Is anyone else still slightly creeped out by the Japanese?

POSTED BY: kpo
UPDATED: Sunday, September 6, 2026 21:47
VIEWED: 25231
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MAGONSDAUGHTER

Monday, October 20, 2014 9:11 AM

I also loved Paradise Road, although it copped criticism for being racist in the US for its depiction of the Japanese - another indication that KPO's creep factor is that some of the stuff that appears to be new news in the US 'geez, the Japanese were shitty to prisoners during ww2' is old news here.

Like A Town Called Alice, it's about the experiences of women in prisoner of war camps.

Interestingly enough, the Man Booker Prize (a very prominent literary prize' has been won by Richard Flanagan for his novel "The Narrow Road to Deep North' based on his father's experience on the Burma Railway. http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/richard-flanagan/the-narrow-road-t
o-the-deep-north-9780857980366.aspx

Sadly, I struggled to get through this novel, but I will try again.

KPO

Monday, October 20, 2014 10:16 PM

More attention in Britain and the US is given to the war in Europe, which was the main theatre of war for those countries. I don't think many (any?) Australian regiments fought in Europe, so naturally the war against the Japanese is what is most remembered there. But that's not to say Japanese atrocities against Brits and Americans are forgotten, or 'new' - they're not.

It's not personal. It's just war.

AURAPTOR

Tuesday, October 21, 2014 1:50 AM

Outside of Peal Harbor, Midway and Iwo Jima, about the only thing anyone is taught of the Pacific theatre are possibly the Flying Tigers.

And dropping the first atomic bombs, of course.

MAGONSDAUGHTER

Tuesday, October 21, 2014 2:11 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by kpo:
More attention in Britain and the US is given to the war in Europe, which was the main theatre of war for those countries. I don't think many (any?) Australian regiments fought in Europe, so naturally the war against the Japanese is what is most remembered there. But that's not to say Japanese atrocities against Brits and Americans are forgotten, or 'new' - they're not.

It's not personal. It's just war.

God your knowledge of history is pretty shitty. A quick Google search will give you this information.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Australia_during_Worl
d_War_II

Australians fought in Europe, North Africa and the Pacific, along with New Zealanders, Canadians and many other soldiers from the 'British Empire'. From 1939 as well, in case you dont realise that the war started for everyone else then. In fact one of the controversy's of the war for us is that Churchill prevented Australian soldiers from returning to Australia from the European 'arena' to protect Australia when the Japanese invasion threat became imminent (Darwin was bombed) despite the request from our then Prime Minister.

British casualities from the Burma railway were exceedingly high, so I believe that it's well known in the UK as well.

One of the pissy things about many mainstream films is that it appears that only Americans fought in WW2, which I believe adds to the messiah complex demonstrated by some on this board.

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Tuesday, October 21, 2014 6:32 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Brenda:
Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
Outside of Peal Harbor, Midway and Iwo Jima, about the only thing anyone is taught of the Pacific theatre are possibly the Flying Tigers.

And dropping the first atomic bombs, of course.

And where did the Japanese fly to get to Pearl, over my home province of British Columbia. Which at that time had many a military target on the coast. BC's coast was covered by our military to protect it.

We were chosen as a fly-over for their bombers to avoid your radar.

Japanese bombers, in 1941, flying over British Columbia to get to Hawaii base Pearl Harbor?
Got any cites? Further info? Not sure I've heard of this, or that it makes any sense. Seems like it would be beyond fuel range for any bomber in 1941. Were these land-based or Carrier-based bombers?

JEWELSTAITEFAN

Tuesday, October 21, 2014 6:46 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Magonsdaughter:
Quote:
Originally posted by kpo:
More attention in Britain and the US is given to the war in Europe, which was the main theatre of war for those countries. I don't think many (any?) Australian regiments fought in Europe, so naturally the war against the Japanese is what is most remembered there. But that's not to say Japanese atrocities against Brits and Americans are forgotten, or 'new' - they're not.

God your knowledge of history is pretty shitty. A quick Google search will give you this information.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Australia_during_Worl
d_War_II

Australians fought in Europe, North Africa and the Pacific, along with New Zealanders, Canadians and many other soldiers from the 'British Empire'. From 1939 as well, in case you dont realise that the war started for everyone else then. In fact one of the controversy's of the war for us is that Churchill prevented Australian soldiers from returning to Australia from the European 'arena' to protect Australia when the Japanese invasion threat became imminent (Darwin was bombed) despite the request from our then Prime Minister.

British casualities from the Burma railway were exceedingly high, so I believe that it's well known in the UK as well.

One of the pissy things about many mainstream films is that it appears that only Americans fought in WW2, which I believe adds to the messiah complex demonstrated by some on this board.

In case you are interested, here are a few thoughts.
The media coverage from Yurp was much more reliable, timely, consistent, and quantitative. Communications across the vast Pacific was troublesome, both for the military and the media. Island-hopping meant that weeks could go by without news, or action, while covering one mile in Yurp could be followed day by day by anybody with a map or memory from WWI. The foreign names of Pacific Islands also made it hard for many to find on a map or in their memory.

One thing that American military has held to is unit cohesion. Few other countries had entire Armies assembled, ready to mesh with the flanking Army next to them, with the same weapons, practices, training. Films showing a mish-mash of nationalities in combat make it harder for dim audiences to follow. Hope you know by now that Hollywood dumbs down everything, mashes 20 people into one character, and homogenizes at every step possible.

I'm not trying to rationalize or apologize, but if you didn't already know these factors, it might help you to understand. Those who know history see these things, they are not trying to demean or belittle the efforts and sacrifices of those who served. Even in America, I was not taught and did not know about the Navajo Code Talkers until I was already in the Marine Corps. There are many incidents like this.

AURAPTOR

Tuesday, October 21, 2014 4:23 PM

That would be really odd if they chose that route to get to Hawaii.

KPO

Wednesday, October 22, 2014 12:51 AM

Quote:
God your knowledge of history is pretty shitty. A quick Google search will give you this information.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Australia_during_Worl
d_War_II

Well, your ability to google trumps my knowledge of history - but not your ability to read, apparently. From your link:

Quote:
While most Australian forces were withdrawn from the Mediterranean following the outbreak of war in the Pacific, they continued to take part in large numbers in the air offensive against Germany. From 1942 until early 1944, Australian forces played a key role in the Pacific War, making up the majority of Allied strength throughout much of the fighting in the South West Pacific. The military was largely relegated to subsidiary fronts from mid-1944, but continued offensive operations against the Japanese until the war ended.

Pretty much what I was saying - most Australian fighting took place in the war against Japan. Elsewhere in the Wiki article it even says: "relatively few Australians fought in Europe during World War II".

If I was going to correct someone, and be an arse about it, I would make sure I got my facts straight. But that's just me.

It's not personal. It's just war.

MAGONSDAUGHTER

Wednesday, October 22, 2014 2:45 AM

if I were you, I'd stop trying to argue, because, man are you bad at it. I've never seen someone slip and slide quite like you.

You said "I don't think many (any?) Australian regiments fought in Europe,'

So buddy, yes they did as you yourself have just validated by your quote from the article I linked.

But keep arguing yourself into your ditch AGAIN.

MAGONSDAUGHTER

Wednesday, October 22, 2014 2:48 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by G:

Actually just saw this last night - what a powerful film. I didn't think there was much chemistry between Kidman and Firth at first, but I think that's because they felt they needed to get to the other story pretty quickly. In the end the film made a big impression - definitely recommend.
FWIW: plenty of US know about Japan, both their brutality and our confinement of them in WWII.
In terms of now, I'm a fan of Japanese architecture and fashion and food, and that's my contribution.

Now, back to the thread!

I read a little of the true story, it seems he already had a family when he met the character Kidman based, so they did kind of rush through the relationship stuff. But yes, very powerful.

An interesting history too. My son has been studying the Restoration of the Meiji.

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