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To: james500
His granddaughter has defended the general's legacy, contending he reluctantly took Japan to war after a U.S. oil embargo threatened the country's survival.

Was that oil embargo before or after the "Rape Of Nanking"? /rhetorical question.

Japan was already at war long before the US embargoes, they didn't declare war on the US until we stopped supplying needed war materials.

"Japan did not fight a war of aggression. It fought in self-defense," she said. "Our children have been wrongly taught that their ancestors did evil things, that their country is evil. We need to give these children back their pride and confidence."

I believe the Japanese are taught precious little about WWII that doesn't involve the bombing of Japan, but I'm not sure of that, I did not go to school in Japan. I have spoken with a Japanese fellow who felt that by using the atom bomb, Harry S saved his life. His job during the invasion was to dive under a tank and detonate the satchel charge he was to carry.

11 posted on 06/11/2007 2:39:12 PM PDT by magslinger (Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors. And miss. R.A.Heinlein)
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To: magslinger

rape of nanking was dec 1937. oil embargo was jul 1941 after the japanese “took” all of indochina from the vichy france government. they were warned after moving into northern indochina the embargo could happen if they moved south and they did anyway. i think they had one year of reserve oil stored in japan. they were going to ship oil back from the dutch east indies but, of course, didn’t build additional tankers to do this. by 1944 half the fleet was based in the singapore area because that was where the oil was. two of the three fleets attacking the us at leyte gulf came from the south.

the japanese in ww2 (as in starting in 1931 in manchuria) were vile people and probably worse than the nazis. dropping the bombs saved even more japanese than allied soldiers and sailors.


19 posted on 06/11/2007 3:38:40 PM PDT by bravo whiskey (everybody's shot. drive the truck)
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