David Bergamini
Encyclopedia
David Bergamini was an American
author who wrote books on 20th century history
and popular science
, notably mathematics
. Bergamini was interned as an Allied Civilian in a Japan
ese concentration
camp in the Philippines
with his mother and father for the duration of World War II
.
until 1949, winning the Peter Grimes prize. Later, he traveled to England
and spent two years as a Rhodes Scholar at Merton College, Oxford
. Bergamini attributed his scholastic success to a Japanese guard in his camp, who disobeyed orders to allow the interned children access to schoolbooks. Following the Japanese tradition of education, the guard assisted the children in obtaining school supplies. The result was that all of the children in the camp stayed on target with their education, with two even gaining a year.
magazine, where he authored several popular science books. Upon retirement in 1961, he started working as a freelancer, and is known for writing about the Social Troubles Institute in 1920s Japan. Bergamini wrote on the Japanese think tanks dedicated to planning imperial conquest of the Asia
n mainland, and the political implications thereof. In Japan's Imperial Conspiracy
, Bergamini examines the role of Crown Prince Hirohito
in the execution of Japan's Imperial conquest, and his role in postwar Japanese society.
Bergamini's thesis is that Hirohito and his family were the originators and directors of Japan's incursions into China, Manchuria, and south-east Asia. Mr. Yoshida was part of the cabal in preparing from 1943 onward to be Prime Minister in a “Democratic” government.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author who wrote books on 20th century history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and popular science
Popular science
Popular science, sometimes called literature of science, is interpretation of science intended for a general audience. While science journalism focuses on recent scientific developments, popular science is broad-ranging, often written by scientists as well as journalists, and is presented in many...
, notably mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. Bergamini was interned as an Allied Civilian in a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese concentration
Concentration
In chemistry, concentration is defined as the abundance of a constituent divided by the total volume of a mixture. Four types can be distinguished: mass concentration, molar concentration, number concentration, and volume concentration...
camp in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
with his mother and father for the duration of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Education
After the Second World War, Bergamini attended Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
until 1949, winning the Peter Grimes prize. Later, he traveled to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and spent two years as a Rhodes Scholar at Merton College, Oxford
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
. Bergamini attributed his scholastic success to a Japanese guard in his camp, who disobeyed orders to allow the interned children access to schoolbooks. Following the Japanese tradition of education, the guard assisted the children in obtaining school supplies. The result was that all of the children in the camp stayed on target with their education, with two even gaining a year.
Career
Bergamini rose to become a contributing editor for LifeLife (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
magazine, where he authored several popular science books. Upon retirement in 1961, he started working as a freelancer, and is known for writing about the Social Troubles Institute in 1920s Japan. Bergamini wrote on the Japanese think tanks dedicated to planning imperial conquest of the Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n mainland, and the political implications thereof. In Japan's Imperial Conspiracy
Japan's Imperial Conspiracy
Japan's Imperial Conspiracy is a nonfiction historical work by David Bergamini. Its subject is the role of Japanese elites in promoting Japanese imperialism and the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere; in particular, it examines the role of Crown Prince and Emperor Hirohito in the execution of...
, Bergamini examines the role of Crown Prince Hirohito
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
in the execution of Japan's Imperial conquest, and his role in postwar Japanese society.
Bergamini's thesis is that Hirohito and his family were the originators and directors of Japan's incursions into China, Manchuria, and south-east Asia. Mr. Yoshida was part of the cabal in preparing from 1943 onward to be Prime Minister in a “Democratic” government.
Partial bibliography
- The Fleet in the Window (a novel published in 1961)
- The Universe (Life Nature LibraryLife Nature LibraryThe Life Nature Library was a popular series of hardbound books published by Time-Life between 1961 and 1965. Each of the 25 volumes explored a major topic of the natural world. They were intended for, and written at a level appropriate to, an educated lay readership.Each volume was written by a...
) (1962; Revised 1966, 1967) - Mathematics (Life Science LibraryLife Science LibraryThe Life Science Library was a popular series of hardbound books published by Time-Life between 1963 and 1967. Each of the 26 volumes explored a major topic of the natural sciences. They were intended for, and written at a level appropriate to, an educated lay readership...
) (1963) - Australia, Its Land and Wildlife (1964)
- The Scientist (Life Science Library) (1965)
- Japan's Imperial Conspiracy (1971), ISBN 0-688-01905-6
- Venus Development (a novel published in 1976)