MovieChat Forums > Flags of Our Fathers (2006) Discussion > I thought the war was a piece of cake fo...

I thought the war was a piece of cake for Americans

posted 15 years ago by ian_buchan
26 replies | jump to latest

I am a Japanese(and not in the least of British origin!).

Post-war Japanese like me have hitory classes of this period that focuese on negative lessons we should learn from the war,accusing our grandfathers of the lack of vision,diplomatic strategy,sound judgment and most of all the incredible disrespect of human lives even of their own country men.
We learn that Japanese leaders then entertained a wishful notion that the country was a peer to European powers and the States but that she was merely a poverty Asian country.

So,by contrast,I am(and probably many Japanese are)under an impression that the war was a piece of cake for Americans:organised leadership,far-sighted strategy,advanced weaponry and limitless ammunition supported by thick wallets.
War bonds were bought for the sake of unity and patriotism,not for immediate finantial shortage.

But this movie,though overrating Japanese fire power,tells me I was wrong,if not entirely.American people,too,fought the war tooth and claw!This was really an eye opener.

[–] aGuiltySoul 15 years ago

Thanks for writing your honest comment. I think that Letters from Iwo Jima, it's sister film, was also an eye opener for Americans.

"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of a guilty soul."

[–] rfa77 15 years ago

Eye opener for Americans? Speak for yourself and don't make sweeping generalizations.

[–] aGuiltySoul 15 years ago

Pardon me, troll. I was speaking for myself.

"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of a guilty soul."

[–] ian_buchan 15 years ago

Thank heaven we can discuss the war between the two countries here,
though should a war break out again between them Japanese and Americans would kill each other most savagely.hahaha

[–] rfa77 15 years ago

You were? You said it was an eye opener for Americans. Doesn't sound like it. I guess you represent the American people, then.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] rfa77 15 years ago

Study? Study reactions to something coming out of Hollywood?

I base most of what I know about WWII on books and documentaries. I go to the movies for entertainment.

There is quite a group of very informed and educated people on the subject of Letters From Iwo Jima and it's particular spin.

Armchair quarterbacking 65 years later doesn't take from the fact that the Japanese Army of WWII were bloodthirsty, cruel, butchers, with little regard for life.

I don't have a problem with a movie that puts a sympathetic spin on the a Japanese soldier as if likening him to the average American GI Joe. Without the background and knowledge, however, the movie gives the impression that that was the rule, not the exception.

Does the German Army get that same type of benefit?

[–] solidasiraq 15 years ago

Just stop talking rfa. You know not what you speak of. Every post you have made is insulting to every person who died in that sickening war. Every man who ever fought in a war was doing what they were told. Some were good, some bad, no different from any other person. Your arrogance simply exposes your ignorance.

[–] rfa77 15 years ago

Uh, yeah, sure Mr. Iraq. Whatever you say. Now, you're the foremost authority on everything WWII. Didn't get enough love from your mommy, sounds like.

[–] proteus122 13 years ago

And it sounds like you're a total idiot to me. Save it douchenozzle.

[–] BertramWilberforceWooster 12 years ago

The above poster used the word "think". That usually means it is an opinion. It was not a definitive statement.

--
Once upon a time, we had a love affair with fire.
http://athinkersblog.com/

[–] drxcreatures 11 years ago

That's not what he said. He said: "But this movie,though overrating Japanese fire power,tells me I was wrong,if not entirely.American people,too,fought the war tooth and claw!This was really an eye opener."

http://www.cgonzales.net & http://www.drxcreatures.com

[–] cubefn 15 years ago

The U.S. was not the world power they are today at the time of Pearl Harbor. We only had the 7th best military in the world and we were far behind Japan and Germany who had been building their industry and military years before the attack on Pearl Harbor. After that attack Japan had pretty much destroyed all of the U.S. airforce and devastated its navy, but what that did do was put forth a huge national push for war where the U.S. as a whole came together like never before or since. There were not just war bonds sold, but scrap metal drives, rubber drives, paper drives etc. etc. Women were a major factor as many had to enter the work force as the men were drafted into the armed forces. Even this movement to mobilize still left the U.S. behind because for months after the Pearl Harbor attack the Japanesse pretty much had there way with the U.S. and their allies by handing them defeat after defeat.

P.S. Had Japan not attacked the U.S. when they did and Germany not attacked Russia (Soviet Union) the U.S. wouldn't have gotten involved when they did and Britain would of eventually lost the war to Germany and the world would be totally different today.

[–] sawyertom 15 years ago

I would think that any war would not be a piece of cake. As for the Japanes back then, the other poster had it correct that they were pretty merciless and bloodthirsty. Just ask any allied prisoners who survived and are still alive and people who were around when Japan occupied them. Especially ask the Chinese, the Koreans and the Phillipino's.

[–] Vulcans_Rule 15 years ago

I am a Japanese(and not in the least of British origin!).

Post-war Japanese like me have hitory classes of this period that focuese on negative lessons we should learn from the war,accusing our grandfathers of the lack of vision,diplomatic strategy,sound judgment and most of all the incredible disrespect of human lives even of their own country men.
We learn that Japanese leaders then entertained a wishful notion that the country was a peer to European powers and the States but that she was merely a poverty Asian country.

So,by contrast,I am(and probably many Japanese are)under an impression that the war was a piece of cake for Americans:organised leadership,far-sighted strategy,advanced weaponry and limitless ammunition supported by thick wallets.
War bonds were bought for the sake of unity and patriotism,not for immediate finantial shortage.

But this movie,though overrating Japanese fire power,tells me I was wrong,if not entirely.American people,too,fought the war tooth and claw!This was really an eye opener.

This movie was misleading for dramatic effect. America was not going to lose the war over a few war bonds.

The war was no piece of cake, as the fight was very difficult. The Japanese and the Germans were very skilled and determined. Yes, the Americans had advantages in weaponry, especially over the Japanese from 1943-44, but that advantage was not enough to make the battles easy.

However, an economic analysis shows the outcome of war with Japan was inevitable as long as the Americans were determined to stay in the war. The attack on Pearl Harbor ensured that, and therefore ensured Japan's defeat.

Live long and prosper.

[–] distant-skies 15 years ago

Japan went to war for oil. America was blocking oil and hindering the conquest of Asia. It's really that simple. The leaders of Japan, the ones with actual strategy, threw the dice, and lost. The likely scenario if Japan had enough oil was complete domination of Asia. Japan was not poor, at least not compared to neighbors. And if anything good ever came out of war it was the first world war. Those lessons avoided downplaying the reprisals from defeated nations, such as Germany.

[–] richardpaperboy 14 years ago

The Japanese did not need to defeat the USA, they only had to defeat the US navy, that was the purpose of the Pearl Harbour attack. The Japan navy at the time was much stronger and the US was divided into two oceans. They felt that if they crushed the pacific fleet and destroyed the fleet base then the US would realize that they had to sue for peace, if not then Japan would win a short war. Once Japan realized that the attack had fallen short they knew they were in for a long war they probably couldnt win.

[–] Storm_Thunder_Infantry 14 years ago

Which also goes to say, Admiral Yamamoto promised the Japanese high command that they could go wild for 6 months against the Allies after they bombed Pearl Harbor - but after the 6 months, couldn't guarantee a single victory.

Let the world change the punishment for sexual-related crimes to execution

[–] CGSailor 13 years ago

"I can run wild for six months … after that, I have no expectation of success".
-Isoroku Yamamoto

I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!

[–] CGSailor 13 years ago

" The Japanese did not need to defeat the USA, they only had to defeat the US navy, that was the purpose of the Pearl Harbour attack."

Yes, that was the purpose of the attack but the Japanese were as mistaken then as you are now. Even had the attack not 'fallen short' as you put it, Japan would have still had to 'dictate terms in the White House ' as Yamamoto knew.

That's not the only mistake you made. Why did you capitalize the P and H in "Pearl Harbour"? Because it is a proper name, correct? Like a person's name.

You would not refer to Sean Connery as "Shawn Connery" would you? Or perhaps "Shaun Connery"? No. Though others may spell THEIR names as Shawn or Shaun.... only Sean is the correct spelling for the actor best known for his James Bond roles.

The same applies to the harbour at Oahu known as Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbour is as incorrect as Shaun Connery.

I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!

[–] sawyertom 14 years ago

Maybe if Japan taught about its own histroy you would haveknown about this.

[–] lukethedogman 14 years ago

When visiting the Changi Prison museum in Singapore there was a wall on which visitors could pin notes about their experiences at the museum. The most powerful one I saw just said: "This wasn't the world war two history we got in school- name, Japan"

[–] movie_fan59 13 years ago

In addition to changing the history of the war in general in how the subject is taught in Japan, two very important transgressions by the Japanese military are completely ignored.

First is the kidnapping into sexual slavery of so-called "Comfort Women" by the Imperial military forces. While the Japanese government did apologize in the 1990s for their actions, they have denied legal responsibility and in 2007 attempted to revise the apology given earlier.

Second is the Nanking Massacre, documented in the book "The Rape of Nanking". Japanese historical revisionists deny the events ever took place.

[–] ghostly_host 8 years ago

I've read about the revisionism and denials. It is not just some fringe movement, it involves some very high ranking Japanese officials (including Prime Ministers). Can you imagine if Merkel of Germany suddenly tried to deny the Holocaust and other Nazi war crimes? They would be internationally ostracized. But no, not Japan, they get to deny the disgusting horrific stuff their country did circa 1900-1945. The idea of them retracting previous apologies is utterly appalling. And then they want an apology from Obama for Hiroshima? Read about what the USMC witnessed and lived (and died) through in the war in the Pacific. Read about Japanese war crimes. It's all there on the internet. I think if the Japanese had been as white as the Germans there would be a lot more open outrage. If I were Truman and knew how much more the Marines etc. would have to endure in invading the Japanese mainland, I wouldn't have hesitated either. There were some in the Japanese military who were willing to commit cultural and national suicide even after the second bomb at Nagasaki. Thankfully, they finally surrendered.

[–] Vulcans_Rule 13 years ago

War bonds were bought for the sake of unity and patriotism,not for immediate finantial shortage.

Correct. The movie greatly exaggerates that aspect.

The war was not easy for America. Casualties were heavy, and we were not well prepared for war. If America had not been so angry over the Pearl Harbor attack, we might not have been determined enough to press through to victory.

Live long and prosper.