Mike wrote --

It is a shame that people do not learn much about history any more... or maybe it is what they are "learning" about it that is the shame.

There is so much revisionist history out there today. Some people think
its not nice to mention something an enemy at one time did, it might hurt
their feelings. Or its somehow "racist".
I recently slogged my way through A History of the American People, by
some crackpot I have heard about for some year. His name escapes me right
now. He wrote nothing America has done was good, all the bad things we did to this or that group of people, sta
I could only read a few pages at a time before my head started to
explode.
This nutjob's book is used as a text in many schools.
I found it free on the net. I didn't want him to earn a dime off me.

I have heard it said that WWII didn't really start with the German invasion of Poland in 1939, but instead with the Japanese attack on Shanghai in August, 1937, at the start of the second China-Japan war.

Sounds about right.

From everything I have learned about it, Japan did not think they
could win a war with the US. They hoped that, by hitting Pearl Harbour
fast and hard, they could convince us to stay out of it. Boy did they mess up.

Maybe not convince us to stay out, but slow down our entry, for sure.
Thankfully our carriers were at sea at the time.
When Billy Mitchell demonstrated in the early '20s a plane could sink a battleship the American Navy scoffed and said no way. A group of Japanese military (our ally in The Great War) were busy taking notes.
Joe
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I recently slogged my way through A History of the American People, by
some crackpot I have heard about for some year. His name escapes me right now. He wrote nothing America has done was good, all the bad things we did to this or that group of people, sta
I could only read a few pages at a time before my head started to
explode.
This nutjob's book is used as a text in many schools.
I found it free on the net. I didn't want him to earn a dime off me.

With the way that publishing works these days, it is a lot easier for
people who are not really knowledgable about a topic to write a paperback
and get it published. When you order a copy, they print it off and send it
to you.

When Billy Mitchell demonstrated in the early '20s a plane could sink a battleship the American Navy scoffed and said no way. A group of Japanese military (our ally in The Great War) were busy taking notes.

Later, when our manufacturers were ignoring Deming, the Japanese paid
attention again. :)

Mike


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Re: WWII
By: Mike Powell to JOE MACKEY on Wed Dec 16 2020 01:35 pm

When Billy Mitchell demonstrated in the early '20s a plane could sink a
battleship the American Navy scoffed and said no way. A group of
Japanese military (our ally in The Great War) were busy taking notes.

And in 1942, it was B-25 Mitchell bombers that dropped bombs on Tokyo. :)
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When Billy Mitchell demonstrated in the early '20s a plane could sink a
battleship the American Navy scoffed and said no way. A group of
Japanese military (our ally in The Great War) were busy taking notes.

And in 1942, it was B-25 Mitchell bombers that dropped bombs on Tokyo. :)

I guess his demonstrations finally got someone's attention. :)

Mike

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Daryl wrote --

Then, they wanted an apology from the US for dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Have they apologized to China? To Korea? To Vietnam? To Thailand? And
a few other places here and there?
Japan was ready to fight to the last man, woman and child. Can you
imagine the bloodbath (on both sides) if we didn't have the bomb?
If we hadn't used it the same people bemoaning we did would probably
complain we had it and didn't use it.
When they were dropped the Japanese Army didn't see them as anything different from other bombs, other than being bigger ones. The generals wanted the war to continue, thinking we only had two, which is a fact, but a third
was being built.

The late George H.W. Bush said "they aren't
getting an apology from this President". I believe he served in World War II, as did my late father.

Yep, he was a pilot and shot down. He was rescued after a while in the water.
I had a brother (from my fathers first marriage) who died at Guadalcanal
in January, 1945. He was on a supply ship loaded down with ammo that blew
up in the harbour. (We had already taken Guadalcanal and it was being used
as a staging area). There were
Joe
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Joe,

Have they apologized to China? To Korea? To Vietnam? To Thailand?
And a few other places here and there?

I don't think so. And, that's the same for most (if not all) the
tyrannical and despotic countries.

Japan was ready to fight to the last man, woman and child. Can you imagine the bloodbath (on both sides) if we didn't have the bomb?

I shudder to think. That was the consensus, and the war would've
likely dragged on for much longer.

After the first bomb was dropped, the pilot of the Enola Gay aircraft lamented "My God!! What have we done??!!".

After the second bomb was dropped, the Japanese realized they were
helpless. Many of the soldiers committed suicide by hari-kiri (sp?) (disemboweling themselves), as they felt it was better than the
disgrace of surrender.

If we hadn't used it the same people bemoaning we did would probably complain we had it and didn't use it.

Probably so. I think that's why President Truman decided to use it,
as it likely would've cost a ton more lives on both sides.

When they were dropped the Japanese Army didn't see them as anything different from other bombs, other than being bigger ones. The generals wanted the war to continue, thinking we only had two, which is a fact,
but a third was being built.

That I did not know.

Yep, he was a pilot and shot down. He was rescued after a while in
the water.

When I'm out, I wear my ham radio cap with my callsign and name on it,
plus a COVID-19 mask...both which have "the American Flag look". Folks
have thought I was a veteran, but I tell them that "I never would've
passed the physical...due to poor eyesight, buck teeth, and severe
trouble with my feet".

It reminds me of the joke where the guy goes to apply for disability,
and after hearing the meager amount he'd get (it is that), his wife
angrily said "you should've dropped your pants to them, and you would
have gotten more money". <G>

I had a brother (from my fathers first marriage) who died at Guadalcanal in January, 1945. He was on a supply ship loaded down with ammo that blew up in the harbour. (We had already taken Guadalcanal
and it was being used as a staging area). There were

I don't remember how many ships my late father served on. Some names I
do recall were the Nimitz, the Amberjack, and the Barracuda.

Daryl

... Floggings will continue until morale improves.
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Daryl wrote --

I shudder to think. That was the consensus, and the war would've
likely dragged on for much longer.

I've read the war would been projected to last until about 1947.

as they felt it was better than the disgrace of surrender.

The Japanese culture (military and civilian) at the time was never
surrender. It was seen as a weakness and a great shame. This is one reason Allied POW's were so poorly treated. (Japan also never signed the post WWI agreement on treatment of POW's, as d
The few Japanese POW's we had said they would tortured and all if they surrendered, not treated with respect.

I tell them that "I never would've passed the physical...due to poor eyesight, buck teeth, and severe trouble with my feet".

Obviously this was in peace time. :)
Back in my day sonny, it was "Are you able to breathe on your own?" If
yes, then you were in.

I don't remember how many ships my late father served on. Some names I do recall were the Nimitz, the Amberjack, and the Barracuda.

The Nimitz is a carrier. The other two sound like subs.

... Floggings will continue until morale improves.

Old Navy saying, I use at work from time to time.

Back to Pearl Harbour a minute.
I recall a line in the old Barney Miller show where Yamoto (Jack Soo,
the Japanese cop) was being kidded about being a pilot there in the Japanese Navy and asked what he thought about that.
He replied, "It seemed like a good idea at the time".
(These lines would never make it on tv today).
Joe
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Joe,

I tell them that "I never would've passed the physical...due to poor

eyesight,

buck teeth, and severe trouble with my feet".

Obviously this was in peace time. :)

Well, I wasn't even 10 when the Vietnam War started.

Back in my day sonny, it was "Are you able to breathe on your own?"
If yes, then you were in.

I would've been 4E and 4F -- Even if there was a war, don't come...and
forget about enlisting. :P

The Nimitz is a carrier. The other two sound like subs.

They were. I had my first hoagie (submarine sandwich) on a submarine at
the former Naval Air Station in Key West over 50 years ago.

... Floggings will continue until morale improves.

Old Navy saying, I use at work from time to time.

It keeps them in line, though. :P

Back to Pearl Harbour a minute.
I recall a line in the old Barney Miller show where Yamoto (Jack
Soo, the Japanese cop) was being kidded about being a pilot there in
the Japanese Navy and asked what he thought about that.
He replied, "It seemed like a good idea at the time".
(These lines would never make it on tv today).

No kidding. No one has a sense of humor anymore.

It's like my brother...he turned 59 today, but after he snubbed me a
couple of weeks ago (and chewed me out) over the birthday card I gave
him, I didn't even bother.

It was a backside sketch from the middle back, down to the middle thigh,
of a woman and a man...both butt cheeks and the cracks in all their glory
(we are the same from the back side). On the inside, it noted "Thought you could expect some cracks about your age"...and I added "Every booty wanted
you to have a happy birthday -- bun appetit!!". He growled "that was uncalled for!!". I wanted to tell him to "Get A Life!!".

As Roger Rabbit says, "if you don't have a sense of humor, you're better
off dead!!". That's why I keep bringing up the story of 3 blind ham radio operators having to direct me out of a hamfest parking lot, and out of a hospital parking deck...because I *CAN* laugh at myself.

Daryl

... There is more to life than increasing speed.
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Daryl wrote --

He replied, "It seemed like a good idea at the time".
(These lines would never make it on tv today).

No kidding. No one has a sense of humor anymore.

So many people spend so much time looking to be offended in some way.

As Roger Rabbit says, "if you don't have a sense of humor, you're better off dead!!".

Without a sense of humour we are all in deep trouble.
As one woman said another "She has a great sense of rumour".
If you can't laugh at yourself, I'd be happy to do it for you.
Joe
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Joe,

Without a sense of humour we are all in deep trouble.

Not to get too deep into "forbidden territory", I've heard that "God
has a sense of humor...He created us"...and that "he gave us the gift
of laughter". Red Skelton, Jack Benny, George Burns, Groucho Marx, and
so many others proved that you don't have to be dirty/vulgar to be
funny. The church bulletin bloopers, which I've noted before, are a
prime example of such.

As one woman said another "She has a great sense of rumour".

There was a song by the New Gaither Vocal Band, and the theme was "If
it can be twisted, you can be sure that it will. 'Cause there ain't
nothin' sacred...at The Rumor Mill". Sad, but true.

If you can't laugh at yourself, I'd be happy to do it for you.

That's why I'm comedy relief in the echo.

Man, I sure miss Nancy Backus. :'(

Daryl

... Idiot Box - The part of the envelope that tells where the stamp goes.
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