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John Powell, 'seditious' journalist, dies
UPI ^ | 12/17/08

Posted on 12/17/2008 11:07:26 AM PST by Borges

U.S. journalist John W. Powell, whose 1950s articles alleging American use of germ warfare in Korea sparked sedition charges, has died at 89, his son says.

Powell, who had lived for many years in San Francisco, died in the city Monday of complications from pneumonia, son John S. Powell told Wednesday's New York Times.

U.S. prosecutors put Powell on trial in 1959 on a rare charge of sedition, after he authored articles for his Shanghai publication The China Monthly Review asserting that U.S. military had employed germ warfare against North Korea, using methods they had allegedly learned from the defeated Japanese army.

Powell wrote that a secret unit of the occupying Japanese army known as Unit 731 had carried out large-scale biological warfare attacks on Chinese soldiers and civilians during World War II, killing hundreds of thousands.

The U.S. government eventually dropped all charges against Powell, but his case dragged on for five years and became a cause celebre.

Afterwards, unable to continue his journalistic career, he made a successful career of buying and restoring Victorian mansions in San Francisco and operating an antiques business, the Times said.


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: chicoms; communism; communismkills; koreanwar; reddupe; traitor; unit731; usefulidiot
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1 posted on 12/17/2008 11:07:26 AM PST by Borges
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To: Borges

Distinguished career: journalist to house-flipper.


2 posted on 12/17/2008 11:09:49 AM PST by Old Sarge (For the first time in my life, I am ashamed to be an American)
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To: Borges

I wonder what he thinks now, and if the temperature down there is higher than he thought it would be.


3 posted on 12/17/2008 11:10:43 AM PST by TenthAmendmentChampion (Join us on the best FR thread, 8000+ posts: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts)
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To: Borges

Good thing they gave his name - “seditous journalist” could have been almost ANYONE from the MSM.


4 posted on 12/17/2008 11:12:17 AM PST by WayneS (Respect the 2nd Amendment; Repeal the 16th)
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To: Borges

Allow me to kick a little dirt on your coffin, John.


5 posted on 12/17/2008 11:12:54 AM PST by skeeter
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To: Borges

when i saw seditious journalist, i thought, which one?


6 posted on 12/17/2008 11:13:09 AM PST by sappy
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To: WayneS
Good thing they gave his name - “seditous journalist”

Under redundant, see redundant.

7 posted on 12/17/2008 11:13:09 AM PST by dfwgator (I hate Illinois Marxists)
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: Borges

Prayers for a profoundly misguided individual.


9 posted on 12/17/2008 11:18:41 AM PST by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps !"~~)
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To: skeeter
buh bye Pictures, Images and Photos
10 posted on 12/17/2008 11:21:03 AM PST by redstateconfidential (" An American Idol President")
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To: Borges
who had lived for many years in San Francisco

So why would he live for so long in a country that did such horrible things?

11 posted on 12/17/2008 11:26:46 AM PST by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: TenthAmendmentChampion

“I wonder what he thinks now, and if the temperature down there is higher than he thought it would be.”

The idea of eternal punishment in hell is not reconcilable with the idea of a benevolent God.


12 posted on 12/17/2008 11:28:43 AM PST by Jmerzio
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To: Borges

San Francisco Victorian home restorer & antique dealer dies
from “complications from pneumonia”

interesting...


13 posted on 12/17/2008 11:28:54 AM PST by VoyagerXII
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To: Izzy Dunne

“So why would he live for so long in a country that did such horrible things? “

Why do you live in a country that has elected Hussein 0bama?


14 posted on 12/17/2008 11:29:40 AM PST by Jmerzio
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To: VoyagerXII

You suspect he ate something which disagreed with him?


15 posted on 12/17/2008 11:31:20 AM PST by Mr. Lucky
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To: Baynative
He was just born too soon. Sedition is fashionable now.

So is Communism.

16 posted on 12/17/2008 11:41:56 AM PST by weegee ("Let Me Just Cut You Off, Because I Don't Want You To Waste Your Question" - B.Obama Dec 16, 2008)
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To: Jmerzio
The idea of eternal punishment in hell is not reconcilable with the idea of a benevolent God.

Maybe not with your concept of god but it is easily reconcilable with my God.

17 posted on 12/17/2008 11:42:03 AM PST by Prokopton
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To: VoyagerXII

AIDS?


18 posted on 12/17/2008 11:42:25 AM PST by weegee ("Let Me Just Cut You Off, Because I Don't Want You To Waste Your Question" - B.Obama Dec 16, 2008)
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To: Prokopton

“Maybe not with your concept of god but it is easily reconcilable with my God.”

Youre saying that there is no length of time appropirate to be punished for any act? You have all of eternity to pull numbers from.


19 posted on 12/17/2008 11:44:42 AM PST by Jmerzio
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To: skeeter

Bury him in Plains, GA.


20 posted on 12/17/2008 11:59:48 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks
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