Final answer:
In the early 1900s, Japan selectively highlighted certain aspects of its history in textbooks and downplayed negative events such as aggression towards Korea and forced sexual slavery. They copied this pattern from previous treatments of history.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the early 1900s, Japan had a complex relationship with history and its portrayal in textbooks. While Japan patterned its military and industry after the West, it also resented Western influence. The textbooks in Japan glossed over negative events in the country's history, such as their aggression towards Korea as a colony and the forced sexual slavery of Korean women during World War II. These textbooks downplayed the brutality of these events and dismissed important demonstrations for Korean independence. Overall, Japan copied the pattern of selectively highlighting certain aspects of their history.