Tonight in my International Law class we’ll discuss briefly the post WW2 International Military Tribunal for the Far East — the Pacific Theater’s version of the Nuremburg trials.
Aitape, New Guinea. 24 October 1943. A photograph found on the body of a dead Japanese soldier showing NX143314 Sergeant (Sgt) Leonard G. Siffleet of “M” Special Unit, wearing a blindfold and with his arms tied, about to be beheaded with a sword by Yasuno Chikao. The execution was ordered by Vice Admiral Kamada, the commander of the Japanese Naval Forces at Aitape. Sgt Siffleet was captured with Private (Pte) Pattiwahl and Pte Reharin, Ambonese members of the Netherlands East Indies Forces, whilst engaged in reconnaissance behind the Japanese lines. Yasuno Chikao died before the end of the war.
photo source from The Australian War Memorial’s website.
If you’re interested — there is a collection of the IMTFE documents here.
On average, how surprised are your students when they learn about the Japanese War Crimes?
These are graduate students so they were up to speed on the crimes but most people don’t know much about the Far East tribunals.
Myself included. I read some of your attachment regarding. Thanks for bringing this to my mind as I listen to Senator Diane Feinstein who has decided (or who’s been “invited” by the preezy to flash the shiny object) to move to close Gitmo and bring the bad guys ashore. Look! Over here! Don’t look at Benghazi!! Look at the Gitmo guys! Don’t think of the millions spent on Gitmo or the millions to re-house the bad guys.
Crimes.indeed.
And how much time do you allow for discussions? I bet you get some doozies.
Ancillary reading: The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II – Iris Chang (who committed suicide).
On theme with Kit’s posting on Asian-Americans’ identity in today’s OT, the enmity between Americans of Chinese and Japanese descent, even second, third generation, exists and is strong, to wit:
I worked with a Chinese-American fellow police officer who refused to associate with another officer who was Japanese-American. He told me that he would never forgive the Japanese for the rape of Nanking. Both were good men, great cops. I don’t recall, if I ever knew, whether either was a member of the Asian Police Officers’ Association.
God bless America.
And if you’re Taiwanese you hate both the Japanese and the Chinese because both countries historically have been dicks.
Yep. And same is true in the “hispanic community.” The Mexicans hate the El Salvadorans and I think they all hate the Hondurans. Then there are those from South America who consider themselves more European and therefore superior to the Central Americanos and the conga beat goes on.
“Then there are those from South America who consider themselves more European and therefore superior to the Central Americanos and the conga beat goes on.”
Reminds me of something my college professor told me: During the Falklands War publicly most Hispanics were rooting for Argentina while privately, they were enjoying the sight of Argentinians (who have a high view of themselves as being the most “white” of Latin Americans) going down in flames.
As well as a line in Modern Family where Sofia Vegara’s character, a Colombian, gets offended by an American stereotype, expressed by her husband, of Colombians being violent and thieves and says “Because in Colombia we trip over goats and kill people in the street. Do you know how offensive that is? It’s like we’re PERUVIANS!”
Everyone has somebody they look down on.
WOOF!
http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/506087fdeab8eae22a000017-2253-3000/sofia-vergara-emmys.jpg?maxX=400
And in the Middle East the Persians look down on the Arabs. “While your ancestors were still roaming the desert and screwing camels we were building a civilization.”
And everybody looks down on the Palestinians.
“…everybody looks down on the Palestinians”. Not Jimma Cawtuh!
And not Mrs. Clinton *huggykissy*
Yeah, her too. We have many Japanese people in my area. The anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima was marked by the local newspaper with a “mea culpa” article. Sometimes I don’t think we like ourselves too much. Look at the bunch of 60′s hippies we put back in power. The one’s who spat on our Vietnam Vets and who will cut military spending.
Well, everybody in the Middle East.
Like we down South always have Mississippi to look down on!
YEP!
I was being sarcastic & think INFJ was, also. Carter & Clinton don’t love the Palestinians; they hate Israel —-> they hate “those people,” as Dick Morris revealed.
What TCR said.
Don’t worry, I knew that you guys were being sarcastic.
But it is true, everyone in the Mid-East looks down on the Palestinians. Everyone, the Jordanians, the Syrians, the Egyptians, the Iraqis, etc.
The Kuwaitis even deported their Palestinians. Kicked ‘em out.
And, if Modern Family is any indication, gay men and Lesbians don’t get a long either.
Do Lesbians get along with anyone?