager to know how your daily life is.
I've not received e-mails from Indonesia or Sri Lanka since I started writing this blog. Don't bother writing beautiful or grammatically complete sentences. I'm a beginner in writing in English. (first entry)
(Vocabulary)
Somasiri Devendra スリランカ海軍の軍人
Ratnapura ラトゥナプラ、宝石の街として有名なスリランカ南部、内陸の街
on behalf of 代表して
colonial master 宗主国、植民地支配者
audacious 大胆な
exploding emotion 感情の爆発
court martial 軍法会議
riot 暴動、争乱
Junius Richard Jayewardene J.R.ジャヤワルダナ (スリランカの政治家)
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