Any WWII buffs?

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I don't understand where the name came from but yeah the British and the countries that served with her do deserved credit where they do along with the Chinese. The Russians though weren't much invovled in the Pacific until August 8th, 1945 when they declared war on Japan the day before Nagasaki was bombed by the Plutonium powered "Fat Man" bomb which didn't much damage as the Uranium powered "Little Boy" bomb on Hiroshima (U.S. Navy helped supplied the uranium for the "Little Boy" bomb. Well Nagasaki was more in a valley while Hiroshima was flat land.



I think Japanese-American Pacific War doesn't exist because just search it and the Japanese-American War comes up but some History Professor at Mason calls it by the name I mentioned.

However, since everyone doesn't see both sides of a story most of the time. I just watch Letters from Iwo Jima and it bring the cold harsh truth that is evil makes everyone think your enemy is a savage when in reality they are just like you. We're all living human beings in the end.

The Beast wasn't as good as the Dauntless was but times changes. The Whistling Death was something to fear because it was fast even faster than P-51 (This is true because post war models were more faster than during wartime). The Lighting was a beauty for sure. Everyone says the P-51 was the best fighter BS because the plane that have over 5000 confirmed kills was the F6F Hellcat.

This may seem cynical; but the best thing that happened to Japan was getting nuclear bombed.
If they didn't; land battles would have been fought. The damage to Japans cities, economy, population and infrastructure would have been much, much higher - not to mention the Allied losses.
Japan would have been, today, if not for the nuclear bombs that forced their surrender, likely a third-world islander nation like Indonesia.
As it stands, Japan is a technological super-power - and very different to Imperial Japan of last century.

^Yep because the estimated number of causlities on Kyushu was 250,000 Allied troops it could have easily reached 1 million within a year upon Honshu after it was invaded. Anyone who says the Atomic Bombs are immoral then you're give a non-living object a human quality when only humans can be immoral. Yet with Japan's war crimes other Asia nations still haven't forgiven them for it, we did somehow but our veterans don't sometimes like my Grandpa Jerry.

I'm the son of a veteran, and I will never forgive the Japanese or Germans who did this. Not even the Nazi Pope!

^Actually you should forgive because if you heard of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Committee and its trials. Some people forgave the killers of their love ones while others can not from the era of Apartheid in South Africa. If the same thing happened after WWII in Germany and Japan, Americans and our allies would been trialed for our actions as well. I forgive Japan for what they did along with Germany because their leaders' minds were twisted not the common soldier or civilian. Everyone has the will to say no to something that is wrong and inhumane.

I tend to disagree with the idea of the Japanese soldiers not being twisted. Yes you can say they were indoctrinated into thinking that way, but it was common Japanese soldiers who perpetrated thousands of war crimes against the Chinese and the Allies. Germany on the other hand, though the Wehrmacht cannot be said to be totally innocent, it was the Waffen SS and its organization that committed the crimes against the Jews and other groups. Not to mention that but Germany has paid billions in reparations, set up laws preventing Holocaust denial and vilified the Nazis. Japan's emperor was allowed to stay on his throne, on the other hand, and as recent as a few years ago there was still debate in Japan over whether they should apologize; and statues of known Japanese war criminals still stand in Tokyo, many planted after the war. And don't get me started on the text book debate, the Japanese like to think they were innocent and I've watched many documentaries and interviews with Japanese people flat out denying that their troops committed most of these crimes. Until Japan truly apologizes, they're not deserving of any forgiveness.

As for the Japanese, the only thing that might have been done differently was if the Yanks dropped the first atomic bomb on an uninhabited island. But yes, they were still prepared to fight on and defend the motherland. The scenario was horrible, with Yank troops invading the main island, and fighting civilians. They had already been fire bombed, lost their Navy and Army, but would not surrender.
By the by, the atomic bomb was originally to be dropped on Berlin (! !)

It was planned to be used on Germany but when Trinity was tested in July 1945, Japan was still fighting and Germany surrendered on Truman's birthday, May 8th, 1945. I believe that Operation Olympic and Cornet would be a joint allied invasion of Japan. Funny thing was if the bombs weren't used then there would be a big congressional hearing wondering about a large amount of money's disappearance "Manhattan Project".

Vigilans:
There is always two sides of a story in the end. Letters from Iwo Jima and Flags of Our Fathers is a good example of the story of Iwo Jima. Most of those Japanese soldiers are also ashamed for what they did in the War and some are evening trying to tell the story of Nanjing. Okinawans are angered at them for sure with history books deal because it states they choose to killed themsevles not to ordered. Their government is split in half to apologized for their crimes. We did cruel things to them as well you realize so we are just like them as they were to us. War is cruel in the end and total war is inhumane.

Of course; I've also seen interviews with former Japanese soldiers who abhor what they did in the war. I wouldn't put allied war crimes vs the Japanese on par with what the Japanese did though. War is hell, but they were a hell of a lot meaner then us.

Well think about though, the Atomic Bombs would be one along with the fire bombing of Japanese Cities which killed innocent civilians. Yes they did too but the reality is neither side is good or evil in a total war. We must aware what we're told in school are our "good" stories and beliefs of the war when the truth is more harsher than that in history books.

As for the Japanese being in denial, I once saw a documentary regarding a Japanese Commander. I believe he was in charge of one of the islands that was so very difficult to take. He was captured, and held as a POW by the Yanks. Post war, he was so ashamed of what he had done, he became a Buddhist monk, and lived out his days in a monastery, doing penance.

I have found fascinating the role women played in WWII.

You had women's involvement in the underground - the likes of Nancy Wake and Violette Bushell Szabo.

Another interesting role women had was in the Soviet Union, where women were used in combat, especially in roles such as pilots.

The Russians actually had women snipers as well and they were pretty good at it.

Just be sure to remember: All this happened more than sixty years ago. These countries are very different places now.
Germany, Turkey, Japan, etc. of the 40's I hate.
But, modern day Germany, Turkey and Japan are actually pretty good countries. Different generations.

Though, admittedly, I still don't trust older Japanese and German people... the Turks at least fought with honour.
Turkish veterans are even allowed to march in our parades... but not the Nazis or Imperial Japanese... too many atrocities.

The Turks weren't in the axis during WWII it was Italy because the Ottoman Empire was in WWI as an enemy but was broken up into Allied controlled nations after WWI.

Acually the Turks were fighting. They didn't fight the yanks; but they did fight the Australians.