National memory

Atomic bombing memorial in Hiroshima. The remains a building with the skeletal structure of a dome at the top sits among modern Japanese buildings and green space.
The atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States military at the end of WWII has shaped Japanese national memory throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries.

National memory is a form of collective memory defined by shared experiences and culture. It is an integral part to national identity.

It represents one specific form of cultural memory, which makes an essential contribution to national group cohesion. Historically national communities have drawn upon commemorative ceremonies and monuments, myths and rituals, glorified individuals, objects, and events in their own history to produce a common narrative.[1]

According to Lorraine Ryan, national memory is based on the public's reception of national historic narratives and the ability of people to affirm the legitimacy of these narratives.

A large pickup truck has three clearly visible flags mounted onto it. The modern US flag, the Confederate Battle flag, and a Confederate National flag.
Conflicting versions of national memory can be seen in this image, as the modern United States flag is flown alongside a Confederate National flag and a Confederate Battle flag. These flags represent the legacy of two armies that were historically in direct conflict with one another during the American Civil War. Despite two of these flags representing an enemy of the United States, they are all flown together with the intention of communicating the owner's modern patriotism.
  1. ^ "Memory, History, and Colonialism" (PDF). German Historical Institute London. 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2017.