Japanese Prisoners Of War

[Arfer Mo]

Does any one have relatives who were Jap prisoners of war my brother Joe Fearnehough was,

[chuffinel]

I don't have any relatives that were prisoners but many years ago I worked with an Ulsterman who was imprisoned by the Japanese and in my opinion they got what they deserved when the atom bomb was dropped on them. I regret the loss of civilian life but it sure brought the war to an end before all the prisoners were slaughtered which was part of the official plan. I suppose that in the present climate of political correctness this is construed as the U. S. being the bad guys again.

[peterw]

I don't have any relatives that were prisoners but many years ago I worked with an Ulsterman who was imprisoned by the Japanese and in my opinion they got what they deserved when the atom bomb was dropped on them. I regret the loss of civilian life but it sure brought the war to an end before all the prisoners were slaughtered which was part of the official plan. I suppose that in the present climate of political correctness this is construed as the U. S. being the bad guys again.

 

Yes, they dropped the atom bomb and shortened the war — with a WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION. They did the same in the first world war against the Germans — that time with flame-throwers, another WEAPON OF MASS DESTSRUCTION which was contrary to the Geneva Convention.

[chuffinel]

Not sure what your point is. The Japanese never signed the Geneva Convention and consequently carried out the most terrible atrocities against POWs. They experimented on them as well as civilians. Don't know what you're trying to suggest about flame-throwers in WW1 but they were extensively used in WW2 by all armies. Didn't the Germans use poison gas in WW1 which was against the Convention ? I also think that a case could be made for calling the machinegun a WMD at that point in time.

[jass]

I find the use of gas by any side quite horrific but it is my understanding that although it is popularly believed that the German army was the first to use gas it was in fact initially deployed by the French. In the first month of the war, August 1914, they fired tear-gas grenades (xylyl bromide) against the Germans. Nevertheless the German army was the first to give serious study to the development of chemical weapons and the first to use it on a large scale. Various types of gas were used eg chlorine, phosgene & mustard.

 

As for the A bomb, if the Germans were first to develop it, or the Japanese, then I believe they would have used it. It was pretty much a question of who got there first.

 

Back on topic, I don't have any relatives who were Japanese POW's but I am led to believe a teacher of mine had been. Apparently 1 in 4 prisoners died.

[peterw]

Not sure what your point is. The Japanese never signed the Geneva Convention and consequently carried out the most terrible atrocities against POWs. They experimented on them as well as civilians. Don't know what you're trying to suggest about flame-throwers in WW1 but they were extensively used in WW2 by all armies. Didn't the Germans use poison gas in WW1 which was against the Convention ? I also think that a case could be made for calling the machinegun a WMD at that point in time.

 

You’re quite right, the Americans did use flame-throwers in the Second World War (I don’t like the American version WW2) and in the first world war. The Germans did use poison gas in the First World War, and you’re equally right about the use of the machine-gun which BOTH sides used. You’re also correct about the Japanese, but to kill many thousands of Japanese civilians was morally inexusable. I regret having to say this, but there was an uproar from America when terrorists used three WMD to hit the twin towers, but of course it was fine for them to use atomic bombs!

[hazel]

A relative of my cousin was a prisoner of the Japanese, he was put to work on the Burma Rd, I'm a bit vague about it but realised as I grew older that his life had been ruined. I called him Uncle Arther can't rmember his 2nd name. From what I remember when he came back he was in a terrible state especially his feet.

 

hazel

[melthebell]

my grandad was a prisoner of war..........in burma i believe, i have a picture he took of some elephants being bathed.

 

he survived

 

hes dead now tho

[chuffinel]

You’re quite right, the Americans did use flame-throwers in the Second World War (I don’t like the American version WW2) and in the first world war. The Germans did use poison gas in the First World War, and you’re equally right about the use of the machine-gun which BOTH sides used. You’re also correct about the Japanese, but to kill many thousands of Japanese civilians was morally inexusable. I regret having to say this, but there was an uproar from America when terrorists used three WMD to hit the twin towers, but of course it was fine for them to use atomic bombs!

Get real. The bomb was dropped during wartime. Furthermore the Japanese were warned ahead of time and had the opportunity to surrender before both bombs were dropped and chose not to do so. All surviving allied prisoners were saved because of the bombs, this had to number a few thousand. Why not ask one of those if the bomb should have been dropped ?What about the civilians on both sides in Europe who were either incinerated or blown to bits with conventional bombs.There was no warning before the twin towers attack and there was no declared war at the time. I don't wish to insult you but I don't know what the colour of the sky is on your planet.

[RiffRaff]

Well said, Chuffinell....

 

I have known three people who suffered at the hands of the Japanese during the second World War...

 

My uncle, who was 'lucky' enough to survive his incarceration, was never the same after getting home. A clever but quiet man, he was regarded as a 'bit simple' by outsiders for the rest of his life....

 

Also a neighbour who spent nearly two years in a prison camp, and who had been disfigured so badly by some torture, he continued to wear a glove on his left hand for the rest of his days. He never detailed the circumstances, not even to his wife and children.

 

Lastly, the head of a well-known (but now regretfully gone) local group of travel agencies : His feelings for the Japanese were so vehement that, even up to the 1980's, all Japan Air Lines representatives were barred entry to any of his offices.