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Pearl Harbor dead remembered in ceremony curtailed by pandemic

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By AUDREY McAVOY

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Tokyo was next too get nuke by American, their was no love for Japanese during this period of time in the war

Nonsense. There was nothing left to bomb in Tokyo. It had been destroyed by the firebombing on March 9-10, 1945. More civilians died in firebombing of Tokyo than died in either Hiroshima or Nagasaki.

22 ( +26 / -4 )

One of the 'justifications' I've heard some make for Japan attacking Pearl Harbor is the US had imposed an oil embargo on Japan In part because of Japan's invasion and occupation of Manchuria. As a result of the embargo Japan foresaw an oil shortage ahead. Japan also planned to take control of oil in the Dutch East Indies. Japan's oil dependency and needs were part of what spurred Japan to initiate global war more than 70 years ago.

That today Japan remains so dependent on imported oil suggests Japanese leadership have not learned much since then.

17 ( +27 / -10 )

if Japan would be honest it would not dispute facts. I am a Belgian, not American, this for the record.

Japan started a south East Asian war for imperialistic purposes and might have gotten away with most of it had they not miscalculated with the Pearl Harbour attack.

it is nonsense to refer to the atomic bombs in relation to PH. They certainly were not threatening Tokyo at the time.

The atomic bombs were a horrible punishment and I struggle with myself to find any justification for using them even-though I am aware of the different chains of thought for doing so. But the Nagasaki one, Japan, in my opinion , could have avoided by surrender on August 7th. It choose not too.

As for remembrance services around The A Bombs, I think the world press every years takes a moment of contemplation for the many victims, yes.

Regretfully the impression I have is that what Japan most regrets is loosing the war, not having started it.

16 ( +18 / -2 )

R&W N

How about Japan admit & own its past.

Japan reaped what it sewed plain & simple & in the end got off pretty easily all considered

12 ( +19 / -7 )

It’s your sacrifices that have preserved American democracy and brought democracy to places like Japan.

Things imperialists say.

6 ( +18 / -12 )

I believe it is imperative that nations commemorate, in solemn remembrance the sacrifices there sailors, solders, serviceman, civilians made.

Equally how nations through education has learnt from the horrors of war.

I am not sure one has necessarily led to the other.

I am not convinced either that the Government of Japan is willing to embrace historic clarity within a classroom environment.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Anonymous: You're right. We should start by stopping the Hiroshima and Nagasaki commemorations, I suppose, right? Time to move on.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Do they also report Hiroshima and Nagasaki memorial services in U.S. every year?

There could an article in the paper but it certainly isn’t celebrated.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Tokyo was next too get nuke by American, their was no love for Japanese during this period of time in the war.

There's no historical evidence for that assertion. Tokyo was not a target for the obvious reason that if it had been nuked, there would have been no government or Emperor to effect the surrender.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

robert maesToday  10:58 am JST

if Japan would be honest it would not dispute facts. I am a Belgian, not American, this for the record......

You made very thoughtful and honest assessment about the Pacific War.

Japan started a south East Asian war for imperialistic purposes and might have gotten away with most of it had they not miscalculated with the Pearl Harbour attack.

This is not widely acknowledged by Japan or mentioned in the textbooks. To many here, the U.S. provoked Japan with sanctions; Japan had no choice but to respond with the attack on Pearl Harbor. But they don't answer the question WHY the sanctions were imposed in the first place. Or acknowledge the fact that Japan began hostilities beginning with the invasion of Manchuria in 1931 and subsequent invasion of China in 1937, with ultimate plans dominate the Pacific region right up to U.S. territorial waters at Hawaii.

it is nonsense to refer to the atomic bombs in relation to PH. They certainly were not threatening Tokyo at the time.

Well, to Americans they represent the symbolic bookends of the Pacific War, hence the connection.

Had Japan decided not to wage war with the U.S., the U.S. wouldn't have paid much attention to the conflict in the Pacific (they were focused on Europe) and atomic bombs might not have been used against Japan. Who knows? But on the other hand, sooner or later the U.S. would have become involved in the Pacific War as Japan extended its territorial boundries close to Hawaii and posed a threat to its Pacific Fleet.

The atomic bombs were a horrible punishment and I struggle with myself to find any justification for using them even-though I am aware of the different chains of thought for doing so.

What is often overlooked or ignored was the fact the U.S. Manhattan Project was initiated as a result of Albert Einstein's 1939 warning that Germany was making advances in nuclear research that could lead to the develop an atomic bomb. So the race began with the intent to develop to develop the atomic bomb first to use against Germany, not Japan. But Germany surrendered before the Bomb was successfully tested. There was still a war in the Pacific going on and the U.S. had just fought the Battle of Okinawa at a terrible cost. So the Bomb's focus, as a new tactical weapon, was redirected for use against Japan at the earliest opportunity.

Look, there was a war going on and any nation involved in wars will use whatever means available including new tactical weapons to DEFEAT the enemy. Morality or social conscious often takes a backseat during the war. Japan was also developing the atomic bomb and would have used it against the U.S. had they been able to successfully develop it. Look up "F-Go Project", "Ni-Go Project" and Dr. Yoshio Nishina.

But the Nagasaki one, Japan, in my opinion , could have avoided by surrender on August 7th. It choose not too.

That's very true. The U.S. repeated the ultimatum for unconditional surrender following the August 6 Hiroshima bombing, but Japan, for whatever reasons, chose not to respond or was unwilling or unable to respond, so the silence was interpreted by the U.S. as rejection of the surrender terms. The war continues.....to the very end. Japan's wartime slogan in 1945 was: The sooner the Americans come, the better...One hundred million die proudly.

Regretfully the impression I have is that what Japan most regrets is loosing the war, not having started it.

Very accurate perception. Imperial Japan's war thinking at the time, would not allow Japan to surrender but to continue fighting until the very end.......complete destruction of the Japan, if necessary.

Look up "Operation Ketsu-Go" for Japan's plan against the invading American forces and what Japan was willing to sacrifice.

To surrender would mean "lose face". Up until 1945, Japan has never lost a war. You are right, losing this war and the loss of face was regrettable for Imperial Japan......thoughts that prevail for some even to this day.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

One of the 'justifications' I've heard some make for Japan attacking Pearl Harbor is the US had imposed an oil embargo on Japan In part because of Japan's invasion and occupation of Manchuria.

That is no justification. Japan needed the oil to advance their invasion of Asia or the liberation of Asia as the Japanese sees it.

Ive talked to Japanese who actually say Japan was forced to invade Asia to keep from being imperialized by western powers.

The US went to war with Japan over Japan’s aggression in China. How things have changed.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

If Imperial Japan had conducted a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor after first declaring war, the Americans would have been much less upset. Surprise attacks are an accepted part of warfare; surprise attacks during peacetime are not.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Ask a Japanese person what day is today. None of them will have a clue.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

After the Pacific War, came the Korean War, then the Vietnam War, then the Iraq War, then the Afghanistan War.....

North Korea invaded South Korea. Justified to fight off Communism, Draw.

The Vietnam War had its origins in the broader Indochina wars of the 1940s and '50s, when nationalist groups such as Ho Chi Minh's Viet Minh, inspired by Chinese and Soviet communism, fought the colonial rule first of Japan and then of France. Justified to fight off communism. Failed.

First Iraq war was to free Kuwait and Justified.

Second Iraq war was unjustified.

War in Afghanistan by Russia was unjustified and failed.

War in Afghanistan by US coalition to defeat al qaeda after 9/11 attacks was justified and a limited success.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Bernard MarxToday  12:19 pm JST

Ask a Japanese person what day is today. None of them will have a clue.

Of course they wouldn't have a clue to the significance of December 7.

In Japan time zone, the Pearl Harbor attack was on December 8.

Try again on December 8.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

What a lot of people don’t realise is that at during the 30s and 40s the US really wasn’t interested in war, truly, the majority were very much into being isolationist, they’d learnt what the Old World was during WWI. There was a saying along the lines of, "England will fight until Americas’s last man”. Then Pearl Harbour. That galvanised the nation and rightly saw a massive effort to fight back, the Doolittle raid (Aptly named) was the start of it. The Pacific theater was America’s war for sure, fought on a shoestring at first as Churchill had convinced FDR that Hitler needed sorting out first, he was right, but that put the Pacific forces in extra danger, no equipment, no support, BUT the US got on with it. An amazing sacrifice really, not comparable to Russia’s in terms of deaths, but certainly in effort, determination and focus.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

In short, be careful who you wake up!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Do they also report Hiroshima and Nagasaki memorial services in U.S. every year?

Yes. Every year without fail, and often featured prominently in the US press. There is as much anti-nuclear sentiment in the US as in Japan.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

But it is justified?

I am posing a question, with genuine respects to all the brave US Servicemen that perished in the surprise attack.

Just because you got to choose how the war started doesn’t guarantee you’ll get to choose how it ends. Unfortunately for her people, Japan found that out the hard way.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

There is ONLY one thing to remember about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It was a retaliation. At 0530, 07December1941, the USS Lewis patrolling outside Pearl spotted a Japanese miniature submarine which had surfaced. The Lewis fired upon the submarine without warning and sank it. 

So those Japanese organized a force of four aircraft carriers along with all those escorts and sailed all the way from Japan to Pearl Harbor in, oh, an hour or so, to retaliate against the Japanese sub that was sunk inside US territorial waters trying to get into Pearl Harbor? Oh, and in the course of that hour they modified their aerial torpedoes to run shallow enough to not hit the bottom of Pearl Harbor just to facilitate "retaliation" for sinking a midget sub? Do you understand how inane and historically undefendable that claim is? Particularly when we already have plenty of historical correspondence with the planning for the attack, a mock-up of Pearl Harbor complete with model ships floating in it for the attack planning and so the attack leaders could become familiar with their target, and the extensive work the Japanese did to modify the Long Lance torpedo to run shallow enough not to hit the bottom of Pearl Harbor. The Japanese just threw all of that together in an hour because the Ward sank one of their mini-subs? Sure thing. Anything you say.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

At what point do we stop commemorating this? Or WW1 or other wars? Wouldn't it be better to move on?

We dont stop remembering or commemorating. "Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it" We can and have moved on but we always remember. WWI and WWI were the most devastating wars ever in mankind's history and if for nothing else we need to remember the cost of war in lives lost. All of those killed in war had a future that they never got to live. They paid the price for leaders unable to settle disagreements in a diplomatic way. Hopes, dreams and plans for the future taken from the innocent forever. We get one life and it is precious.

The total number of military and civilian casualties in World War I, was around 40 million. There were 20 million deaths and 21 million wounded.

Some 75 million people died in World War II, including about 20 million military personnel and 40 million civilians, many of whom died because of deliberate genocide, massacres, mass-bombings, disease, and starvation.

Remembering the cost helps avoid paying it again in the future. While freedom is worth fighting for, death is the price many pay so others can keep it or attain it. Self determination to choose your own path in life is what it is about. All nations remember in their own way and lament the price paid. If we respect others and their ways we can gain respect for ourselves.

War is the embodiment of hatred. Understanding and acceptance are the ways to find a state beyond hatred and onto peace. Remembering past horrors helps influence and and avoid new horrors. We move ever forward but by always looking back in remembrance we can help ensure the path forward is rewarding for all.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I want to know how many historians we have in the comments. You all seem to know how to use google, who really knows how to manipulate search results.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I usually agree with P.Smith but not in this case. Every soldier is a potential murderer, sanctioned by his country. One might make an exception for those drafted like in Vietnam, or my dad in 1943.

Is it a pity that the Japanese declaration of war on the USA came 30 mins too late?

Why was it late?

What would have changed if it were delivered in time?

Would have changed anything at all?

Don't mind me, just asking questions and waiting for downvotes.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan started a south East Asian war for imperialistic purposes and might have gotten away with most of it had they not miscalculated with the Pearl Harbour attack.

When Admiral Halsey led the USS Hornet and USS Enterprise out of Pearl Harbor in early November 1941 to bring Marine fighter aircraft to garrison Wake Island, he issued a one page oporder after departing. In this order he directed his commanders to sink any Japanese ships encountered en-route. This caused quite a commotion in the wardrooms of the task forces ships as the US and Japan were not yet at war. Most of his officers were not comfortable with his orders. Enterprise and Hornet would not return to Pearl Harbor from this mission until the evening of December 8th.

The fact is that by summer of 1941 the US was unofficially at war with Germany. US Navy ships fighting German U-boats in the North Atlantic and the US was very much planning to go to war with Japan. The US had more ships under construction than in service when Japan attacked. Every battleship that served in WWII was laid down before the war. The new Essex Class carriers that began to enter service in 1943 were laid down before WWII as well. In fact the US Navy had been preparing for such a war with Japan since the 1920s with then Lieutenant Nimitz experimenting with underway refueling and what was then called BUSHIPS working hard on what was then a highly advanced 650 psi superheated steam propulsion system. Compared to existing wet steam plants, the benefits of high pressure superheated steam plants were lower fuel consumption for a given shaft horsepower and smaller and lighter powerplant, freeing up more space and weight margin for weapons and fuel. Indeed it was the combination of efficient high powered steam plants and the perfection of underway replenishment of both fuel and solid stores (ammo, food, spare parts) are a big part of what gave the US Navy its edge in WWII. When the Royal Navy returned to the Pacific in 1944 their ships could not maintain the speeds of their US Navy counterparts and required much more frequent refueling.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

ReynardFox, undoubtedly, the Empire of Japan had to surrender, unconditionally.

So there was no possibility of any other political option.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Looking at history from WW2 on. From Pearl Harbor on. From one point of view, America.

Japan was an isolated nation. Closed in, while UK, America, France, conquered, and colognize the world. They pushed and pushed until they reached East Asia, with their guns and ships, humiliated China in Opium war 1, Opium war 2.

Japan was next after China! America came knocking... Either you trade or will attack!

Japan of World War II is a product of it's environment! Trying to copy the winners, trying to get a seat at the table, trying to get equal respect.

Japan was influenced in a horrible way by western nations, wanted to be one of them!

Why focus on the truth when you can look at history from Pearl Harbor on if your American, from 1937 if your Chinese, and from 1910 if your Korean.

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

Bernard MarxToday  12:19 pm JST

Ask a Japanese person what day is today. None of them will have a clue.

Of course they wouldn't have a clue to the significance of December 7.

In Japan time zone, the Pearl Harbor attack was on December 8.

Try again on December 8.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Had Japan decided not to wage war with the U.S., the U.S. wouldn't have paid much attention to the conflict in the Pacific (they were focused on Europe) 

That is emphatically not the case. See my previous post above this one on the same subject. The US wanted to go to war with Japan as far back as 1937 after Japanese forces sank USS Panay but knew it didn't begin to have the means to successfully conduct such a war. Your comment also ignores the April 1941 formation of the Flying Tigers squadron in China, composed of US military pilots discharged from their respective branches for the sake of forming a mercenary squadron to support KMT forces under Chiang Kai-shek.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Correction: Opening shot of U.S. entry into WWII was fired by the USS Ward. Too many details...

https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/press/japanese-mini-subs/

Sorry.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Analogy may be irrelevant here, but it seems that the US has screwed up again, learned virtually no lesson from the previous "Day of Infamy." The nation is now under the virus crisis resulting in far much more number of casulaty and socioeconomic devastation nationwide than the ”surprise” attack on Pearl Habor (despite some pre-warnings).

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I am really surprised that a Japanese news site has an article on Pearl Harbor. I am very curious if Japanese veterans have a service on Decemeber 7. I once saw a Japnese soldier who helped attack Pearl Harbor at a memorial service in Hawai.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

There is ONLY one thing to remember about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It was a retaliation. At 0530, 07December1941, the USS Lewis patrolling outside Pearl spotted a Japanese miniature submarine which had surfaced. The Lewis fired upon the submarine without warning and sank it. The sub was recently found with a hole through its conning tower. The base was already on 'high alert'. Not a whisper of observing a short range vehicle in vicinity of the islands nor the 'surprise attack' on the submarine reached the base. The Japanese 'attack' began circa 0745 "without warning". There is a whole dumpster full of details like this surrounding that 'day of infamy', but the infamy was hardly Nihonsei. It was 100% MADE IN AMERICA! It belongs with "The Maine", the "Lusitania", "Tonkin Gulf", "9/11" as a story we tell our children when we want to hurt someone who doesn't obey us and we need to use them, our children, to teach the disobedient who is the Boss on this planet at this time. It's not complicated at all and after you see these things repeated over and over again in history, they don't seem surprising at all. It's just us, Homo demens, doing what we have done with little variation for MANY thousands of years. sigh

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto quote from the epic Tora, Tora, Tora

“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”

There is no historical record of Adm. Yamamoto ever having made remarks to that effect. If you want to credit anyone, it should go to the screenwriter of Tora! Tora! Tora!

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Correct total fiction, NCIS Reruns, I should have stated a disclaimer, although I did assert the quote to from the epic Tora,Tora,Tora. I subconsciously wandered in to The Crown territory.

Sorry, hands up. Great quote though.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I see every year Pearl Harbor memorial service in U.S. and Japanese medias. Do they also report Hiroshima and Nagasaki memorial services in U.S. every year?

-4 ( +14 / -18 )

That today Japan remains so dependent on imported oil suggests Japanese leadership have not learned much since then.

Wishful thinking. Every nation in the world depends on oil, and will continue to do so for decades as we continue to fly planes, drive non-electric cars, pour cement, and wrap all our bananas in virgin plastic. Besides, it's not like Japan can just wish some oil into existence beneath its soil. Best we can do is import and invest in next generation nuclear tech and improved batteries to capitalize on the rapidly decreasing costs of renewables.

-4 ( +8 / -12 )

The reasons for starting the war were complex and can't be boiled down 'imperialism' or 'those darned militarists' or even 'but we needed oil!'

Japan was a complex dynamic system at the time - still is - with a series of financial crises, resource scarcity, Western powers colonizing neighboring Asian countries, competing military factions, nationalism, resentment at America's gunboat diplomacy, political assassinations left and right, a complacent emperor, and the imperial navy's gamble to sneak up on a certain harbor in Hawaii all coming together in a maelstrom that led to that 'date which will live in infamy'.

Did most normal people in Japan want war with the States? Hell no.

Anyways, look what became of Japan now; shooting rockets into space rather than at enemy ships, coming back with asteroid dust and amazing the world. Plenty of (huge) challenges ahead, but things overall have been net positive. Let's keep it up.

Btw, Dan Carlin and his Hardcore History podcast currently has a fantastic series on Japan and the Pacific war in WW2, highly recommended.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

At what point do we stop commemorating this? Or WW1 or other wars? Wouldn't it be better to move on?

Probably not for another century, at least. The extent to which the modern world was shaped by WW1 and WW2 cannot be overstated. Millions of people gave their lives such that we, here in Japan and many other modern democracies, can enjoy the freedoms we enjoy today.

Personally, I hope we never forget, stop commemorating, or 'move on.' The freedoms we enjoy today were not free. They came at the greatest cost imaginable. We'd do well to honor that, now and for generations to come.

-5 ( +7 / -12 )

Do they also report Hiroshima and Nagasaki memorial services in U.S. every year?

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

At what point do we stop commemorating this? Or WW1 or other wars? Wouldn't it be better to move on?

Yes. At what point? At what point is race as a political cudgel going to be abandoned. All these things serve someone’s interests so don’t expect them to go away.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Not that I know of. We celebrate the day Japan finally decided to surrender after having had two atomic bombs dropped on it,

Really? When did August 15th become a holiday in America?

-7 ( +9 / -16 )

I see alot of hate here. I can see right through everyones words! You want to see something moving? My Wife and I got married in Hawaii. My Father-in-law who is Japanese, and his Japanese friend went to the USS Arizona alone. They told me they wanted to go say sorry to the Sailors entombed. Respect!

-7 ( +8 / -15 )

P. Smith, it is a harsh, and may I suggest unjustified statement to contend that Japan people have not fully accepted the Japanese Imperial Army/Forces committed acts and crimes against humanity.

The people of Japan have embraced a constitution, may I point out the only constitution totally devoted to a peaceful coexistence with it neighbors.

Can the same be said of the Government of China and Russia?

The People of Japan have also openly supported the US Government as a close friend and ally. Militarily, politically and diplomatically.  

Education will be the next step, a classroom curriculum. Lets wait and see.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

PTownsendToday  07:43 am JST

One of the 'justifications' I've heard some make for Japan attacking Pearl Harbor is the US had imposed an oil embargo on Japan In part because of Japan's invasion and occupation of Manchuria. As a result of the embargo Japan foresaw an oil shortage ahead. Japan also planned to take control of oil in the Dutch East Indies. Japan's oil dependency and needs were part of what spurred Japan to initiate global war more than 70 years ago.

They did take control of the Dutch East Indies. After defeat those nations became independent from Dutch colonial control.

That today Japan remains so dependent on imported oil suggests Japanese leadership have not learned much since then.

OK, what should they have leaned? What developed countries which have little to no domestic oil reserves are completely independent of imported oil? Are you suggesting that Japanese leadership should go 100% nuclear power? Scary thought.

-9 ( +11 / -20 )

Mr. Vice President, and Mr. Speaker, and Members of the Senate and House of Representatives:

YESTERDAY, December 7, 1941 a date which will live in infamy the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that Nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American Island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

https://www.loc.gov/resource/afc1986022.afc1986022_ms2201/?st=text

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto quote from the epic Tora, Tora, Tora,

“I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.”

Poignant, in the aftermath of the devastation wreaked upon the people of Japan, also the subsequent horrors of Nuclear retaliation, Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  

To this day Japan has been made to pay a terrible price. And will continue too, politically.

But it is justified?

I am posing a question, with genuine respects to all the brave US Servicemen  that perished in the surprise attack.

-10 ( +4 / -14 )

At what point do we stop commemorating this? Or WW1 or other wars? Wouldn't it be better to move on?

-10 ( +8 / -18 )

The remains of the 900 sailors still entombed in USS Arizona should be brought up and buried properly. They have served their country long enough,

-13 ( +6 / -19 )

Tokyo was next too get nuke by American, their was no love for Japanese during this period of time in the war

-14 ( +11 / -25 )

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