WE Are Missing Something

[JOHN THURSTON]

Although we were set on an unconditonal surrender for Japan as well as Germany, it didn't happent this way.

By the terms of the treaty ending the war,at the VERY least, did not allow the "Comfort Women" or the American POW's transported to Japan to seek Civil Relief against the specific Japanese corporations who, if anyhting, treated the POW's worse than the military had.

Further, as in the infamous incident of the "Gold Ship" Awa Maru, all ships carrying POW's were entitled to protection under the Geneva Convention.

The Japanese did not fail to file one in the case of the Awa Maru, a converted Cruise Ship Carrying thousands of tons of war suppleis back to Japan after its delivery of Humanitarian supplies (allegedly) to POW's located near Singapore.

The Awa Maru is never talked of. The official excuse of the American Navy for sinking a ship protected by the Geneva convention was that the ship was SO loaded down by war materiel, that her silhoutte was unrecognizablo to the submarine commader. It was the greatest loss of life in a single sinking of the war.( over 4000 perished) hardly a surprise when it is alledged that the better part of an infantry division was being transported.

What was equally unacceptable was the Japanese' practice of transported US POW's to Japan for 'slave labor' were not 'registered, and thousands of POW"S were killed by their own countrymen at sea.

Aemilio Aguinaldo should be as much of a hero to the Flipino people as anyone of whom I have heard.

40,000 killed by American troops in the Phillipine Insurrection and the capture of Aguinaldo during a 'parley' were despicable acts.

Nonetheless, American forces considered, by the time of WWII, Filipinos their countrymen, and that's the way it was.

No real excuse can be made for unjust and barbaric acts during war.

We slaughtered the Plains Indians and destroyed or relocated the 'Civilized Tribes'.

But it is stated that "King" Andrew was called that for a reason. He ignored the ruling of the Supreme court and of his political enemies.

His reasoning was simple, whites in the land neighboring that occupied by the civilized tribes werre not prepared to accept the existence of "a state within a state, and neither was he.

That's the way it was.

I respect and honour the Indian Nations. I respect and honor the memory of all Southern soldiers who died in the Civil War.

The North was not going to allow continued slavery in the south or recognize the right of states to secede.

That's the way it was.

When 'ways of life' come into irreversible collision, BAD things happen.

"people Pushing People"---the John Dunbar character; "Dances With Wolves".

JT