Did You Know That America is to Blame for Pearl Harbor? Me Neither.

[B-29 Bomber]

Here is an absolute insult to the WWII Generation and to America in general from CNN no less:

Spoiler :

1. The U.S. military and its veterans constitute an imperialistic, oppressive force which has created and perpetuated its own mythology of liberation and heroism, insisting on a "pristine collective memory" of the war.

2. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor should be seen from the perspective of Japan being a victim of western oppression

3. War memorials, such as the Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery (where many WWII dead are buried, including those executed by the Japanese on Wake Island and the beloved American journalist Ernie Pyle), are symbols of military aggression and brutality "that pacify death, sanitize war and enable future wars to be fought"

4. The U.S. military has repeatedly committed rapes and other violent crimes throughout its past through the present day.(Remember the Rape of Nanking by the Japanese--not Americans)

5. Those misguided members of the WWII generation on islands like Guam and Saipan who feel gratitude to the Americans for saving them from the Japanese are blinded by propaganda supporting "the image of a compassionate America" or by their own advanced age.

6. It was "the practice" of the U.S. military in WWII to desecrate and disrespect the bodies of dead Japanese

7. Conservatives and veterans in the U.S. have had an undue and corrupt influence on how WWII is remembered.

8. Conservatives are reactionary nationalists (no distinction was made between nationalism and patriotism), pro-military "tea baggers" who are incapable of "critical thinking."

9. Relating to the above, even members of the NEH review board are not immune to "reactionary" pro-military views.

10. Veterans' memories of their own experiences in the war are suspect and influenced by media and their own self-delusion

11. War memorials like the Arizona Memorial should be recast as "peace memorials," sensitive to all viewers from all countries, especially the many visitors from Japan.

Although The actual CNN Article seemed balanced so on this particular item I have nothing to say about CNN. But this group of "intellectuals" is a completely different matter. That these people would insult America's armed forces that helped free the world from the forces of tyranny and oppression is beyond descriptive words. What next: The Polish are to be blamed for Germany's invasion of their country!?!

 

[bombshoo]

Where is the actual source for this article besides "CNN"? Who came up with this list? Do you have a link?

I mean I'm sure the U.S. did do it's fair share of nasty things in WWII, and the argument "The Japanese were worse" is by no means a good counter argument, but this is still just plain ridiculous. It's possible to admit to mistakes, without taking all the blame after all. Nonetheless, if this is just some random rant by some crazies, then its pointless to complain about. There will always be those people that think everything is the U.S.'s fault.

On a positive note, I'm glad this wasn't a "Roosevelt let Pearl Harbor happen" conspiracy thread.

 

[LightSpectra]

Mmmm, Chomsky balogna. Goes good with Zinntastic cream cheese.

 

[Xanikk999]

Can you provide a link to the CNN article? I'm not even sure what you are ranting about other than some perceived injustice against America's recognized role in the WW2 pacific theater.

 

[Karalysia]

The Polish are to be blamed for Germany's invasion of their country!?

Do you deny that it was Poland's refusal to hand over the Danzig corridor to Germany that caused the German deceleration of war?

 

[bombshoo]

Do you deny that it was Poland's refusal to hand over the Danzig corridor to Germany that caused the German deceleration of war?

Of course it wasn't this, it was those danged Poles seizing that radio station.

 

[Tee Kay]

To be fair:

1. The U.S. military and its veterans constitute an imperialistic, oppressive force which has created and perpetuated its own mythology of liberation and heroism, insisting on a "pristine collective memory" of the war.

That has a truth to it. Not the whole truth, mind.

3. War memorials, such as the Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery (where many WWII dead are buried, including those executed by the Japanese on Wake Island and the beloved American journalist Ernie Pyle), are symbols of military aggression and brutality "that pacify death, sanitize war and enable future wars to be fought"

I'd extend it to most war memorials, in the United States and elsewhere, which glorifies war or can be seen to glorify war.

4. The U.S. military has repeatedly committed rapes and other violent crimes throughout its past through the present day.(Remember the Rape of Nanking by the Japanese--not Americans)

Yes.

6. It was "the practice" of the U.S. military in WWII to desecrate and disrespect the bodies of dead Japanese

Don't think it was ever official practice, but yes it did happen, and disturbingly frequently.

 

[Traitorfish]

Mmmm, Chomsky balogna.

Given Chomskys explicit anti-Fascist politics, I doubt he would lend his name to this particular breed of nonsense.

 

[SG-17]

Who wrote this? I would like to give them a swift kick.

 

[bob_page]

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6000344/national_endowment_for_the_humanities.html?cat=

 

[Masada]

This is the important one.

 

[Arwon]

Oh look, an outraged strawman being presented as an actual agenda.

 

[Verbose]

Well, history actually matters. History USE is intensely political. It's kind of funny to find American historians who don't quite realise what a brutal line of business they're actually in.

 

[Camikaze]

Wow, most of that is completely off (ah, revisionism for the sake of revisionism).

I don't notice anything wrong with Number 11, though.

 

[Masada]

Well if Cami thinks its bad, it must be.

 

[duckstab]

Methinks I smell a rat.

The NEH has been a favorite target of social conservatives for decades. Here, instead of presenting us with the actual supposedly-offensive materials, we get a couple bloggers quoting a letter that some congressman supposedly received from a constituent who claimed to be in attendance.

Given the mainstream media's asleep-at-the-wheel performance through Andrew Breitbart's crucifixion of ACORN, I'm taking this with a big grain of salt until someone shows some actual proof that this isn't just a hoax.

 

[ParkCungHee]

Or more likely, selectively quoting from more nuanced papers.

 

[Plotinus]

Moderator Action: If there isn't going to be any historical discussion of the historical claims referred to in the OP (and helpfully given sources by subsequent posters - please, if you're going to start a thread about some claims, give a source for them) then I'll have to close it.

 

[Yeekim]

What next: The Polish are to be blamed for Germany's invasion of their country!?!

The Poles have already been accused of starting the entire war, not merely Germanys invasion.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...uses-Poland-of-starting-Second-World-War.html

 

[Dachs]

Like most lines of nationalistic bull, it has a grain of truth, but little more than a grain.