V-J Day

[davedove]

Today marks the anniversary of Japan's surrender to allied forces in WWII. If you know any WWII veterans, thank them for their service. They are a dying breed and we lose more almost every day.

[macwilkin]

Today marks the anniversary of Japan's surrender to allied forces in WWII. If you know any WWII veterans, thank them for their service. They are a dying breed and we lose more almost every day.

I saw "The Great Raid" last night in honour of V-J Day -- it was a very impressive and moving film! A good example of what happens when Hollywood consults and listens to historians -- the authors of the two books on the subject were consultants & advisors on the film.

For those who are not familiar with the story, the movie is about a raid on a POW camp in the Philippines in January 1945 by the 6th Ranger Battalion to rescue American POW's from the Japanese. The film also dealt with the Philippino resistance movement against Japanese rule.

http://www.ranger.org/rangerHistoryW...attalions.html

http://www.4point2.org/cabanatuan.htm

I plan on buying a personal copy of the DVD, as well as one for our library to use in my American history classes as an extra credit assignment.

I'm thinking of my grandfather today, ex-14th Air Force and China-Burma-India Theatre veteran, may light perpetual shine upon him.

Lest we forget.

Todd

[davedove]

I plan to see that movie myself. From what I've read, the Japanese never seemed to understand our nation's concern for any POW's, since in their culture it was dishonorable to be captured, and our nation went out of our way to rescue them.

[Archangel]

I plan to see that movie myself. From what I've read, the Japanese never seemed to understand our nation's concern for any POW's, since in their culture it was dishonorable to be captured, and our nation went out of our way to rescue them.

I don't want to start anything, this is a Scottish interest board, but this is very close to my specific area of study (actually Japanese POWs held by US). It is much more complex than culture, althought that is a large part of it.
If people are interested in this subject, here a few books: Dower's War without Mercy, Japan in War and Peace. Both of those are challenging books and have valuable applications for all history students. Shohei's Taken Captive tells of his life as a prisoner. Fires on the Plain is his fictional account of his experience. It is a brutal story, it became a brutal movie.

Please, please, don't construe this as sympathizing with the enemy. I have spoken with Canadian survivors, and widows, of the Japanese camps. There is no dismissing their actions. These books are some of the ways to fill in the picture of how WW2 intersects/is intersected by their 15 Year War.

[Riverkilt]

I was raised in Western Oregon. Didn't move there until after the war. The bigotry then was against the Japanese and many other Oriental cultures felt the wrath.

It wasn't just the war in general. Japanese submarines shelled the Oregon coast trying to start forest fires. Japanese released balloons with little anti-personell bombs aboard that killed kids who found and tampered with them.

I well remember that even after working for Civil Rights in the South in the 60s coming home and seeing a Caucasion man walking arm-in-arm with an Oriental woman and being startled.

A Japanese man I went to college with was killed in Viet Nam...his family had made it through War 2 by pretenting to be Chinese.

In college in the early 60s fraternities and sororities would only have social exchanges with others that either did, or did not, have Oriental members.

In my own fraternity at Oregon State University in 1964 we argued long before admitting a Native American because some brothers felt Native Americans were Orientals (land bridge and all) and they didn't want any Oriental members. We won in the long run and he was initiated.

Point is that though the war is long over, may of the prejudices remained at least 20 years after the war among the general population. Obviously, there are still plenty of hate groups out there.

Ron

[bubba]

Ron, there's always going to be hate groups out there. Like an old song said, everybody has to have somebody to look down on.

[jfellrath]

Ron, there's always going to be hate groups out there. Like an old song said, everybody has to have somebody to look down on.

To paraphrase Garth Ennis in his work Preacher, "Why is it that the greatest champions of the various races are the worst examples of them?"

[GMan]

I was at a funeral today of a Pearl Harbor survivor. What a touching serrvice it was. Even though no mention of this being V-JDay it was in the back of everyones mind.

[Mike n NC]

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was thought to have known that Japan could never win against America. His plan of attack on Pearl Harbor was carried out against his wishes and advice. While I was living in Japan I, through friends, learned that the overwhelming feeling among the vets was; had they understood the game of football, they would have never attacked the U. S.

My Dad, just turned 84, was in the second coming and liberation of the P. I. I value my time with him, a lot as I understand that the WWII Vets are leaving us at the rate of about 1000 a day now.

Mike

[jfellrath]

While I was living in Japan I, through friends, learned that the overwhelming feeling among the vets was; had they understood the game of football, they would have never attacked the U. S.

Oh, this sounds very interesting! Please explain!