head something this Memorial Day I read and it confirmed

Discussion in 'War Against Japan' started by PA. Dutchman, May 30, 2011.

  1. PA. Dutchman

    PA. Dutchman Senior Member

    I head something this Memorial Day I read and it confirmed what I was taught about MacArthur.

    The American and Allied Naval and Army Commanders did not want to try to invade Japan. Their experts had told them up to ONE MILLION AMERICAN and Allied TROOPS WOULD BE LOST, at least ONE MILLION.

    The Japanese population, women, children, old folks were being prepared to do whatever necessary to save the Emperor and Japan from the Americans and Allies. The Japanese Military lied to them like they did when the civilians jumped off the cliffs in the Island campaigns to avoid be captured by the Americans.

    MacArthur was for the Invasion because he was anxious to be the Commander of the largest Invasion Force of American and Allied Troops in the history of combat. He was disappointed when it was decided to drop the bomb saving a Million American and Allied Troops.

    He did become the Authority in Japan after the war and was faulted for being too easy on the Japanese War Criminals in order to win favor with the leaders of the new Japan.

    After WWI MacArthur was known for leading a charge on WWI Forces during the Great Depression. The WWI Veterans were promised a bonus and they needed the money to feed their families during the Depression. The gathered from all over America in Washington D.C.

    MacArthur was told to break up the WWI Veterans and destroy their signs and break up their groups. He did such a great job and seemed to enjoy it that many American War Veterans never forgave him for how badly he abused his power in breaking up the Veterans of WWI.
     
  2. RemeDesertRat

    RemeDesertRat Very Senior Member

    Interesting stuff that I never heard before, esp. re: jumping off cliffs and WW1 veterans, but then again I'm no expert.
     
  3. PA. Dutchman

    PA. Dutchman Senior Member

    Here is a good place to start with the Japanese military encouraging the Japanese civilians to jump off the cliffs at Saipan. There are videos showing the women throwing their children and then jumping themselves. We have had them on several military channels many times over the years.

    http://www.paradoxmind.com/1302/WWII_Asia/WWII_Asia2.html

    Saipan

    On Saipan, American soldiers encountered their first Japanese civilians. Goaded by stories of alleged American atrocities, many civilians jumped to their deaths from island cliffs, committed suicide, or hid out in caves to escape capture.

    http://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=10


    Encouraged by Tokyo, thousands of Japanese civilians on Saipan committed mass suicide to avoid the shame of being ruled by the conquering Americans. Men dived off cliffs into shark-ridden waters, mothers throwing their babies against rock walls before jumping into the water to join their husbands and brothers. Even children committed suicide, holding on to grenades before they jumped off the cliffs. Nearly 8,000 civilians of Saipan died in this mass suicide. Americans watched in absolute horror, but were able to finally stop the madness by convincing fair treatment over loudspeakers. After the battle, the two sites where the mass suicide took place were named Banzai Cliff and Suicide Cliff as memorial to these fallen civilian
     
  4. PA. Dutchman

    PA. Dutchman Senior Member

  5. RemeDesertRat

    RemeDesertRat Very Senior Member

    Blimey! I'm left speechless by this. :(
     
  6. PA. Dutchman

    PA. Dutchman Senior Member

    Don't beat yourself up. I have been going to American Air Corp / Force sites for years. They concentrate on the Eighth Air Force.

    On December 7, 1941 when Hickam was Attack there wasn't even a Eighth Air Force.

    The Air Corp in the Pacific suffered under terrible conditions just as did all the British, Australian, New Zealand and other colonial troops and fliers.

    Many many times people even veterans claim they had no idea that is was like this in the Pacific. I have to prove everything to them. The B-29 crew being dissected in Japan it is more than they can handle.

    On this site the CBI and the Pacific War are called the Forgotten War it is the same thing for American Veterans of the Pacific War.

    No one believes or understands unless they were there or we had loved ones who were there.
     
  7. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Old Hickory Recon

    Spaatz and some of the other air commanders in the Pacific did not fully support the invasion. They felt that the submarine campaign and the air campaigns would eventually starve Japan into surrendering.

    I can't say that I necessarily agree, using my 20/20 hindsight.
     
  8. Gerard

    Gerard Seelow/Prora

    Max Hastings in his book Nemesis also agrees that Japan would have been defeated via blockade, Jeff.
     
  9. PA. Dutchman

    PA. Dutchman Senior Member

    Slipdigit,

    It sounds pretty much the way you stated it. This person just said the only one really in favor of a full out invasion was MacArthur. Again so he would go down in History as the leader who lead the biggest military invasion in history.

    I am sure that people will argue this to the next war.
     
  10. Oldman

    Oldman Very Senior Member

    Interesting Post
    There was a novel written about the invision of Japan by the allies giving hypothetical information as to what happened and where.

    MacArthur was a showman and had to be the centre of attenion hence his want for the actual invasion to take place, there have been estimates of the casulties the invaders would have taken and also it is debatable that the Japanese people as a nation would have ceased to exisit due to suicides etc.
     

Share This Page