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Survivors gather at Pearl Harbor for attack remembrance

16 Comments
By AUDREY McAVOY

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A few words about the USS West Virginia. The sailors, Ronald Endicott, 18, Clifford Olds, 20, and Louis Costin, 21, were trapped in the storeroom when the Japanese bombed the ship. The storeroom became an airlock. The sailors tapped continuously but there was no way to get them out with either sinking the ship or causing an explosion if blow torches were used. After the ship was salvaged it was found the sailors kept a record of their captivity for as long as they were live, that is before the air was used up. It took them 16 days to die.

According to War History Online: “Survivors say that no one wanted to go on guard duty anywhere near the USS West Virginia since they would hear the banging of trapped survivors all night long, but with nothing that could be done."

8 ( +10 / -2 )

One thing you must remember when you remember Pearl Harbor is that Pearl Harbor was a military base. At that time tensions between Japan and America were very, very high. In times of tension, a military base must be ready for an attack whether a war is declared or not. A large part of the blame for what happened at Pearl Harbor must lie with US military leaders who failed to put Pearl Harbor on high alert.

13 ( +19 / -6 )

The Japanese warriors in WW2 carried out the commands of their superiors while the American warriors did the same. There were countless acts of heroism on both sides.

Both Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima are memorials to the fallen (soldier and civilian) and those fallen had no say in their fate. The warrior serves at the behest of the masters (since the beginning of mankind until now) and the civilians, who sometimes fall victim to the warrior are in fact are also victims of the follies of the masters in power at the time.

These things never change - Sempur Fidelus

14 ( +15 / -1 )

Meiyouwenti: Another thing you must remember is that the U.S. and Japan were not at war when the Japanese many their surprise (or sneak) attack on Pearl Harbor. Don’t blame the victim.

The attack without warning was calculated by the military with the approval of Emperor Hirohito. The rational behind this was the belief that the shock and awe would terrify the U.S. into a submission attitude. As we know, it had the opposite effect.

In the cabinet meeting a few members objected to going to war with the United States by they were outvoted, or outshouted by the power Navy and Army fanatics. One cabinet member said something like, “Good-by Japan. It was all a dream.”

One vehement opponent of making war on the U.S. was Hirohito’s mother, the widow of Emperor Taisho. He should have listened to his mother. She knew best.

0 ( +9 / -9 )

Every year comes Dec 7. I always think about the US could have prevented the Pearl Harbor attack. US intelligence knew Japanese aircraft carriers/battle ships approached toward Hawaii (and may start war there). But no officers in Hawaii knew about it. It seems they should have been informed on alert.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

There were countless acts of heroism on both sides.

How come no one says that about the Allies' conflict with the Germans? Especially given the 20 million or so Asians (overwhelmingly civilian) who died violent deaths as a result of Japan's territorial ambitions.

-7 ( +8 / -15 )

R.I.P. to all those who fought that war, at home or in battle, and a salute to the passing of The Great Generation and the values it gave us, however briefly.

The generation who remember Tojo, Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin are becoming fewer and fewer. And those who emulate Tojo, Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin are becoming more and more.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

The attack on Pearl Harbor was only one part of co-ordinated simultaneous attacks on other territories on Dec 7 / 8th. Many people don't know this.

Shanghai, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Wake, Malaya were all bombed on the same day.

A Huge miscalculation by Japan's Military & leaders. Resulted in the deaths of millions across Asia/Pacific, including millions of Japanese soldiers and innocent civilians.

What should additionally be remembered on such memorial days - from Pearl to Hiroshima - is that psychotic Generals & Politicians  should never be allowed to push their agendas of destruction, because without fail it's the ordinary folks who suffer.

And suffer they did, and the suffering continues.

Remember the fallen, but never forget the bastards who dealt the cards.

A pox on all War-Mongerers.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Thank you browny1 for reminding us of the other places that were bombed by the Japanese at the same as Pearl Harbor. This is also a sad day of remembrance for all those places. Yes: A pox on all the War-Mongers. A pox also on the rabid Japanese right-wing nuts, many of whom grew up and in many cases grew old in a time of unprecedented peace and prosperity in Japan.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

@meiyouwenti

You must also remember that the Japanese did otherly cowardly actions across the Pacific.

Rest in peace those souls that passed that day, and deep sympathy to those aggrieved.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Every year comes Dec 7. I always think about the US could have prevented the Pearl Harbor attack.

At least none of the aircraft carriers were present during the attack.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

RIP to the victims on both sides. The fact Japan and USA are now each other's closest Military Allies says that both Nations have moved on from this incident 77 years ago. They have never been closer than now. Many Japanese visit Pearl Harbor to pay respect to victims; many Americans visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki to pay respect to all the Japanese victims.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Lest we forget......

How can any culture, country reconcile the past ?

There could be with hindsight, from a political, educational respective the direction, historically, the axis powers, the Tripartite Pact signed by Germany, Italy, and Japan, coercively provided the false belief of territory gain led to their defeat ?

Appeasement, deterrence can be construed as one of the same thing.

The resultant apoplectic conclusion, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, is that deterrence relies on public belief that superior overwhelming force will prevail .

The question remain can the international community as a whole avoid war ?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The question remain can the international community as a whole avoid war ?

The answer is no.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Infformay, never going to forget the sneak attack.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

One unfortunate aspect of the Pearl Harbor attack is that part of the anti-Japanese wave that follows labeled the Japanese as sneaky. The irony is that when Japan’s navel made a surprise attack on the Russian fleet at Port Arthur the West hailed the victory as brilliant. The Times of London declared:

The Japanese Navy has opened the war by an act of daring which is destined to take a place of honour in naval annals

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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