Posted on 12/20/2010 5:06:13 PM PST by SunkenCiv
Naoto Kan became only the second Japanese prime minister to visit the World War II battlefield of Iwo Jima Tuesday. He came to pay his respects to over 21,000 Japanese soldiers who fell in battle on the Pacific island -- many whose bodies are only now being recovered by archaeologist on the island.
The battle of Iwo Jima began on February 19, 1945, and continued to March 26, 1945...
The Imperial Japanese Army positions on the island were heavily fortified, with vast bunkers, hidden artillery, and 18 kilometers (11 mi) of tunnels. The battle was the first U.S. attack on the Japanese Home Islands and the Imperial soldiers defended their positions tenaciously. Of the 21,000 Japanese soldiers present at the beginning of the battle, over 20,000 were killed and only 1,083 taken prisoner.
Two mass graves were discovered on the volcanic isle by civilian search teams in October, more than sixty-five years after the five fierce weeks of fighting that culminated in an American victory. The graves -- one at the foot of Mount Suribachi, where U.S. troops famously raised their flags -- are thought to contain, together, the remains of up to 2,200 men.
Archeologists are now engaged in the grim task to exhume the bodies in addition to trying to get enough evidence to help identify the bodies... The Japanese government has said any remains uncovered which might be one of 218 America soldiers still missing they will immediately notify the American government...
The decision by the Government and Prime Minister Kan is a bold step to help address and bury the shame along with the guilt associated with the defeat not only at Iwo Jima but for the war in general...
(Excerpt) Read more at archnews.co.uk ...
The extent of the defeat at Midway wasn’t revealed to the Japanese public until 1955.
Japan’s World War blunder
Toronto Sun | 3/14/2010 | Eric Margolis
Posted on 03/14/2010 9:36:52 AM PDT by Saije
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2470801/posts
Victor Davis Hanson: Tomorrow’s Wars —
Enormous, massively destructive engagements may again be...
City Journal | Winter 2010 | Victor Davis Hanson
Posted on 03/02/2010 5:22:03 PM PST by neverdem
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2462851/posts
There may still be some living WW2 Japanese soldiers on the island.
In all seriousness, they were great warriors. I respect them greatly.
Kamikaze pilots were sacrificing themselves for their country and their family’s honor, unlike Muslim jihadists, who are only interested in the 72 virgins.
I’m going to be seeing an Iwo survivor for the holidays - my dad.
Not a chance.
Spent time on Iwo in the 60’s. It was an experience never to be forgotten.
More were killed by Samuri swords than were killed during two a-bomb attacks. I won't minimize the punishment and suffering we inflicted during the firebombings, but their government and culture combined to create an adversary against whom diplomacy was doomed.
Wasn't the Japanese Shinto more or less just a religious form of National Socialism? And the Japanese of that era were just about as racist as you can get.
Please wish him a very Merry and Blessed Christmas, and tell him “Thank You!” on my behalf.
My late father-in-law(4th. Marine Div.) made it off that island but barely. I would hope,as I’m sure it might happen, that remains of missing Marines would be found. May all their souls rest in peace.
They were animals not human beings. This archeologist better get lots of help, IMHO. It will take one guy longer than three years to scrape them all up. My Dad was in the Navy and said that they used bulldozers to bury the dead Japs.
The HBO Pacific miniseries got Iwo right,and showed what a horrific slaughterhouse it was (the only battle of the war where American dead exceeeded Japanese). It was a treeless, lifeless rock with Japanese deeply entrenched in the higher ground.
Merry Christmas to you, to him, and to all your family!
And before I forget again, Merry Christmas to all of you. May there never be a next time — and if there is, may we prove as worthy as those who fought there.
Body disposal, these are the graves being excavated.
http://www.archive.org/details/WhatPriceIwo
The Mpeg2 is good quality one of best classic ww2 propaganda..
http://www.archive.org/details/ToTheShoresOfIwoJima
Apologies, THIS is the high quality version of “To the Shores of Iwo Jima” http://www.archive.org/details/iwojima , the previous link is an older lower quality mp4.
Thanks!
Merry Christmas to you too.
And when he gets to Heaven
To St. Peter he will tell:
“One more Marine reporting, Sir —
I’ve served my time in Hell.”
Pfc. James A. Donahue
United States Marine Corps
First Marine Division
H Company
2nd Battalion
1st Regiment
Said of the battle for Guadalcanal, but was certainly true of the entire war in the Pacific, Iwo Jima as much as any other and more than most.
It was a hideous war.
I admire the USMC and America’s citizen soldiers MUCH more than a pack of rabid, fanatical racists.
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