NJ-ALPHA (New Jersey Alliance for Learning and Preserving the History of World War II in Asia) is an educational organization whose purpose is to educate the public about the history of WWII in Asia, especially the history about the atrocities that the Japanese Imperial Army inflicted on China, Korea, Philippines, and other parts of Asia (for more information about these atrocities, click here).  Improving the education of this part of history is especially important today when our students need to become world citizens.
 

The average length of time that a high school world history course spends on WWII Asian history is estimated to be about 15 minutes, and almost none on the atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Army in WWII.  Even if a teacher wants to teach more about this period of history, the teacher usually knows very little about it and there are no readily available teaching materials for teachers and students.  For the sake of our children and grandchildren getting a correct perspective on history, NJ-ALPHA wants to change this state of affairs.

NJ-ALPHA’s educational program focuses on first helping the teachers to increase their knowledge about this part of WWII history, and then with the help of the teachers increase the students' and the public's knowledge about this part of WWII history.   During the past five years of our existence, we already have had significant achievements:

• In each of the past few years, NJ-ALPHA has sponsored several secondary school or college teachers/educators on an educational study tour to China, called "Peace and Reconciliation Tour to China" (or "China Study Tour" for short).  In each tour, the participants have an intensive two-week immersion in that part of history:  Interviewing survivors, discussing with scholars, visiting historical sites and museums, and collecting relevant documents and oral histories.

• In collaboration with the NJ Commission on Holocaust Education, in September 2007 and in October 2010 we have published two editions of a Curriculum Guide for Secondary Teachers:  "The Nanking Massacre and Other Japanese Military Atrocities,  The Asia-Pacific War:  1931-1945."  The NJ Commission on Holocaust Education has distributed over 300 copies of the 200 plus-page Curriculum Guide to all the high schools in NJ.  Many high schools in NJ are beginning to include this part of history into their curriculum, and more will do so in the future.  The second edition of this Curriculum Guide can be downloaded from this link in the NJ Commission on Holocaust Education's website.

• NJ-ALPHA and the teachers/educators upon their returns from the China Study Tours have organized various public educational programs to educate the public about this part of WWII history.  Several of these programs were jointly sponsored with Brookdale Community College's Center for World War II Studies and Conflict Resolution.

During the next five years, NJ-ALPHA plans to expand the above program in the following ways:

• Extend participation in the China Study Tours to college students, besides teachers/educators (and later also high school students)

• Extend participation in the China Study Tours to other states in Eastern U.S.

• Publish additional extensions or new versions of the Curriculum Guide for secondary school students

• Publish a new Curriculum Guide that is targeted to middle school students

• Increase the number and depth of our public education events

• Collaborate with appropriate libraries or research centers to establish physical and virtual resource centers with reference material on this part of WWII history

• Help to establish additional ALPHA chapters in Eastern U.S.

NJ-ALPHA has an Executive Office of four officers and a seven-member Board of Directors.  Here are their brief bios.

Executive Office:

• President:  Don Tow, Ph.D., a retired physicist and engineer, long-time activist in student and community activities, and author of the book Mental Aspects of Youth Soccer:  A Primer for Players, Parents, and Coaches

• Vice President:  Ann Santee, an elementary school social worker

• Treasurer:  Rosa Yeh, a tutor of high school math

• Secretary:  Frann Len, supply chain and project management professional with experience in consumer products and pharmaceutical manufacturing

Board of Directors:

• Leah Brown-Klein:  Special Education teacher, Highland Park Middle School, and former VP of NJ-ALPHA

• Flora Chong:  EVP of Toronto-ALPHA.  Retired from CEO position to concentrate on volunteer activities, recipient of the Queen's Medal and Ontario Volunteer Awards

• Peter Li, Ph.D.:  Former President of Global Alliance, Founding President of NJ-ALPHA, Professor Emeritus of Asian Studies at Rutgers University, and author of the book Japanese War Crimes:  The Search for Justice

• Pete Stanek, Ph.D.:  President of Global Alliance and retired after long career in academics, government, and industry, and student of WWII history

• Don Tow, Ph.D.:  President of NJ-ALPHA, retired physicist and engineer, long-time activist in student and community activities, and author of the book Mental Aspects of Youth Soccer:  A Primer for Players, Parents, and Coaches

• Victor Yung:  Former President and Co-Founder of NJ-ALPHA and retired businessman of international trade

• Paul Zigo:  Associate Professor of History and Former Director of the Center for WWII Studies and Conflict Resolution at Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ, and a retired colonel of the U.S. Army Reserve