Japan has long been criticized for school books that fail to acknowledge atrocities committed by Japanese troops in World War II as well as continued ceremonies that honor war criminals. For that reason, many felt that the recent acknowledgment of forced prostitution of thousands of Asian women — called Comfort Women — was a step forward. Then Toru Hashimoto, the mayor of Osaka, stepped forward. Hashimoto has gone public to defend the forced prostitution as necessary to “maintain discipline” in the ranks and provide rest for soldiers who risked their lives in battle. So much for progress.
Hashimoto seemed to strive to show that fascist values had not been lost on the island: “To maintain discipline in the military, it must have been necessary at that time. For soldiers who risked their lives in circumstances where bullets are flying around like rain and wind, if you want them to get some rest, a comfort women system was necessary. That’s clear to anyone.” Well, not everyone. There are those 200,0000 women who were forced into prostitution, particularly from Korea and China. Then there are those human beings who can still be found around the world.
To make matters worse, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s conservative government is reportedly considering revising Japan’s past apologies for wartime atrocities. Abe has questioned whether “comfort women” were truly forced into prostitution. Rather he suggests that 200,000 Korean and Chinese women may have simply asked to be used a prostitutes without pay or humane treatment.
Source: NY Times
“I’m not a prostitute, I’m destitute. I’m not afraid of prosecution, I’m afraid of persecution.” — voice coming from a county jail somewhere in the Midwest from a person hurriedly walking into the jail on the first floor to check on the status of an inmate, and then hurriedly walking out the door first entered and then rushing on to ‘freedom’ somewhere beyond the courtyard after butting a cigarette in one of the sheriff’s ashtrays. True story, I was a witness.
what if they are the one whose being treated like that? i mean their women treated like that like pigs??? what would they feel???
In addition to the 300,000 Chinese people — young, old, men, women — that the Japanese soldiers killed in Nanking (in the most savage ways possible), the Japanese military committed many other atrocities wherever they went during World War II.
But if you want to get some idea of what else the Japanese war criminals were up to at that time, look up Unit 731 — it almost cannot be surpassed for hideousness.
Most of the Japanese war criminals of that era were never punished for anything.
The Mayor’s grandpa who had sex with the Comfort Women explains it like this. They were really stressed from the field of battle. They needed counseling and none was available. But the Emperor had this sanctioned little thing going whereby women was enslaved for the purpose of being sexual objects. We did not think of it as rape at the time grandson. No. The Emperor had this wisdom and he comforted us with these women. No, grandson, we were not really rapists. We really did not kill women and children in the process of demolishing chinese cities like Nanking and we did not really rape the women of Nanking. No grandson. Be a good mayor and go speak for us. Us old soldiers will all be gone soon and we must be put in a good lite.
The best way to maintain military discipline in the field is through summary courts martial and executions of soldiers committing atrocities. In the meantime, comfort this, Toru.
War it’s self executes life. Wouldn’t it be better to not have what is said to be military discipline at all? The word is deceiving making a person think there is good in it. People around the world need to not think good of a discipline that calls killing good. is that agreed upon? Religious people renationalized why killing was good too. Do you think they were self deceived?John 18 >>14,Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
Mark 14:1-9, the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death, John 12;10 the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;
You know that old wartime saying in Japan: Rape em if ya gottem.
The Japaneses are being kindly in spirit. That is why a devil is in you speaking like you speak. Stop that this instant.
Fruitface Mayor probably has a grandpa that was doing the raping.
No. Someone needs to put him in a jail cell and let the perps go at his rear. Not only were the Japanese military command war criminals for forcing these women into being raped, each soldier who indulged is a rapist and a war criminal. Any of you old grandpas still alive over in Japan better get ready to explain this when you croak and go meet your maker. Take no comfort from the words of this schmuck Mayor of yours. You are all war criminals. Rape hath no excuse just because you are wearing the Emperors uniform. The Rape of Nanking was just a precursor to all that you war criminals inflicted upon other humans. Any of you still alive can go to Hell in a handbasket.
Someone needs to pistol whip this little ickPray in public and rape his mom right in front of him.
Your words are ungodly. Can’t you tell?
Some people felt uncomfortable about some Americans, and forced them into prison camps:
(Wikipedia, Japanese American WWII Internment). The officials felt comfortable after doing that because, just shooting them is not the right way to do things.
The “comfort women” thingy started out when prostitutes voluteered their services to help “the soldiers” who were giving Japan its “security and freedoms” … it then got out of hand and the gummit wanted to produce as many “patriots” as it could.
That stuff happens.
Otteray Scribe 1, May 21, 2013 at 4:25 pm
Dredd,
No matter what one thinks of prostitution, legal or otherwise, it is a far cry from officially sanctioned kidnapping and forcible rape by gangs of soldiers. Comfort is not the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of those atrocities.
==========================
Yep.
There is a right way and a wrong way to do things.
Dredd,
No matter what one thinks of prostitution, legal or otherwise, it is a far cry from officially sanctioned kidnapping and forcible rape by gangs of soldiers. Comfort is not the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of those atrocities.
Change Japan to US and the statement is just as true.
That is simply NOT true bettykath since I am a history buff and took lots of US history and done lots of reading on the subject. The problem is that the Japanese do not mention the Rape of Nanking, and all of the mass murders they did against all laws of warfare and civilization. The US and our western allies did NOTHING close to what the IJA did in their areas. In fact, there are lots of hypocrites who decry the use of the A bombs, but refuse to acknowledge the fact of Japanese atrocities of a FAR greater magnitude. I am quite upset that there was an objection to the Smithsonian displaying the Enola Gay and they did not put any comments on the display since it would cause controvery. If it were in Japan, they would have NO problem bragging about how many people they killed.
The Nazis did NOT follow the Geneva Conventions as applied to Red Army POWs and routinely murdered most of them. The Soviets returned the favor too.
In Japan, today, prostitution is illegal.
However, in one state in the U.S.eh? it is legal for licensed establishments to “make people comfortable.”
I guess some U.S. states still want to be more “comfortable” than others?
Bron,
It is a long and bloody story. After Bill O’Reilly had a bad case of foot in mouth, some of his fans were accused of posting revisionist history on Wikipedia and a host of other sites. That added to existing controversy, which I believe was an attempt by defendants and their supporters to muddy the waters at the Dachau trials, with “exculpatory” evidence of dubious credibility. After the war, that paragon of truthful virtue, Tailgunner Joe McCarthy got in on the act. He was accused of pandering to part of his constituency, who were of German descent.
What is known for sure is that on 17 December 1944, 80 American soldiers who had surrendered, were murdered by troops under the command of Obersturmbannfuhrer Joachim Peiper.
There were 43 survivors of the Malmedy murders, one of them being Charles Durning, who had landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day. Because the site of the massacre was a kind of no-man’s-land, allied troops did not reach the scene until 14 January 1945. On the 14th and 15, seventy-two snow covered and frozen bodies of American soldiers were found. Twelve more bodies were found between 7 February and 15 April.
Autopsies showed that some had blunt trauma injuries to the head sufficient to be fatal (think rifle butt). Most had gunshot wounds to the head at close enough range to leave powder burns. Some were single small caliber entrance wounds behind the ear.
Here is a photo of four of the bodies. All those in the photo were identified. Nearest the camera is Tec/3 James McGee. The body behind and to the right is Lt. Thomas McDermott. The other two bodies are Pfc. John Klukavy and Lt. Lloyd Iames.
http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt256/otteraylens/malmedy4bodies_zps7e409655.jpg
Bron, It was a massacre of unarmed American prisoners by the nazis though some apparently don’t know or won’t admit that when corrected:
OS, I know the American POW’s were segregated if suspected to be Jewish. I think I’ve told the story of my father’s friend, Phil Rokosa. Phil and my old man were next door neighbors. Phil’s dad owned a butcher shop, my grandfather owned a restaurant on the same block. The Rokosa family emigrated from Poland prior to the war. Although they were Catholic, there was little doubt the mom’s side was Jewish, something never admitted. Phil simply looked like a Jew, as did his mother. This was not uncommon for mixed marriage immigrants.
Every 5 years there was a reunion of Phil’s Stalag and Phil always went to them. My dad went w/ Phil when the reunion was in Boston, since it was a short drive. When I lived in Chicago the reunion was @ the Palmer House and Phil invited me. My old man chuckled when I told him I was going. All he said was, “Take note of all the names of his fellow prisoners.” I asked why and he said, “Just take note.” Well, Phil was a politician in Bristol, Ct., worked for the Kennedy campaign, and became postmaster of Bristol in the 60’s. He was very gregarious and incredible w/ names. I went to a cocktail party @ the reunion and met @ least 20 fellow prisoners. I believe all were Jews. Phil was a bombadier and shot down in 1944. They had a guard who they flew over. He was a big man w/ a kind face and smile. I met him but he spoke only a little English. This guard was one of the few nice ones. Phil spoke about his experience but never acknowledged the camp was mostly Jews. Phil never met other Stalag prisoners but my old man surmises Phil’s camp got worse treatment. Otherwise, why would they put Jews in it.
I do want to know EVERYTHING and I have never heard of Malmedy. If it’s not for polite society, I’ll get you my email.
OS:
What is the real story about that massacre?
nick,
You don’t really want to know what Goering’s orders were if any of the “Red Tails” were captured. He desperately wanted to capture black and Jewish airmen to make an example of them.
Ever hear of a place called Malmedy?
OS, I look forward to that next post.