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To: csense
[Lindbergh's diary came out in 1970, when plenty of veterans were alive to protest any inaccuracies. The fact that there were not thousands of veterans protesting the publication, enraged that their sacred honor was being trashed by Lindbergh, speaks volumes.] And one person's deductive inference is another persons logical fallacy.

Ah. So veterans like it when stories are fabricated about them. Either that, or they knew that the best way to make the story go away was to just keep quiet. Guilty consciences work that way naturally.

for someone who is so interested in the truth, you have an odd way of showing it.......

If by "truth" you mean finding creative ways of describing Americans good, Japanese bad, then no, I'm not into that. If by "truth" you mean "truth", then I'm interested.

Lindbergh said right in his diaries that the Japanese were more barbaric than the Americans apparently were. But that didn't change the "truth" that Americans often were very barbaric, and were obviously intent on killing japs, not in achieving victory in the most expeditious manner.

Guy Gabaldon figured out all by himself how to achieve victory in the most expeditious manner, and with little loss of life on either side. From the web site:

His routine previous to July 8 had been simple but effective; carefully approach a cave, shoot any guards outside, move off to one side of the cave and yell "You're surrounded and have no choice but to surrender. Come out, and you will not be killed! I assure you will be well treated. We do not want to kill you!" At this point, anyone running out with a weapon would be immediately shot, but anyone coming out slowly would be talked into returning to the cave and bringing out others.

On his first sortie Guy captured seven prisoners using this method, only to be told by his commander that if he deserted his post again he would be court-marshalled. The next morning Guy returned from another unauthorized trip, this time with 50 Japanese prisoners. From that moment Guy was granted the envious privilege of "lone wolf" operator. He could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. The perfect task for a tough Chicano kid from the East Los Angeles barrios.

On July 6, Guy left on another of his evening patrols and entered an area near Saipan's northern cliffs. It seemed fairly deserted at the time, but before daybreak he realized that hundreds of enemy infantry were moving onto the flats and gathering for an assault. By this time he was cut off from any path of retreat and any attempt to show himself would have resulted in a quick and noisy death. He remained under cover and listened as thousands of Japanese troops and some civilians drank sake and loudly prepared for the largest banzai charge of the campaign. This tragic and unsuccessful charge ended late that evening, with most of the remaining Japanese returning to their cliff-side positions.

The next morning, Guy crept to the edge of the cliffs, where he quickly captured two guards. It was then that he embarked on the most dangerous of his many ventures. After talking to the two men he convinced one of them to return to the caves below. This was a personal moment of truth for both of them. If the soldiers below were still too agitated, then everyone involved would face immediate death and a disgraceful one at that for the two guards. Shortly afterward a Japanese officer and some of his men walked slowly up from the caves and sat down in front of Gabaldon. Within an hour hundreds of Japanese infantry accompanied by civilians began surrendering en-masse; the gamble had paid off.

This climactic morning did not end Guy's prisoner-taking days. By the time he was machine-gunned in an ambush, he single-handedly captured over 1,500 soldiers and civilians from the most fanatically inclined army in the world. Decades later stories of the "Pied Piper of Saipan" continued to be told and retold within the Marine Corps, although they were considered by many to be some of the great fish stories of World War Two.

If Guy Gabaldon had brought in some prisoners on one occasion, then I might think his experience was a fluke. But obviously the Japs in the caves were desperate (obviously). Gabaldon convinced them they would not be harmed, and they surrendered in droves, on multiple occasions. To honor him now would put the lie to the mantra that "the japs refused to surrender". So Gabaldon has been forgotten, just like Lindbergh's diary.

278 posted on 03/12/2007 2:13:57 PM PDT by narby
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To: narby
Lindbergh said right in his diaries that the Japanese were more barbaric than the Americans apparently were. But that didn't change the "truth" that Americans often were very barbaric, and were obviously intent on killing japs, not in achieving victory in the most expeditious manner.

Anyone who thinks that war and barbarity are mutually exlusive is living in a world of Tinker Bell's and tea parties.

You want the truth, well here it is. Considering the state of affairs at that time, The Japanese are lucky that we didn't wipe their culture and race off the face of the earth.

It's that simple.

282 posted on 03/12/2007 2:52:05 PM PDT by csense
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