REM 3200
US Veteran
It would be nice to hear the Japanese govt. admit some guilt at least once however.
Little known WWII story....
- Thread starter rwsmith
- Start date
It would be nice to hear the Japanese govt. admit some guilt at least once however.
cmort666
Member
Unfortunately, that's a good way to get assassinated there. Unlike in Germany, the infection endures, albeit at a relatively low level.It would be nice to hear the Japanese govt. admit some guilt at least once however.
feralmerril
Absent Comrade
I am the opposite. I think kids and everyone else should be educated to the horrors of war. The victims should not be forgotten and us party on. I am big on the history channel and my wife cant stand it. In my case my dad came from a huge family (Dad had 16 brothers and sisters and ma had two) I believe counting aunts husbands besides blood uncles etc we had at least 9 in the war plus many cousins. (All came back). On most of the world war two episodes I relate as with most of them I had a relative in many featured actions. If we dont view that stuff I believe its a disservice to both the fallen, the survivors and all that worked for the war effort ON BOTH SIDES. Not recognizing any of it is like telling their spirits all you worked, done and suffered for was for nothing as far as I am concerned. It seems all the axis soliders were super evil and all of ours were nice compassionate heros. I doubt that was the case. Are we nice because we were fortunate to be born in america and just being born in germany or japan makes you evil? I doubt many on either side enjoyed being shot at or shooting somebody. We are told above all dont mix religion and politics. Yet how can you not mix them when a "religion" dictates you must kill all infidels. My sisters father in law was a boxer. I remember once him telling how he would pray before a fight. Then he seen his opponent also praying before their fight and that shook him up. I wonder how my grandpa and grandma felt, both being german, losing relatives (brothers, sisters and nieces and nephews) and yet having sons and son in laws fighting against there relatives and roots. He died in 1944 but grandma made it to 1979. I still have one living uncle that went through the bulge. He was a MP and said he drove General Patton a few times. Think he is about 96 now. German was his and my dads first language. Probley that was a factor for driving patton.
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zzzippper
Member
When did you go? I think we went in 2008-ish. We didn't have a tour bus, it was a walking tour. But the boat ride going over certainly had Japanese on it.
There were lots of Japanese tourists at the Bridge of the River Kwah (changed to Kwai for the book and movie).
cmort666
Member
Oh, I'd DEFINITELY want them to know.
There are WAY too many drooling degenerates out there, eager to tell them it "never happened". They need to be armed against that before it happens.
REM 3200
US Veteran
I got to Manila in September of 1946 and you can't imagine the utter destruction in that city. A year and a few months after battle the place still smelled like death. I was 6 years old then and can still smell it today. The only other place I ever smelled that smell was in Nam. My dad had been in the 11th Airborne, part of the invasion force that liberated the Philippines, and elected to stay there after the war ended. My mother and I got there in 46 and we were transferred back to the States in late 1947.
I'll never forget what the Japs did there and will not allow them to go blameless if I can help it.
When i was a young lieutenant, I served with a captain who had been sergeant in the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment, Anti Aircraft, New Mexico National Guard. He went through the campaign for the Philippines, Bataan and the death march. He didn't have much good to say about the Japanese. Wonderful officer, Captain Robert Boggs, probably not still with us.
OP
I think it's possible.....
In the Bible they dashed babies' brains out on the ground, rocks and trees. I'll bet that people haven't improved that much in a few thousand years.
In the Bible they dashed babies' brains out on the ground, rocks and trees. I'll bet that people haven't improved that much in a few thousand years.
OP
So after the father tried and failed....
So after the father tried and failed they killed both of them.
So after the father tried and failed they killed both of them.
OP
Move on?
Move on? Sure. But don't FORGET.
Move on? Sure. But don't FORGET.
They'll be finding new evidence of communist crimes well into this new 21st century, rest assured.
Today's news: Polish and Ukrainian scientists unearth 1,000 victims of Stalin in castle once used as secret police prison | National Post
OP
I don't think I mentioned it here....
There was documentary of American WWII Vets telling about the things they did out of anger and revenge for what the enemy was doing to prisoners. It seemed that they were trying to exorcise a time when they acted like wild animals. They weren't so much ashamed as they were completely horrified that they had felt this way or even been there at all. But they had and they were trying to live with it.
Oh... i whish i didn't google it.
There was documentary of American WWII Vets telling about the things they did out of anger and revenge for what the enemy was doing to prisoners. It seemed that they were trying to exorcise a time when they acted like wild animals. They weren't so much ashamed as they were completely horrified that they had felt this way or even been there at all. But they had and they were trying to live with it.
vito
US Veteran
A late uncle of mine who served as a glider pilot on D-Day, and as a rifleman for the remainder of the European campaign, told me once (after he had been drinking heavily, which was the only time he ever talked about his war experiences) that during what was later named the Battle of the Bulge his unit had taken a few German soldiers prisoner and he was one of the three G.I.'s ordered to take them back to the HQ area. He said that he and the other G.I.'s were tired beyond description and after getting a short distance from their unit, the corporal in charge told them to halt, turned and gunned down the German prisoners, and then told my uncle and the other G.I. to get some rest. My uncle said he was truly grateful to the corporal for saving them the long walk and giving them a chance to catch some sleep. Later at Bastogne, my uncle lost an eye to shrapnel and was awarded both the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for Valor. I never heard him mention this incident again for the rest of his life.
Ogandydancer
Member
I had an uncle who fought the Japs in Burma and until his death about 7 years ago he would not buy anything if he knew it was made in Japan. He never talked about it much but what he say was it was very brutal. He would never elaborate.
ibewbull
US Veteran
Sven
Member
Unfortunately, our own American history is filled with atrocities, also. Usually fueled by greed, hate or pride. Some to religious fervor. I'm thinking mainly of (but not limited to) events in the 19th century. And I'm not just referring to events involving Native Americans.
But if we're looking back in time/history, how far back should we look? I guess we could go all the way back to when Cain killed Able out of hate and jealously. I believe that until mankind learns to walk in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control, atrocities will continue.
I'd better stop here before we get into religion. Remember the past, but keep our own hearts pure?
But if we're looking back in time/history, how far back should we look? I guess we could go all the way back to when Cain killed Able out of hate and jealously. I believe that until mankind learns to walk in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control, atrocities will continue.
I'd better stop here before we get into religion. Remember the past, but keep our own hearts pure?
vito
US Veteran
Most of the time we do "walk in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control" but humans will NEVER be this way ALL of the time. To think otherwise is to be naïve about human nature.
The fact that during horrific war time situations Americans did things that did not meet our highest ideals of behavior is nothing to get overly upset about. It is the nature of war to have such happen, and while we can strive to avoid truly barbaric behavior, such as deliberate slaughtering of children, we must also be aware that in war time the mission, and victory is everything. I do not regret our carpet bombing of German cities, our fire bombing of Japanese cities or our use of the atomic bomb on two occasions. These were tactics needed to achieve victory as quickly as possible and with the least number of our own casualties.
While I do not believe that my uncle's story (see my earlier post) caused him to have great guilt or regrets, I think he recognized that the killing of prisoners was certainly not our national policy or an unavoidable action. He was personally aware of the barbarity of the Nazi enemy and that every enemy soldier killed was one less that might have the chance to kill him.
The fact that during horrific war time situations Americans did things that did not meet our highest ideals of behavior is nothing to get overly upset about. It is the nature of war to have such happen, and while we can strive to avoid truly barbaric behavior, such as deliberate slaughtering of children, we must also be aware that in war time the mission, and victory is everything. I do not regret our carpet bombing of German cities, our fire bombing of Japanese cities or our use of the atomic bomb on two occasions. These were tactics needed to achieve victory as quickly as possible and with the least number of our own casualties.
While I do not believe that my uncle's story (see my earlier post) caused him to have great guilt or regrets, I think he recognized that the killing of prisoners was certainly not our national policy or an unavoidable action. He was personally aware of the barbarity of the Nazi enemy and that every enemy soldier killed was one less that might have the chance to kill him.
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the ringo kid
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There is a great book about the Allied airmen and the surviving Germans captured--who were in Swiss Internment (aka) Concentration Camps. The Swiss usually preferred not to capture live Germans. We got lucky asthey liked us a bit more.The American CC was called: Weilwilermoos or soemthing like that? It was a hellhole.
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
The grudges in Northern Ireland go back some centuries as well. For that matter there are countless people, some on this forum, still fighting our Civil War.
We must learn from history. Unfortunately we seem never to do that very well or for very long. But my German friends who lived through the Allied bombing raids as little children in WWII, and my Japanese friend from graduate school who was thirteen when that war ended, are not the perpetrators of Nanking or Treblinka, of Bataan or Sobibor.
For that matter I'm neither William Tecumseh Sherman, John Hunt Morgan, Yellowhair Custer or Geronimo; so don't tar me with their legacies.
I can study history, and have, quite a lot, without reliving it and refighting the wars.
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