17-10-12 Garand Picture of the Day

[Eaglelord17]

It would help greatly if Japan was to give a full and wholesome apology for it's conduct during WW2, and before WW2 in China, in the same manner that Germany has done since WW2, on many occasions. I fail to understand why Japan finds this so hard to do.

Is the UK going to do this for all the horrors inflicted upon native populaces in the name of Empire? Is the US going to do the same? I could keep going and listing nations but the reality is you will basically list every country that ever existed at any point in time.

A apology now would mean nothing, as the people apologizing had nothing to do with the events, and the people receiving the apology have nothing to do with the events.

[Flying10uk]

Germany continues to apologise for the crimes of the Nazis under Hitler during WW2 and I for one appreciate it.

The numerous war crimes committed by Japan during WW2 bear no resemblance to anything the U.K. or U.S. has ever done in their entire history.

[CINDERS]

Perhaps without starting a full on argument that will run into speels of threads and lost traction we could consider this which is in 2 parts;

A) Will England apologize for the bombing plan "Point Blank" which was the deliberate targeting by Bomber Command of civilian populations designed to break the will of the people and they to lose faith in the High Command ousting them. How many perished in Dresden or Hamburg the latter the figure will never be known due to the intensity of the fire. I mean the fire storm was self propagating up rooting trees and sucking people into the conflagration it was so hot it was melting steel girders yep melting steel. I have the 4 book set on "The Strategic Air Offensive Against Germany 1939 - 1945" By H M Stationary Office as reference materiel, the set can be found on ABE Books.

B) The U.S.with the A-Bombs from the net - Harry Truman became president of the United States on April 12, 1945 upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. During Truman's presidency Germany surrendered (May 8, 1945) and Japan surrendered (Aug. 14, 1945), ending World War II.

The U.S., with Truman's approval, dropped an atomic bomb on the people of Hiroshima on Aug. 6 and one on Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945. As more information has become available regarding the Japanese peace effort, the Japanese fear of losing their emperor (whom they believed was a god), and U.S. advisors who offered other methods of winning the war, the debate has grown over whether the atomic bombings were necessary to save lives and win the war (for example, see Hiroshima: Was it Necessary?
Truman always staunchly defended the atomic bombings. Shortening the war, saving American lives, and revenge are the main reasons he gave for using them. In his first public explanation (Aug. 6, 1945, just after Hiroshima was a-bombed), he said:
"The Japanese began the war from the air at Pearl Harbor. They have been repaid many fold."
("Public Papers of the Presidents: Harry S Truman, 1945", pg. 197).
On Aug. 9, after Nagasaki was a-bombed, Truman made another public statement on why the atomic bombs were used:

"Having found the bomb we have used it. We have used it against those who attacked us without warning at Pearl Harbor, against those who have starved and beaten and executed American prisoners of war, against those who have abandoned all pretense of obeying international laws of warfare. We have used it in order to shorten the agony of war, in order to save the lives of thousands and thousands of young Americans."
("Public Papers of the Presidents: Harry S Truman, 1945", pg. 212).

It may have taken longer but Japan could have been isolated they had no Navy or Airforce to combat the might of the Allies they had lost in China so starvation would have forced the Armed forces of the day to seek surrender as it would have weakened the resolve of the people by choking off raw materials which is why they went to war anyway due to the embargo's.
What forces remained on isolated atolls was of no consequence to The US as they could not do anything to alter the outcome of the war the keeping Hirohito was a good option as like stated the populace thought him a God so it kept the masses from running amok.

The code of Bushido that was indoctrinated into the physc of the Japanese soldier is what made them think surrender was wrong and the family would suffer shame hence the small numbers I am not saying there wern't cruel individuals just the majority would rather die than surrender.

Its just a couple of hopefully objectively put points to consider without going into a full melt down about an era when the world went mad but thank goodness good triumphed.

[Eaglelord17]

Germany continues to apologise for the crimes of the Nazis under Hitler during WW2 and I for one appreciate it.

The numerous war crimes committed by Japan during WW2 bear no resemblance to anything the U.K. or U.S. has ever done in their entire history.

The information is there, refusal to accept it is your own decision. Quick examples for the UK are the Boer concentration camps, Aden's torture centres, the treatment of Kenyans during the 50s, etc.

For the US look at how they treated the Natives, as well as things like the My Lai massacre, etc.

[Bob Womack]

Well now, gents. We've gone pretty far afield, departed the topic of the original post, and are now in political world, which is not allowed in the rules of the forum because it always gets testy. We'll just let it go at that. Have another nice ale and thanks for dropping by.

Bob