Rockford, in your anger, you overlook a few things. No one said that the US was wrong, no one is saying he’s ashamed of the US or the US military, esp. not the American role in WWII. Pointing out the rather obvious fact that there were both admirable and wicked people in both the Japanese and American armies is most certainly not saying their causes were the same or that the US was wrong or Japan right.
Likewise, the Japanese cause being wrong and the Japanese Imperial Army being capable of horrific acts of inhumanity does not at all mean that each individual Japanese conscript was evil or some kind of bloodthirsty, unthinking barbarian.
On the American side, the justice of the American cause and the generally good behavior of American forces does not mean that each individual American was a saint or a hero.
Take a look at what happened at the end of WWII. American Occupation Forces committed thousands of rapes, thefts, and scores of murders. Their behavior, while not among the worst that occupying armies have shown, was bad enough that it was of great concern to GHQ.
You accuse Levi, who made a perfectly valid point, of being ignorant of history, but the writings of many men who were there do not paint a picture of good vs. evil or heroism, but of men in the most terrible situation in which a man could find himself.
And what of the writings of Japanese soldiers?
If you’re actually interested in history, why attack people? Why not study a bit more, grow up a bit, and realize that even soldiers and foreigners are human, with the highest and basest of inclinations.
As for being proud of America, wouldn’t you agree that part of lovign your country or having pride in it is a willingness to asees it honestly while defending it tirelessly? What’s the point in trying hard if America is incapable of wrongdoing?
