WWII, Part I: What I Learned about Japan and the Holocaust

I'm glad to learn a little about Japan and China during this unit--this being a European History course, sometimes I feel like I'm missing out on World History. Although I suppose it's all a bit intertwined.
The Japanese mindset on the eve of WWII is quite fascinating and a little appalling. First of all, I thought it was sad that they sent their sons at a young age for military training. I know this has been a common occurrence all over the world and throughout history, but I still think it is wrong. You can't just have everyone be in the army--you need scientists, doctors, lawyers, writers, teachers, etc. They viewed Americans as decadent, lazy, materialistic and egocentric, yet they clearly had issues of their own. America, egocentric? The Japanese had their own extreme superiority complex that compelled them to massacre 300,000 Chinese in the Rape of Nanking! I find it puzzling that they believed themselves to be a superior race, or superior among the Asian races. I heard that some people in class were offended by the comment that the Chinese and the Japanese were the same race. Please allow me to vent here: Stating that they are the SAME RACE does NO DISRESPECT. The Chinese and the Japanese are two DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES, and they have DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND CULTURAL CUSTOMS. However they are considered to be the same race. NATIONALITY, CULTURE, AND RACE ARE SEPARATE. So chill out.

I have studied the Holocaust in some way, shape, or form every year since fifth grade, and even then, that was not the first time I heard about it. What I heard for the first time today, was the story about Pius XI, or "Hitler's Pope". It is an interesting story because it was new, and it seems to be kind of complicated. I mean, I wouldn't blame someone for being afraid (of Hitler) but I also believe, that with power comes responsibility (yes, I got that from Spiderman). I understand the desire to maintain diplomacy, but I think that he should have protested the evacuation of the Jews in Rome; I believe he could have made a difference, and it never hurts to try. The video certainly did not make me want to believe this Pope as innocent, when it said that all he did was beg the Axis not to bomb Rome. Since I wasn't in his position, I hate to judge. Unfortunately, the evidence doesn't look very good.

I can't help but find it offensive when Holocaust-denial is associated with Islam. I am Muslim, and I ASSURE you, this is not a Muslim belief. Every religious group has been persecuted at some time or another, so how could one not feel sympathetic? If someone denies the Holocaust, they have a personal...problem. SHAME ON ANYONE WHO DENIES THE HOLOCAUST OR ANY SIMILAR ATROCITY IN THE NAME OF RELIGION. Also, I think some people need to be reminded that Mahmoud Ahmedinejad (a "Holocaust-denier") is NOT a representative of Islam, he is merely the President of Iran.