Modern Americans dont get it.........think "Lone Survivor" to some extent.
But you better believe our enemies are on the same page as that WWII Marine.
This Marine understands......
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Modern Americans dont get it.........think "Lone Survivor" to some extent.
But you better believe our enemies are on the same page as that WWII Marine.
- Nov 3, 2010
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He has no burden save the loss of friends.
War is not a game.
Though all war is political there is little doubt WWII was one of existential outcomes.
As a "last resort" this gentleman knew failure meant those same japanese testing their swords on American citizens.
Going to war with an attitude less than what he exhibits is criminal.
His approach to war limits loss of life on both sides.
That warrior mentality allowed us to contribute to the conquering of 3/4 of the world in 4 years as opposed to our current 20 year long war trying to defeat a tiny fraction of a percent of the world.
Our politicians send men such as him to the arena of shit than want to hold him accountable for his desire to live........bullshit.
Easy to be moral while they are safe in DC not under the threat he lived.
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The burden is still there. Not saying it was for this story but it is there. War is never a game, it is a brutal no holes barred life changing event regardless of how tough you are.
the political game they play in DC is reckless and endangers lives every second of every day. Sleeping in your comfy bed every night makes it easy to forget what you did that day that impacts the grunt sleeping in the dirt in some shithole country.
Hi,
"Shoot first and live longer"....That guy is awesome!!!
Sincerely,
Theis
"Shoot first and live longer"....That guy is awesome!!!
Sincerely,
Theis
The thing that is not a burden was his treatment of the japanese prisoner.
The interviewer has our modern beliefs as evidenced by asking the Marine to wit "Does shooting that Japanese bother you?" and the response is "No" with a smile.
I take the Marines response as truth.
The Marine Corps experience in WWII was different.
The Army in the Pacific didnt fight the war the way the Marines did, perhaps the Goettege Patrol set that course as far as the Marines were concerned.
The Army suffered similar atrocities yet it never resulted in an organizational commitment to treat the enemy as the enemy treated its people.
Some would say the Army took the "higher ground".
I am of the mindset when you decide upon the course of war you have abandoned the recognition of "higher ground".
If not maybe the reason to war was not there.
Edit/Add - Interesting to note that in the European theatre the Army held similar attitudes toward members of certain German units.....prisoners were not taken.
No quarter in the Pacific is looked on as evidence of American racism while those making that wrong argument look away that in Europe American troops also killed whitey without concern as they had earned that treatment......
Looks like three Nazis won the M1919 timing lottery.
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Met this man and bought his book, back in 01 or 02. He survived the Bataan death march.
I highly recommend reading his book. His opinion of the Japanese never changed.
I highly recommend reading his book. His opinion of the Japanese never changed.
Amazon.com: Flashbacks: Prisoner of War in the Philippines: 9781570900976: Middleton, T. Walter, Roberts, Ralph: Books
Amazon.com: Flashbacks: Prisoner of War in the Philippines: 9781570900976: Middleton, T. Walter, Roberts, Ralph: Books
www.amazon.com
Dont think it was the same gentleman.
The interviewee appears to be First Mar Div as evidenced by his fighting at Sugarloaf/Naha on Okinawa.
I think the only 4th Regiment Marine to fight after Corregidor was "Shifty" Shofner.
"Shifty" escaped after the Bataan Death March, lead Philippine Guerillas on the PI, than was rescued and rejoined the First Mar Div as a Colonel to fight on Peleliu - 5th Marines I believe. He was wounded and evacuated from Pelelieu. A total fucken stud no one knows about.
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Oh I couldn’t agree more. He has no burden for killing that jap. That is not the statement I originally made or intended, I should have clarified better on that.
The Pacific Theatre was a gruesome place and the Marines did the nasty work there undoubtedly. Seizing an island against heavily entrenched and motivated enemies with minimal support, and only what you could carry a reasonable distance is a task no one can understand unless they have done it. That alone changed many lives and thoughts.
My bad......
I took "Met this man" to mean the interviewee.
I think you are just saying you met the author of that book.
Sorry.
Will keep my earlier post so perhaps some will research Shofner and remember him.
Austin Shofner - Wikipedia
My bad......
I took "Met this man" to mean the interviewee.
I think you are just saying you met the author of that book.
Sorry.
Will keep my earlier post so perhaps some will research Shofner and remember him.
Austin Shofner - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
No harm no foul.
Yeah I met Mr. Middleton. I thought I'd include it here because his view of the Japanese never changed as well.
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