Zell Miller: Iwo Jima, If Covered by Media Today

The Washington Times ^ | October 12, 2004 | Zell Miller

[quidnunc]

What if today's reporters had covered the Marines landing on Iwo Jima, a small island in the far away Pacific Ocean, in the same way they're covering the war in Iraq? Here's how it might have looked:

DAY 1

With the aid of satellite technology, Cutie Cudley interviews Marine Pfc. John Doe, who earlier came ashore with 30,000 other Marines.

Cutie: "John, we have been told by the administration that this island has great strategic importance because if you're successful, it could become a fueling stop for our bombers on the way to Japan. But, as you know, we can't be sure this is the truth. What do you think?"

Pfc. Doe: "Well, I've been pinned down by enemy fire almost ever since I got here and have had a couple of buddies killed right beside me. I'm a Marine and I go where they send me. One thing's for sure, they are putting up a fight not to give up this island."

Cutie: "Our military analysts tell us that the Japanese are holed up in caves and miles of connecting tunnels they've built over the years. How will you ever get them out?"

Pfc. Doe: "With flame throwers, ma'am."

Cutie (incredulously): "Flame throwers? You'll burn them alive?"

Pfc. Doe: "Yes ma'am, we'll fry their asses. Excuse me, I shouldn't have said that on TV."

Cutie (audible gasp): "How horrible!"

Pfc. Doe (obviously wanting to move on): "We're at war ma'am."

A Marine sergeant watching nearby yells, "Ask her what does she want us to do — sing to them, 'Come out, come out, wherever you are. Pretty please.' "

-snip-

[beaversmom]

You are welcome for the Steyn pings. He makes me laugh. Here's a goodie by Give 'em hell Zell.

[blogbat]

"When Germany was defeated, they sent one of their two largest subs to Japan with many large containers of Plutonium for Japan to make nuclear weapons with to use against us. The sub instead surrendered to us and it is rumored that the plutonium that it contained was what was used to make one of the bombs we dropped on Japan."

As I understand it, they actually surrendered in early August, long after we would have had Little Boy and the Fat Man already standing by. Also a bit after the tests.

But what has always been so interesting about this story is the possible tension the Germans feared in Japan. Some say the Germans on that boat were afraid the Japs would kill them. Communication wasn't so great, I guess.

Just be thankful the Soviets hadn't figured out how to build a bomb by War's end. No doubt they would have dropped the first one on Berlin and then declared all of Germany and who knows what else for their playground before we could do a thing about it. Who knows, maybe we still could have, but scary thought.

[Chieftain]

Give 'em Hell, Zell! Ooorraahhh!!

[jmstein7]

BUMP!

[tame]

give 'em ZELL!

[Skooz]

We could not fight and win WW2 today. The MSM would demoralize our troops and convince our homefront that the war is unwinnable.

NO WAY, we could have faught in Europe after Casserine Pass. That would have been the lead story in the New York Slimes for weeks.

And Tarawa? Forget it. We would have to come to peace terms and beg for a status quo antebellum and allow the Japanese to occupy the Pacific and have bases in Hawaii.

[Skooz]

Dang. That's an excellent post.

[Skooz]

That Kerry could consider himself a hero makes me ill.

Ditto.

Far, far, far, far better men than I have fought and died so I could have the priveledge of sitting here at my computer sipping coffee. The biggest problems I have right now are my bills and trying to get my daughter more interested in her schoolwork. That my "problems" are so mundane and comparatively non-existent is a tribute to the brave men who laid down their lives for our freedom.

Lurchface is not one of them.

[Keith]

Your screen name is well chosen...

[oldngray]

"Well, round the kiddies up as Grandpa Zell tells us how it really was back in the days when war heroes EARNED their medals, and congressmen showed up for work."

I'd love to hear some of his tales and I can personally attest to the feats accomplished by heroes who EARNED their medals. Some didn't know they earned them until presentation ceremony time.

BUT..., senators have been long known for not showing up for work. Many, among them a future VP under FDR, simply disappeared for weeks. Garner left word that he was "not to be found". He didn't want to hear from anyone in the White House or the Senate. Perhaps Zell could tell tales about some recent ones as well.

Members of the Senate and House are not held accountable to anyone. They set their own schedule, do as they please, and spend the public money as if it were their own. There are of course a few exceptions, those who have a conscience and hold themselves accountable for the people's business. In my view they are in the minority.

[whershey]

I'd love to know how you came up with this conclusion about the need to take Iwo Jima. There were 2 different reasons it needed to be taken.

1. It gave us a base closer to the Japanese mainland which allowed fighter planes to escort the B-29's on their bombing raids.

2. The Japanese had been using the Island as a base for their fighters in particular the Kamikazes. The capture of the island forced the Japanese fighter to operate out of Okinawa and Kyushu which drastically cut down on their theater of operation.

3. The reason you gave which is as an emergency landing spot for B-29's on bombing raids. I'm sure the B-29 pilots who's lives were saved by this option were much more appreciative of the sacrifice made by the Marines then you seem to be.

As for MacArthur, as great a general as he had the potential to be, he was an egotist who had a difficult time handling the fact that he wasn't in charge of the entire Pacific operation and did anything he could to try and derail Naval operations.

You should learn your historic facts before posting your propaganda and belittling the effort of brave men.

[NotADove]

Change your name to Cutie-pie :)

[A.A. Cunningham]

defenseless Japanese cities long after the war was a foregone conclusion. You think it was worth it?

You suffer from cranial rectumitis. Between the time that Truman became President, 12 April 1945 and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, 6 August 1945, the United States suffered over 50% of its casualties in the Pacific Theater. You brain dead revisionists continually prove that the public education system is a failure.

[A.A. Cunningham]

when it was said "uncommon courage was a common virtue,"

Shame on Zell, a former Marine, for misquoting Admiral Chester Nimitz. Perhaps Zell needs a sand flea crawling in and out of his nostril, like they do at Parris Island, to serve as a reminder for the need for attention to detail. Unsat.

"The battle of Iwo Jima has been won. Among the Americans who served on Iwo, uncommon valor was a common virtue."

Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, 17 March 1945, CINCPAC Communique No. 300

[Nowhere Man]

A "John Kerry should just go to Zell" bump!

[LZ_Bayonet]

"But after it was secured by the Marines, B-29s made over 2,200 emergency landings on it, saving the lives of more than 24,000 crewmen.

And, not to at all dismiss the loss of those particular American lives, saved their B-29's, allowing them to carry the bombs that would save other American lives.

[LZ_Bayonet]

"And this what annoys me about the self-rightousness of the Vietnam protestors - they couldn't care less about what happened to the country or the South Vietnamese, it was all about them."

I agree, but no need to use the past tense. It is still all about them.

[bondserv]

Cutie Cudles = Katie Couric
James Crankville = James Carville
Myscream Loud = Moreen Dowd

Zell cracks me up.

[blogbat]

That sounds like a History Channel yell...