Grimmy and Hendryk are both correct on the Battle of the Bismarck Sea. Seems like I recall much of the strafing of Japanese troops in the water and of rescue vessels was retaliation for the Japanese machine-gunning shot down bomber crews as they parachuted. As for the argument that the Japanese had to be strafed because they could be got back in the fight after rescue, that’s probably got merit, but I’m not sure how much use the surviving waterlogged troops with no equipment or supplies were going to be to the Japanese Army in New Guinea.

Seems like I saw a general discussion of Bismarck Sea in Richard Frank’s book on the Guadalcanal campaign, and in a volume of Morison’s US Naval Ops of WWII series.

George,

Surrender may indeed be, as you put “a western, bourgeois concept.” Inasmuch as I’m a western bourgeois, and somewhat Norte-Amero-Euro centric, perhaps that explains my positions. BTW, I don’t like Stalinists or commies any more than you do.