White House: ‘embittered’ World War II veterans should get over Pearl Harbor

BPR ^ | 6 Dec 2016 | Blake Neff

[mandaladon]

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said during a press conference Monday it was natural for World War II veterans to be “embittered” about Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to Pearl Harbor, but they should get over it for the sake of America.

It was announced Monday that Abe will be the first Japanese leader to visit Pearl Harbor since it was hit by a surprise attack that killed 2,403 Americans and brought the U.S. into World War II. The visit reciprocates President Barack Obama’s visit to Hiroshima earlier this year for the anniversary of the atomic bomb attack on the city.

Abe said in a short statement he would pray for those who died in the war, but gave no indication he would express regret for Japan’s surprise attack.

During a White House press briefing Monday, Earnest was asked whether veterans may be offended by Abe’s visit if he expressed no regret over the attack.

Earnest responded by saying veterans may very well feel “embittered,” especially if they personally fought in World War II.

“If I were a World War II veteran who was drafted by the United States military to go and fight for our country overseas in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack, I might feel quite embittered, and I think it would be a perfectly natural and understandable human reaction to not be particularly satisfied with the words of the Japanese Prime Minister,” Earnest said.

[milagro]

Amen!
But I think it is interesting that Abe is acknowledging his nation’s attack on Pearl Harbor.
Years ago a family hosting an exchange student from Japan told me the student was shocked to learn about this attack, and had to be convinced it really happened.
We were both amazed at the level of “denial” that was apparently imposed on her by a nation that accepted no blame for the evil actions it had committed in its past.

[Jane Long]

I wish you could ask Flake Ernest that question.

Everyday is a new low, for Dems.

[wetgundog]

Doubt there were many draftees in the Philippines, Wake Island, Corregidor, or even Pearl Harbor at the time, most were career Army or Navy, with some called up National Guard units and USNR. Not Draftees, but volunteer enlistees.

[Alberta's Child]

That's simplistic to the point of being childish.

Did the U.S. ever apologize to Great Britain for "starting" the American Revolution?

Has the U.S. apologized for several million dead Vietnamese and Cambodians? For that matter -- has the U.S. government even apologized to its own citizens for p!ssing away 50,000+ American lives in that stupid war?

[sport]

Thank you! I was going to post the same thing. I would have worded it different.Again, thank you!

[SandRat]

And forget the Alamo of the Pacific (Wake Island) too, I guess.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Let’s get our facts straight. During WWII 61.2% (11,535,000) of all service personnel were draftees. Yes there were a lot of volunteers but to say there was no draft is simply innaccurate.

[Alberta's Child]

Years ago a family hosting an exchange student from Japan told me the student was shocked to learn about this attack, and had to be convinced it really happened. We were both amazed at the level of “denial” that was apparently imposed on her by a nation that accepted no blame for the evil actions it had committed in its past.

There's more to it than just refusal to accept blame. I understand the Japanese have basically written that entire era out of their history books -- which means they don't learn about Nagasaki and Hiroshima, either.

[Trump20162020]

Has Japan gotten over being nuked?

[sport]

I could not type what I would have wanted to say. I would be banned.

[Bubba_Leroy]

I wonder what percentage of WWII veterans were drafted and what percentage waited in lines to voluntarily enlist.

I had an uncle that was color blind. In order to enlist in the Navy after Pearl Harbor he took the enlistment exam with a friend who helped him memorize the color chart so that he could pass. He served on the USS Missouri when it was attacked by Japanese kamikaze pilots in battle of Okinawa and was still serving on the Missouri when the Japanese signed their surrender.

[bert]

The Vietnam vet wackos should get over the fiasco in North Dakota

[mom of young patriots]

I will be so glad when we can all stop giving this smarmy, lying gasbag any of our energy. Jan 20 can’t come soon enough.

[Mouton]

Yes, there were civilians at Wake and their fate was the same as the military albeit they were not actually in the mlitary but contractors. They were executed in 43.

[A_Former_Democrat]

Then “get over” all your fauz “hate crimes”

Jan 20 can’t come soon enough

[ClearBlueSky]

Of course, get over ALL ‘yesterday’s’-—EXCEPT slavery. If it’s the victim mentality we should ‘get over’ then let go of the OLDEST first. Indians should ‘get over’ white men colonizing and modernizing their primitive way of life. And all black people should ‘get over’ their ANCESTORS being slaves over 200 years ago! Why cling to the victim mentality many generations down? No one alive is responsible. At least WW2 vets and those still alive can remember LIVING Pearl Harbor. They can remember seeing their friends die, and still miss people they actually knew and loved. Their pain is still real and contemporary-not historic. They don’t ‘feel’ victimized by past atrocities- they WERE and still ARE victims. Perhaps BLM should ‘Let it Go’ as well.

[New Perspective]

[Gaffer]

Just the ‘embittered’ ones, I guess, eh?

[bray]

My father who was on one of the toughest destroyers in the war was never embittered. He was a hero and saved our Country from the worst slavery imaginable.

[lodi90]

I wonder what percentage of WWII veterans were drafted and what percentage waited in lines to voluntarily enlist.

---

My grandfather joined the Navy to avoid being drafted by the Army. Family lore says my great grandfather was in the trenches in WW1 and didn’t want his son there!