Well,perhaps it is better to go to some other place in Asia since those two were not exactly colonized by the westerns like Burma or Indonesia.Although I do not support any liberator role there either.

“I have absolutely no doubt that Japanese prisoners were mistreated by the Western allies after the Japanese surrender nor do I have any issue in recognising the crimes of colonial powers in Asia and the rest of the world ”

So far there are no compensations to the Japanese prisoners being mistreated by the allies including those who were kept in USSR and Mongolia AFTER 1945.(Although we ain’t asking for it anyway)
There are no compensation to the colonized asian nation(or anywhere) by the western state either,let alone any word of apology that I know.(The Netherland demanded compensation from the Indonesians when Indonesia got independent.They got some from the Japanese too,of which is legitimate)Marked difference with our countless apology to the Koreans.
Something you may want to put it to your mind,before you want to give some old testament-like rage to the Japanese from moral high ground,Dan.

“seemingly, the majority of the public to the conduct of their nation in the war is pathetic and shaming when compared to the very real remorse expressed over a period of decades by Germany.”

This is pretty offensive term for us,the majority of Japanese society,for we did pay compenstation to the SE nations which got newly independent after the war in the 50’s and has been constantly apologizing,including the recent Koizumi aology in Bandung in 2006.
I also suggest you to come to Japan and ask for the opinions of locals on the role of “noble Japanese liberators”in Western colonized Asia.
I’m sure many are pretty skeptic about that too.

An odious half truth. The Japanese set out with he intention of colonising Asia themselves and any attempt to portray the Imperial Japanese as libertors is not only risible but offensive to millions of Asians. If you don’t believe this I suggest you go to China or Korea and ask for the opinions of locals on their noble Japanese liberators.

I have absolutely no doubt that Japanese prisoners were mistreated by the Western allies after the Japanese surrender nor do I have any issue in recognising the crimes of colonial powers in Asia and the rest of the world but by selectively highlighting one facet of this book you reveal yourself as an exponent of craven moral equivalence.

Face it, the Imperial Japanese were a bestial bunch and the reaction of the Japanese state and, seemingly, the majority of the public to the conduct of their nation in the war is pathetic and shaming when compared to the very real remorse expressed over a period of decades by Germany.

Even if you kill bad guy, murder is murder. You must be punished as a murderer more or less.

It is a modern law.

If you believe killing of justice must be acceptable, do it.

You must know what will happen to you.

“Japan was enslaving millions of Asians and forcing them to work to death – illegally”

Some were true. But some were propaganda of victors. And such kind of propaganda was used as an excuse to massacre innocent Japanese women, children, and old men.

“enslaving millions of Asians “?

Who started imperialism in Asia?

“they were convinced from the experience of World War I that anything less than unconditional surrender would sow the seeds of future wars.”

You are wrong. After WW1, Germen challenged Allied force again because Allied force asked so much reparation after the war to Germany. That was a reason why Nazi got power.

Allied countries learned the lesson from WW1 and did not ask reparation to Germany and Japan after WW2. That was the reason why we did not have another war.

Another lesson of WW2 is the importance to establish free trade system. The Block economy of western countries which owned so much territory, market, and natural resources was the main reason of WW2. That is the reason why US tried to establish UN and GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; now, called WTO).

Peter Guilliam

Do you really believe you can get peace if you massacre innocent people and force unconditional surrender everywhere in the world?

Peter Guilliam,

It is true that the firebombing of Tokyo and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki DID shorten the war.

Then we are in agreement. I was simply responding to Rose’s earlier question as to what was my opinon regarding the end of the war.

And since, in the 1940s, Japan was enslaving millions of Asians and forcing them to work to death – illegally, I might add – I have little sympathy with arguments that the bombings of Tokyo, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were “war crimes”. If anything, Japan in the 1940s only got a small dose of what it dished out to its neighbors.

The Allies decided that unconditional surrender would be the only acceptable end to the war, because they were convinced from the experience of World War I that anything less than unconditional surrender would sow the seeds of future wars. And history shows us they were right. Both Germany and Japan surrendered unconditionally, and both states were reordered and became peaceful, nonaggressive, democratic societies. If Japan was only willing to accept unconditional surrender at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives of its citizens…well that was Japan’s decision, not anybody else’s.

Again?
I like to expect you more intelligent comment.

“Nearly 500,000 Purple Heart medals were manufactured in anticipation of the casualties resulting from the invasion of Japan. As of 2005, all the American military casualties of the following sixty years — including the Korean and Vietnam Wars — have not exceeded that number.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Downfall

http://hnn.us/articles/1801.html

It is the evidence that WW2 made all of people crazy.

Victors and followers like Koreans are trying to criticize the craziness of losers only.

First of all, the reason which made Germany and Japan negative to accept surrender was because Allied force persisted in unconditional surrender only.

In the modern history, there were no other cases to force unconditional surrender to the enermies. Being forced unconditional surrender, all of countries must try to fight to death.

If Allied force had not persisted in unconditional surrender, the war would have finished earlier without massacre of innocent women, children, and old people.

Forcing unconditional surrender, massacred so many innocent people, and insisting bombing saved millions of lives from a final do-or-die invasion?

It is a big joke.

It is true that the firebombing of Tokyo and the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki DID shorten the war.
But it does not mean that bombing innocent people is lawful.
Such kind of act is against humanity.

In short, Japan surrendered because of unlimited massacre and war crimes of US.

If US bombs all of the big cities of Iraq and supportive Arabic countries, she could finish the war earlier and save millions of lives from the future terrorism.
But US can not do it in this modern world.
US could do it in WW2. That’s it.

If you believe that bombing innocent people is acceptable because it could save millions of lives, do it now.

The story of “Bombing saved millions of lives.” is just an excuse and propaganda of victors.