Collaborationist Songs

Podcast by Odila Schröder, a postdoctoral researcher at Heidelberg University, on the music produced in support of collaboration during the Second Sino-Japanese war. Odila wrote her PhD thesis, entitled “Treasonous Repertoires: Performing Collaboration and Musical Life in Japanese-Occupied Beijing” under the umbrella of the ERC project “Cultures of Occupation in Twentieth Century Asia” led by Jeremy Taylor. Link to "East Asian Nations March" 東亞民族進行曲 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4JcxHgvWlg The lyrics of the East Asian Nations March are typical for these collaborationist songs in their propagation of ideologies of the occupation regime, including Wang Jingwei’s claim to defend peace, a call for all East Asian nations to unite in a struggle for independence from Western colonization and against Communist forces. The first stanza of the East Asian Nation March reads: 大地湧起和平的呼聲 激動了萬里的大進行 東亞民族聯合起來 和尊獨立共同防共 我們是開關荒野的先鋒 我們是創造文明的英雄 大衆齊醒大衆齊醒 擔負復興東亞的使命 The earth is flooded with cries for peace. Stirring up a march of thousand miles. The East Asian nations are united in their peaceful strive for independence and joint defence against the Communists. We are the pioneers who open up the wilderness. We are the heroes who create civilisation The masses are awakening! The masses are awakening! Taking on the mission of reviving East Asia.