[InterestedQuestioner]

"The Japanese whiners have been protesting us since Gen. MacArthur gave them a constitution."

MacArthur has plenty of admirers in Japan. General MacArthur is seen by many to have been the de facto leader of Japan during the critical post war recovery years. My sense is that many Japanese have a tremendous amount of respect for General MacArthur as someone who knew how to fight a war and someone who knew how to rule a country. IIRC, we had an agreement with the Soviets that they would control the northern part of Japan after WWII. MacArthur never honored that agreement, and thereby kept Japan from civil war and a North vs. South Korea type of partition. He was a general who ruled, and that was a form of leadership the Japanese could understand, given their history of having been ruled by generals during different phases of their history. He also expressed confidence in the Japanese people at a time when they had lost confidence in themselves.

[Broker]

My father in law was MacArthurs political advisor immediately after the war initials MWSB. It was largely his work that spared Japans Emperor’s life as he was such a great symbol to the Japanese people. He also assisted in drafting their new constitution. For these activities the Japanese awarded him the 2nd order of the Lotus and the USA matched with the Metal of Freedom .. domo arrigato.

As for these demonstrators, they’re having a great time. Once this new crew of sailors establish themselves on the beach, everyone will be pals again.

[sergeantdave]

“MacArthur has plenty of admirers in Japan. “

How do you know that?

This is not a hostile question, just an inquiry, a question to satisfy my curiousity.

I met a few Japanese citizens and some loved us and others wanted me to engage in self hari-kiri.

Speaking of sepuku, I could never understand how slitting your gut, rather than fighting the enemy to the end, was somehow “honorable.” Looks to me that was the cluck-cluck end for a chicken.

Consider, the patriots at the Alamo didn’t disembowel themselves.

If someome here has lived the Zen satori life-style of Dr. Suzuki ( a WWII contemporary) or can explain the warrior culture of the bushido (Both Suzuki and Bushido, logically considered, are completely incompatible), that would help.

Just trying to bridge the vast cultural gap in my head...