tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10820485.post6550498187820762793..comments2023-11-03T09:36:22.100-04:00Comments on In From the Cold: Bert Bank, R.I.P.George Smileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07049707648660651119noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10820485.post-37239632383814496492009-11-11T11:25:08.533-05:002009-11-11T11:25:08.533-05:00I spoke with Mr. Bank once on the phone to thank h...I spoke with Mr. Bank once on the phone to thank him for his sacrifice and his service to our country. He sent me a letter in which he wrote, "I'm not a hero, I'm a survivor". Precious man.Dinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15053782128534233974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10820485.post-13591041689890514462009-08-10T01:09:28.744-04:002009-08-10T01:09:28.744-04:00I've quoted you and linked to you here: http:...I've quoted you and linked to you here: http://consul-at-arms2.blogspot.com/2009/08/re-bert-bank-rip.htmlConsul-At-Armshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391037582103556978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10820485.post-59484017222689211612009-07-14T01:37:44.628-04:002009-07-14T01:37:44.628-04:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10820485.post-44389256145097502122009-07-14T00:22:25.693-04:002009-07-14T00:22:25.693-04:00Gee whiz. You honored a real hero without dissing...Gee whiz. You honored a real hero without dissing Michael Jackson, or anyone. Kudos.<br /><br />BTW, you said this: <i>As Mr. Sides describes it, the Death March represented a clash of cultures and poor planning by Japan's high command. Under the Bushido code, surrender was considered shameful</i><br /><br />and then this:<br /><br /><i>But those problems do not provide a rationale for the brutal treatment of American and Filipino prisoners by the Empire of Japan.</i> <br /><br />without understanding the relationship between the two statements. <br /><br />As far as the Japanese were concerned anyone who surrendered was beneath contempt. The Japanese treated those Americans and others who surrendered to them or were captured as animals, worthy of beatings, having their heads cut off, and worse.<br /><br />That obviously provides a rationale for the brutal treatment of American and Filipino prisoners by the Empire of japan.<br /><br />Look up Honor-shame culture for more on this.Utopia Parkwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09976835397530299973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10820485.post-59251930853982610182009-07-11T11:29:45.279-04:002009-07-11T11:29:45.279-04:00Here in Australia Japanese treatment of Australian...Here in Australia Japanese treatment of Australian POWs in WW2 is still well remembered probably because so much of the Pacific war took place nearby. The physician soldier Weary Dunlop is the best known Australian survivor of the Japanese camps. Born on a farm in country Victoria he worked his way through pharmacy and medical school while finding time to be a rugby international. He volunteered in England and served in the Middle East before being shipped to Java where he was captured and eventually put to work on the Burma Thailand Railway. He was a superb administrator as well as surgeon and kept many of his fellow captives alive by eking out scarce resources and medical supplies. Like Major Bank he survived the Japanese camps and then began a long and distinguished career of community service. The parallels are remarkable. Ghost Soldiers is now on my reading list.lgudehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12774491337993415578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10820485.post-22546740565460660052009-07-10T22:28:21.576-04:002009-07-10T22:28:21.576-04:00Boinky: Excellent points all...Ghost Soldiers (and...Boinky: Excellent points all...Ghost Soldiers (and some of the other books on the Death March and what followed) provide detailed coverage of the death ships. Conditions on those vessels were hellish, and yes, several were torpedoed/sunk by U.S. submarines (the sub crews had no idea POWs were being transported on those ships). <br /><br />Along with the NM National Guard, tank unit from Wisconsin, Illinois and Kentucky were also sent to the PI in the run-up to the war, and they suffered heavy losses as well.<br /><br />Finally, if I'm not mistaken, I believe that New Mexico holds an annual march to commerate the Bataan Death March, and quite a few active duty military personnel in that state participate.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12712369389411084085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10820485.post-18075520862793405822009-07-10T20:49:34.516-04:002009-07-10T20:49:34.516-04:00Two comments
One, most of those on the death marc...Two comments<br /><br />One, most of those on the death march were Filipinos.<br /><br />Alas, although my husband's generation still remember, few younger Pinoys seem aware of their grandfather's sacrifice.<br /><br />Two: Many of those who survived were later transported to Japan or Korea to work as slave labor. Several of the "death ships" that transported prisoners were torpedoed by US subs.<br /><br />And if your readers want to know why the largest memorial to these veterans is in New Mexico, it is because the NM National Guard were sent there shortly before the war...and that group included Native Americans ...Nancy Reyeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14910134058143426327noreply@blogger.com