[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: RAIN 6/04



Hear, hear!

To paraphrase Daniel slightly, it's very easy to criticize and condemn from
the safety of one's own home (or office), thousands of miles and tens of
years removed from the actual events.
While I agree with Daniel in that this unfortunate part of the war's history
does need to be brought to light, I find it disturbing that this story was
printed so close to Veteran's Day and Memorial Day, when the men and women
whose considerable commitment to and sacrifice for our country is to be
honored but instead is forgotten or ignored.

Best wishes,

Thomas Berry, Archivist
Historical Construction Equipment Association
16623 Liberty Hi Road
Bowling Green, Ohio 43402
Phone 419-352-5616
Fax 419-352-6086
tberry@wcnet.org
http://www.hcea.net


----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel Sokolow" <DSokolow@NSHS.EDU>
To: <ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU>
Sent: Monday, June 04, 2001 9:46 AM
Subject: 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
>
> A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!
>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
>       In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
>                     *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
> To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu
>
> Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
>      http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html
>
> Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>
>

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>