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Re: RAIN 6/04



I think the article on the Pacific war atrocities (I reclipped the headline
below) is raising a troubling issue for me.  Similar to the whole Bob Kerrey
brouhaha recently, there seems to be a developing need to raise the specters
of wars gone past - and criticize the activities of the soldiers involved.

While I support the bringing to light of these incidents, I feel there's a
movement in the media (and others) to condemn the actions of men (and, I
assume, women) who lived through something they can never understand.  I
find it troubling that our grasp of history is being examined through the
lens of our current sensibilites, though I suspect that's always the case.

I have never served in combat, and probably never will, but I wouldn't
presume to second-guess the actions of the young men who were there.  War,
as has been said, is hell - it's only natural that horrifying things will
happen when 18 and 20 year olds are asked to kill.  I think it's
unreasonable for us to assume that soldiers should perform one of the most
gruesome jobs known to man (at their government's request/insistence) and
then expect them to turn that off at a switch.  Considering the
circumstances, people will do all sorts of things that they wouldn't from
the safety and security of their homes.

I have no problem with these stories coming to light, but the actions of the
soldiers involved should be considered in light of the context, and perhaps
the combatants deserve our sympathy instead of criticism.

The Guardian 6/3/01
Film exposes Allies' Pacific war atrocities
http://www.observer.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,500631,00.html

On a side (and lighter note), as a cartoon fan I think the same rules of
context should be applied to the Bugs Bunny cartoons - group the offending
cartoons together, show them later at night, or have a discussion after
they're shown to discuss what the implications of the racism, etc. are.

Thoughts, anyone?

DS

______________________________________
Daniel Sokolow, Archives Coordinator
David Taylor Archives
North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
155 Community Drive
Great Neck, NY 11021
mailto:dsokolow@nshs.edu

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