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Russia to hand over Japanese POW documents

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They've been sitting on these documents for 60 plus years?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

As well as invading Japanese islands AFTER the war ended the big brave Russians took Japanese POWs to camps AFTER the war ended - 575,000 of them!! Sitting on the documents for 60 years means that there is no longer anyone alive to answer questions - the Russians just want to make themselves look benevolent by releasing the documents in some kind of mock humanitarian gesture.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Thank you for giving us those documents Russia, we will use them to fuel our public sentiment against you over our recent territorial row.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

When Boris Yeltsin (President of the Russian Federation) visited Japan in 1993, he expressed his sincere apology for the inhuman act.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

As well as invading Japanese islands AFTER the war ended the big brave Russians took Japanese POWs to camps AFTER the war ended

please study! When the russians declared war it was not ended yet! And still it isn't ended as there is no peace treaty yet! The russian took japanese POW while at war! Please read some history book and then come back posting!

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

I'm not sure what motivated this gesture. Perhaps there are still surviving family members somewhere who need closure on what happened to their fathers and grandfathers, however if it wasn't in direct response to a request then I think this sort of digging into the past isn't such a great idea.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"When Boris Yeltsin (President of the Russian Federation) visited Japan in 1993, he expressed his sincere apology for the inhuman act".

If Japan living Emperor willingly express sincere apology to the peoples of Asia's and order's releases of all the war crimes documents that Japan committed against humanities through atrocities. Then the whole Asians people will forget and forgive Japan past.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

CrazyJoeAug. 29, 2012 - 08:58AM JST@ "When Boris Yeltsin (President of the Russian Federation) visited Japan in 1993, he expressed his sincere apology for the inhuman act".

If Japan living Emperor willingly express sincere apology to the peoples of Asia's and order releases of all the war crimes documents that Japan committed against humanities through atrocites. Then the whole Asians people will forget and forgive Japan past.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

It's an story that not a lot of western people know about. Some never came back till the 50's,

8 ( +8 / -0 )

If Japan living Emperor willingly express sincere apology to the peoples of Asia's and order releases of all the war crimes documents that Japan committed against humanities through atrocites. Then the whole Asians people will forget and forgive Japan past.

Emperor is neither a president nor a minister and he is not politician and not top leader of Japan at all. Why should he? Former Japan's prime ministers did apologize to Asian people in the past. That's why Japan has been supporting Asian countries's economy for many years which Japan damaged during the war. Regardless Japan's sincere apologies and supports, some countries repeat to say "not enough not enough" It seems the apology is never enough almost forever.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Japan officially surrendered to a dozen of Allied Powers including the Soviet Union, in Sept 2, 1945 on the deck of the BATTLESHIP MISSOURI.

When official surrender had been signed-off by warring parties, the WAR OFFICIALLY ENDED, and under GENEVA CONVENTIONS, other than those charged with CRIMINAL ACTS, should be returned to their countries.

The Soviet Union should had returned 90 to 99% of those more than half-million POW soldiers.

In Japan and in Germany, after the surrender of the troops, even at the Battalion (or Brigade) level only (no official surrender of the whole country yet), several Germans and Japanese were already allowed (BY US FORCES) to carry their pistols and long firearms in their own battle uniform to help in the peace and order of the communities and traffic management. 100% of the living POWS and many cadavers (dead POWS) were returned by the US FORCES to Germany and Japan.

So for short, SOVIET/Russia are inhumane people.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Thank you AU.

osakajoe: You read that? What is this "When the russians declared war it was not ended yet" supposed to mean?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The present Japanese government should showing some sincerely gratitutes for the soviet union has done in corrections and redemptions of those half a million people for a new life in post war years, because those people were educated to occupy and seizing the land that didnt belongs to them by then Japanese imperial government who has misleaded them in fascist values and visions! Manchuria is a land of China not Japan and so does the Korean peninsula belongs to Koreans not Japan!

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

just-a-bigguy.

My Grandfather was in one of those camps and had to survive on a slice of bread and small cup of soup every day. Plus, his stories equalled the ones from nazi/japanese camps.

BTW, he was not Japanese but European.

No one truly wins in a war.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

The present Japanese government should showing some sincerely gratitutes for the soviet union has done in corrections and redemptions of those half a million people for a new life in post war years, because those people were educated to occupy and seizing the land that didnt belongs to them by then Japanese imperial government who has misleaded them in fascist values and visions! Manchuria is a land of China not Japan and so does the Korean peninsula belongs to Koreans not Japan!

You do not seem to be living in the present-day world. When were you born - a hundred years ago??

And if "Japanese government should be grateful to Russia for giving new life to those Japanese" is your logic, then maybe the Korean and Chinese governments should be grateful to Japan for the new and better life it has been providing for millions of their people in Japan after WWWII.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

My father-in-law was a prisoner in the Soviet camps, he contracted malaria there, along with literally thousands of other POW's and nearly died. Someone in the camp took care of him and gave him a bit of what little medicine there was left and because of it he survived. He never found out who took care of him and was ever thankful because without that persons help he certainly would not have made it back home.

He often talked to my children about (typically around the Okinawan Memorial Day on June 23rd) the conditions in the camp and the camp he was in was next to an American run POW camp as well, and according to him the conditions in the American camp were light years better than the Soviet camps and that he saw countless numbers of dead prisoners everyday.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Frungy I'm not sure what motivated this gesture. Perhaps there are still surviving family members somewhere who need closure on what happened to their fathers and grandfathers, however if it wasn't in direct response to a request

To turn this page of history...no more no less.....

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Yubaru My father-in-law was a prisoner in the Soviet camps, and according to him the conditions in the American camp were light years better than the Soviet camps and that he saw countless numbers of dead prisoners everyday

You will be suprised but USSR was totaly destroyed during WW II, economy was ruined.

And people died like flies from starvation and disease....in 1945 AFTER VICTORY in year 1947 also...

US made a big biz on this war

A Hitler did not burned US in contrast to Russia

0 ( +1 / -1 )

You will be suprised but USSR was totaly destroyed during WW II, economy was ruined.

I know, I know WWII history pretty well, the fact remains however that the prisoners were treated very badly in comparison.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

paulinusa They've been sitting on these documents for 60 plus years?

Sorry but we were really good friends, during all these years ?

At which side stand Japan during cold war?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

So for short, SOVIET/Russia are inhumane people.

Around 90 percent of the Japanese POWs were returned to Japan by Russia. You may need to look up the figures for how many of the Allied prisoners were returned alive by Japan. Not many I can assure you. If you are generalizing the Russians of the period as inhumane - then by comparison the Japanese of the time were far worse. Hint: I'd suggest reading some non-Japanese textbooks for the info.

Modern Russians and Japanese are NOT, in general, inhumane people.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

latienda "When Boris Yeltsin (President of the Russian Federation) visited Japan in 1993, he expressed his sincere apology for the inhuman act". If Japan living Emperor willingly express

Sorry but Boris Yeltsin has/had much LESS respect in Russia then Emperor Akihito in Japan.......

He was political zero ...

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

POW's during the war and POW's after the war is different a different thing.

POW's after the war (after the official surrender or after the peace treaty was signed), should no longer be treated as POW's. After the surrender, POW's should no longer be subjected to punishment such as hard-labor under harsh environment under -50degC climate of Siberia should no longer been applied after Sept 2, 1946.

But of course, when war is still going on, treatment of POW's with hard-labor and severe hunger as punishment is ILLEGAL and not allowed under the GENEVA Conventions. Japanese and German were also guilty of doing this when the war was still going-on.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

AU.

Tell that to the jewish, etc survivors who lived under the same conditions after being "freed". The Allies had to check each prisoners credentials and most didn't have papers.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Also, according from the Geneva Convetions, military officers with ranks of at least a Captain or Major or equivalent serving as battalion commander or bigger units shall be treated with honor and dignity.

There were some reports that many Japanese officers of that rank had disappeared or died/killed while under detentions.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

AU hard-labor and severe hunger as punishment is ILLEGAL and not allowed under the GENEVA Conventions.

Also, according from the Geneva Convetions, military officers with ranks of at least a Captain or Major or equivalent serving as battalion commander or bigger units shall be treated with honor and dignity

Yes of couse... Geneva Convention.... sounds trust-worthy..

Millions Russian POW were treated like animals in German concentration camps....

And not only Nazi Germany - the same thing for Russian POW in concentration camps in Finland( democratic one) - an ally of Hitler...

So Geneva Convention it's real funny.... pure theory... mocking joke......

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

@JaneM: And if "Japanese government should be grateful to Russia for giving new life to those Japanese" is your logic, then maybe the Korean and Chinese governments should be grateful to Japan for the new and better life it has been providing for millions of their people in Japan after WWWII.

Why should China and the Koreas should be grateful to Japan? Those countries were never has been condemned as 'aggressors' and they never occupying other countries of land. They dont need to make corrections or redemptions for war atrocities and the cause of wars!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The 520000 survivors of the soviet labour camps were real lucky people, they have their chance to see how wrongs were the Japanese imperial government has misleaded them!

It's not funny...

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Some 575,000 Japanese soldiers and others were taken to Soviet labor camps in Siberia and Mongolia after the war.

The term AFTER defines the despicable act.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

There used to be codes of war. Like not take POWs or grabbing territory after a surrender or declaring war after the latter. Oh, maybe it was revenge - which still did not condone it.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

****>osakajoeAug. 29, 2012 - 09:39AM JST "As well as invading Japanese islands AFTER the war ended the big brave Russians took Japanese POWs to camps AFTER the war ended "

please study! When the russians declared war it was not ended yet! And still it isn't ended as there is no peace >treaty yet! The russian took japanese POW while at war! Please read some history book and then come back >posting!

Perhaps you should do some studying yourself. Aug 6, 1945 - US drops A-bomb on Hiroshima Aug 8, 1945 - USSR breaks neutrality treaty withy Japan, declares war and invadeds Manchukuo. Same day, US drops A-bomnb on Nagasaki. Aug 14, 1945 - Japanb accepts the therms of the Potsdam Agreement. Aug 15, 1945 - Japan verbally surrenders, Emperor announces surrender on Radio Aug 18 - USSR invades the Southern Kuriles Aug 28, 1945 - Allies commemce occupation of Japan Sep 2, 1945 - Surrender ceremony aboard USS MIssouri

No allied nation, oither than the USSR invaded Japan after they surrendered on Aug 15th. The Russian Argument that they took the islands before the official surrender is the equivalent of a criminal surrendering, and someone shooting him on his way to the station, and claiming he hasn't been formally booked yet. The United States, U.K., and the European parliament considers these islands to be Japanese territory under Russian occupation/administration depending on how nice you want to put it. It was all party of ther Soviet land grab they pulled at the end of WWII resulting in the domination of Eastern Europe for decades to come,

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

OssanAmerica

Perhaps you should do some studying yourself. Aug 6, 1945 - US drops A-bomb on Hiroshima Aug 8, 1945 - USSR breaks neutrality treaty withy Japan, declares war and invadeds Manchukuo.

Sorry - Japan was ally of Nazi Germany, Japan was member of Anti-Comintern Pact. Japan made constant military provocations on Russian borders during whole WW II Japan keep 1 mil Kwantung Army on Russian borders despite a bloody war with the U.S. Japan constantly seized Russian vessels during whole WWII (sometimes simply drowned them)

In short - Japan could be a friend or an enemy of Russia. Japan gov chosed second option

so it was no moral question for Russia - after destroing NAZI in Europe - to destroy Japan in far East.

It was CHOISE of Japanese goverment - it has chosen the role of an enemy of Russia.

It was VERY serious decision to be a friend of Russia or enemy....

I would suggest - the Japanese government has made a BIG mistake....

The result - August 1945

0 ( +2 / -2 )

OssanAmericaAug. 30, 2012 - 06:11AM JST. Perhaps you should do some studying yourself. Aug 6, 1945 - US drops A-bomb on Hiroshima Aug 8, 1945 - USSR breaks neutrality treaty withy Japan, declares war and invadeds Manchukuo. Same day, US drops A-bomnb on Nagasaki. Aug 14, 1945 - Japanb accepts the therms of the Potsdam Agreement. Aug 15, 1945 - Japan verbally surrenders, Emperor announces surrender on Radio Aug 18 - USSR invades the Southern Kuriles Aug 28, 1945 - Allies commemce occupation of Japan Sep 2, 1945 - Surrender ceremony aboard USS MIssouri

No, it is you, who should stop misinforming and applying US-Japan agreements to Russia-Japan relations. Russia was not among the allied countries that accepted the surrender, neither verbally nor on paper, nor physically it was present anywhere around. Otherwise, all the noise about the current peace agreement would not make any sense. I dare to say that Japan never surrendered to Russia, which is why current events are taking place. Regardless, at the moment of Russian invasion, Japan and Russia was in a state of war, which de jure continues to date.

Such misinformation, as yours, leads to the fact that Japan and Russia can not untie the knot up until now, because operating with agreements and pacts, which have no relation to the two countries (or at least to one of them), leads nowhere.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Konsta No, it is you, who should stop misinforming and applying US-Japan agreements to Russia-Japan relations. Russia was not among the allied countries that accepted the surrender, neither verbally nor on paper, nor physically it was present anywhere around.

You think Russia has run some special separate war against Japan ?

Sorry - http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/japansur/js-8.htm Photo #: USA C-2717 (Color)

Surrender of Japan, Tokyo Bay, 2 September 1945

Lieutenant General Kuzma Derevyanko, Soviet Union;

Russia also has signed this act...

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

@Konsta: The Japanese emperor Hiroito has made annoucement of surrunder at the morning of 15th August 1945 but who is going to believe this? Maybe that was a faked voice or maybe the emperor got assassinated later his boardcasting after a copu and here comes another leader to carry on the war! The Soviet army was right, keep attacking until the Japnese military delegation put their signature on paper with ink and not until the soviet leader has accepted those clauses is the moment of peace! The surrunder of Japan is an unconditional one and Japan has no right to say, it is the soviet leader tell them when to cease fire. The Japanese army was notoriously poor war conducts and neglecting all rules of engagement even the emperor's demands of surrunder, they were still fighting!And thats why they were sent to the labour camps for ten years for corrections and redemptions!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The Japnese army high command believed those over half a million men stationed in Manchuria, must fight until their last breadth in fact the Kwangtung army lost 85000 men during the three weeks campaign of Red army's 'operation August storm'. Poor intelligences and mistaken the Soviet Union to be a negotiation bridge between Imperial Japan and the allies lead the castastropic surrunders worst than the German sixth army in Stalingrad. Who was to be blamed? The imperial Japan herself!

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

So for short, SOVIET/Russia are inhumane people.

According to former Australian POWs, the Japanese weren't really better.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

POW's after the war (after the official surrender or after the peace treaty was signed), should no longer be treated as POW's.

Russia and Japan have not signed any peace treaty. So the war has not officially ended for them.

While China and the two Koreas were the biggest victims of Japan, they were not even invited to San Francisco to negotiate for a peace treaty. Even though Russia was invited, they found the terms drafted by the Americans totally unacceptable and did not sign. That is the reason why Japan is having so much problem with its neighbors.

In short, the SF treaty effectively made Japan a perpetual protectorate, or quasi colony of the US (the main purpose of the US in San Francisco) but did not solve much problem between Japan and its neighbors.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@Guru29Aug. 31, 2012 - 04:49AM JST

Current Japanese world problems that is result of new Japanese politics that started in 15 august 1945.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Guru

While China and the two Koreas were the biggest victims of Japan, they were not even invited to San Francisco to negotiate for a peace treaty. Even though Russia was invited, they found the terms drafted by the Americans totally unacceptable and did not sign. That is the reason why Japan is having so much problem with its neighbors. In short, the SF treaty effectively made Japan a perpetual protectorate, or quasi colony of the US (the main purpose of the US in San Francisco) but did not solve much problem between Japan and its neighbors.

Thank you soo much ! excellent analysis !

Short and clear !!

In Russia we argue and discuss a lot about this " islends/ peace treaty with Japan problem "TM

but your lines - something new for me

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Ossan: "No allied nation, oither than the USSR invaded Japan after they surrendered on Aug 15th."

The war with Russia was not finished when they seized the islands. Japan may have already surrendered to the US (and they did so to the US and not Russia for good reason), but Russia was not among the nations that Japan had surrendered to. Hence, they were taken during war time, and are the spoils of war. Either way, they are Russian islands now, and will never be given back (despite efforts by Russia some time ago to give back two of the four).

As for the documents in question, it is good that Russia is giving them to Japan and hopefully some people can find peace through knowing about those lost that they may not have known about previously.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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