After the bombs, when Americans first went into Tokyo, there were still 250,000 fully armed and trained Japanese troops on the Kanto plain, within a day's march. Many were willing, even eager to die for their country.
Rumors abounded; that Americans would rape Japanese women; that there would be mass retribution; that the Americans would steal everything, including the meager foodstuffs. Every Japanese was waiting for the first confirmation that the Americans were the barbarians that they had been described as. It was a conflagration waiting to happen, but it didn't.
Why? Because Americans didn't rape, murder or steal. The Japanese were treated with honor, far beyond what they probably deserved. Old sins went unpunished but out of the distrust an enduring alliance was born.
We may have missed our chance this time.
Rumors abounded; that Americans would rape Japanese women; that there would be mass retribution; that the Americans would steal everything, including the meager foodstuffs. Every Japanese was waiting for the first confirmation that the Americans were the barbarians that they had been described as. It was a conflagration waiting to happen, but it didn't. Why? Because Americans didn't rape, murder or steal. The Japanese were treated with honor, far beyond what they probably deserved. Old sins went unpunished but out of the distrust an enduring alliance was born. We may have missed our chance this time. Are you going to tell me that in the entire WWII, six of our troops didn't commit some act of humiliation on their captive enemy?
You are a product of our modern day senatorial hearings.