Teaching Kids to Hate?

Hey Laowinners!

The other day I was sent this short video of a children's day performance where the kids put on a mock war of anti-Japanese resistance.
At first glance, the gut instinct is to think that this is a needless act of simulated violence teaching hate to children. However, the war did happen, and it is a part of history. However, the history that is taught is similar to how Kim Il Sung came to power through his undying love and countless victories for the DPRK.

The dramas I have seen about the war of resistance against the Japanese (there are literally hundreds) that play all day on Chinese televisions depict a comical, and ludicrous version of what actually happened. It is portrayed as a group of ultra powerful communist soldiers, that have ability to shoot 5 Japanese soldiers with 1 bullet. The Japanese often are portrayed as either maniacal villains (which wasn't far from the truth), or the comic relief, slipping on pig shit, or putting their helmets on backwards and being blinded, therefore missing the shot.

In reality, the war was a bloodbath, with China suffering countless defeats at the hands of the much more technically, and well trained Japanese. Japan took a massive chunk of China's land, and even had time to install a puppet state. The American backed nationalist party of China was basically sent through a meat grinder, while the communists simultaneously land grabbed, and fought their way into a convenient power vacuum.  Although the two fought side by side at times, it was also a civil war. Also, never really spoken about in China, was the USA's atomic bomb that ended Japans imperial rule.

China was a victim in this war. The atrocities were endless, with Japan guilty of some of the worst war crimes ever seen. The chemical experiments, the genocide, the rape, it was a display of the human condition at it's most depraved.

Despite the skewed reality of history, the latter point of China's victimization was never forgotten or altered. It is something that is taught to children as young as 4. 1st graders often visit atrocity museums to gawk at photos
of dismembered corpses during Japans invasion. Ask anyone in rural China which country they like, they will tell you any number of countries that represent their favorite sports team, or contain the prettiest scenery, but without asking them which country they dislike, expect an answer of "but I hate Japan." Even in daily speech, Japan is referred to as "little Japan." 

So, does China teach hate? Well, yes it does. But I think the younger generation may get tired of the fantastical dramatic representation of the past, rightfully remember the tragedy of Japanese occupation, and move on to do something with their lives, instead of playing the victim card that their parents generation, and government has relied on for legitimacy.