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Old 08-14-2015, 08:36 AM   #5
Rustybarge
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Off Duty View Post
At the time, probably so, but as with all conflicts and all nations, it was another time and place and it's behind us.


We (the U.S.) are not without our own warts if you will, at various times in our history, be they war or civil liberties. We simply justify our acts in the name of "God", "democracy", "freedom" and "liberation."


We claim certain acts done in war, are "necessary to save the lives of countless others." How many times have we heard that same "ends justifies the means" statement?


I don't agree with the way Japan or the Nazi's treated allied troops, any more than I agree with some of the things we've done over the decades at war, but we can't continue to dwell on it. Why continue to beat the proverbial dead horse? We/they can't change what happened, and you can't "undo" atrocities. There's no reason to keep apologizing over and over again. All that can come of that is continued hatred, anger and resentment. We have enough of all three as it is.


Instead, God help us, maybe we can all learn (not that we ever do!), and maybe, just maybe, we can eventually figure out a way to co-exist. We don't necessarily have to agree, but at least stop killing each other over ideological, theological and philosophical beliefs!


Japan seems to be dealing with on a different level, the same "reparations" BS that the U.S. is dealing with now over civil rights violations committed during the slavery era. Why continue to apologize to someone that has no dog in the hunt, for something you had no control over?


As for the Samurai statement, I'm not really sure what you mean?
There was definitely a "code of honor" among the Samurai, there's no denying that.
Maybe a little more clarification?


BTW- Check out the fighter pilots video in the link you posted. A mouthful of wisdom from someone who was there.

OD
The way of the warrior, the honour of the samurai was meant to be paramount .
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuri#Philosophy

In an account of Japan sent to Father Ignatius Loyola at Rome, drawn from the statements of Anger (Han-Siro's western name), Xavier describes the importance of honor to the Japanese (Letter preserved at College of Coimbra.):

In the first place, the nation with which we have had to do here surpasses in goodness any of the nations lately discovered. I really think that among barbarous nations there can be none that has more natural goodness than the Japanese. They are of a kindly disposition, not at all given to cheating, wonderfully desirous of honour and rank. Honour with them is placed above everything else. There are a great many poor among them, but poverty is not a disgrace to any one. There is one thing among them of which I hardly know whether it is practised anywhere among Christians. The nobles, however poor they may be, receive the same honour from the rest as if they were rich.[8]

Doctrine
Samurai warriors described themselves as followers of "The Way of the Warrior" or Bushido. Bushidō is defined by the Japanese dictionary Shogakukan Kokugo Daijiten as "a unique philosophy (ronri) that spread through the warrior class from the Muromachi (chusei) period. From the earliest times, the Samurai felt that the path of the warrior was one of honor, emphasizing duty to one's master, and loyalty unto death".[9]

Hum ho, the reality was a bit different. Maybe more like the Nazi SS?
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