9 Comments

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  rjd_jr at 07:55 AM JST - 31st May

  This was a bloody and savage battle indeed, one of the more 'unsung' battles many do not realize took place on American soil.

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  proxy at 08:58 AM JST - 31st May

  Kiska was evacuated about a month before it was "retaken" by allied forces. Even though it was empty the allies suffered 200-300 casualties. I'm surprised the US government is helping as it may turn out to be rather embarrassing if the reasons for such a low POW total is the same as in other places where up to 60% of the remains of Japanese soldiers had had there heads cut off by American soldiers collecting body parts. The reason why people in Okinawa feared being taken prisoner by American forces is that as America island hopped across the Pacific most Japanese POWs were killed after they had surrendered. In at least one case Japanese POWs that had been boarded on a transport ship were all taken off and killed. During the war, the killing of Japanese POWs was so out of control there were virtually none until it was starting to look embarrassing to leaders in Washington and free ice cream and time off was granted to any soldier that brought a Japanese POW safely into MPs hands.

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  rjd_jr at 10:01 AM JST - 31st May

  Do you have any sources for your statements that the U.S. military personnel deliberately killed Japanese POW's? I've read of a few incidents where this happened but nothing along the likes of what you state. I'm not saying you're wrong, but even if true there's no way anyone will really care, because they will reason that the Japanese military engaged in far greater brutality and atrocities than U.S. troops killing POW's. Also, there's the one size fits all explanation that Japanese troops would fight to the death, and many a U.S. troop was lured to his death by Japanese troops feigning death. Not to mention Japanese troops would kill themselves using grenades and whatnot, so safer to kill them than risk death.

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  rjd_jr at 01:45 PM JST - 31st May

  That may be true proxy, but again in the greater scheme of things, the world won't be sympathetic to any Japanese that were victimized during WW2, including any civilians. They will always say, but look, Imperial Japan committed far more horrible atrocities in greater numbers against their asian neighbors, etc. etc. So in the court of world opinion no one will be favorable towards these sorts of incidents against Japanese civilians.

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  NeoJamal at 10:50 PM JST - 31st May

  Do you have any sources for your statements that the U.S. military personnel deliberately killed Japanese POW's? I've read of a few incidents where this happened but nothing along the likes of what you state. I'm not saying you're wrong, but even if true there's no way anyone will really care, because they will reason that the Japanese military engaged in far greater brutality and atrocities than U.S. troops killing POW's. Also, there's the one size fits all explanation that Japanese troops would fight to the death, and many a U.S. troop was lured to his death by Japanese troops feigning death. Not to mention Japanese troops would kill themselves using grenades and whatnot, so safer to kill them than risk death.

  Your logic is..'interesting'

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  bebert at 11:43 PM JST - 31st May

  the world won't be sympathetic to any Japanese that were victimized during WW2, including any civilians.

  Your opinion. Not supported by the many, many people who have read books like "Hiroshima" or "Black Rain," or historical works on the fire bombings and atomic attacks.

  Before making such callous statements, think about how you would feel if the same "logic" was used in dismissing Jewish deaths during the so-called holocaust, an act that is a criminal offense in much of Europe.

  The number I've seen is that 15% of U.S. POW's died during detainment in Japan during WWII, versus 40% who died in the hands of the Chinese and North Koreans during the Korean War. This figure certainly doesn't support Americans executing P.O.W's on the battlefield. I believe this was also a war crime for which Axis power soldiers were prosecuted after the war, but which American soldiers committed with impunity in both theaters of the war.

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  rjd_jr at 12:12 AM JST - 1st June

  NeoJamal, it is interesting but I do believe many will see it that way. On some message boards the very topic of Japanese women being raped by American troops post WW2 was discussed, and some have angrily pointed out the what Japan did was far worse than those specific crimes. Any mention of possible war crimes by allied forces, especially against Japanese troops/civilians in WW2, will be countered by those who state that what Japan did was far worse. And to what bebert stated, yes there will be those who will be sympathetic, but at the same time there will be cries that it is nothing but an attempt to whitewash Japan's history that they were not the aggressors during WW2. Try going to a Korea/Chinese related message board and post subjects about Japanese victims of possible war crimes and you'll see what I'm talking about.

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  mrtinjp at 08:09 AM JST - 1st June

  Any mention of possible war crimes by allied forces, especially against Japanese troops/civilians in WW2, will be countered by those who state that what Japan did was far worse,

  americans killed over 2 million japanese civilians, how many american civilians on american mainland were killed by Japanese?

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  NeoJamal at 10:28 AM JST - 1st June

  NeoJamal, it is interesting but I do believe many will see it that way. On some message boards the very topic of Japanese women being raped by American troops post WW2 was discussed, and some have angrily pointed out the what Japan did was far worse than those specific crimes. Any mention of possible war crimes by allied forces, especially against Japanese troops/civilians in WW2, will be countered by those who state that what Japan did was far worse. And to what bebert stated, yes there will be those who will be sympathetic, but at the same time there will be cries that it is nothing but an attempt to whitewash Japan's history that they were not the aggressors during WW2. Try going to a Korea/Chinese related message board and post subjects about Japanese victims of possible war crimes and you'll see what I'm talking about.

  and how does that bias bear upon the objective assessment of individual conduct? By your logic Al-Qaeda terrorists should not be condemned for their brutal acts so long as the West kills more Muslims in the light of recent conflict. Now what was that you were saying?

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