One of my neighbors was a young boy during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. He credited his survival to a Japanese sergeant that regularly sneaked food to him. He said after the Allied victory a parade of captured Japanese troops was marched through the city and he threw rocks at them like every other Chinese. He then immediately felt ashamed remembering the sergeant who'd helped him survive the war simply out of human kindness and realizing not all Japanese had been monsters.
Most of good and well discipline soldier of the IJA would be punish and demoted their rank, bad news to them who're nice and have a sense of humanity... Yet war is written by the winner and the winner are allowed to do most herendous fact which wash the whole population as shit...
@@dantemoose420 NOT ALL OF THEM: THERE WAS A MEDIC WHO CANT STOMACH WHAT HIS COLLEAGUES DID, ESPECIALLY ONE WHO STRANGLED A BABY...HE STAYED IN CHINA , STATING THAT HE HAD TO ATONE FOR HIS ARMY
same for my grandmother in the philippines.she always tell me stories where the japanese soldiers would knock on their doors asking for some food but if she cannot give them any she told me they would just walk away
A few years back I watched a interview of this elderly villager who told this story about a group of Japanese soldiers passing through her village when she was younger, she was standing outside with her baby, the soldiers noticed that the baby was crying so they went a found some milk and brought it back to her so she could feed her baby.
Actually, at the Santo Tomas University campus, where Western civilians were detained, the detainees were allowed to administer the camp whilst Homma was in overall command. It wasn't until he was reassigned back to Japan that Japanese authorities took day to day control and existence became very difficult for the inmates.
MacArthur pushed for the execution of Generals Homma and Yamashita for crimes they didn't commit, but spared Shiro Ishii and his "colleagues" at Unit 731 in Northeastern China, men who had performed gruesome human experimentation and biological warfare. It sort of shows the (unimpressive) calibre of one of America's most famous military heroes.
You can find stories of Germans who hid Jewish Germans as well. Individual acts of humanity are not uncommon. However, the Japanese Army was based on a systemic brutality to allow their soldiers to indulge their brutal anger on civilians and prisoners alike, as payoff for the brutality they received from their ncos and officers. I don't believe this is hyperbole. Reports from the Nanking massacre indicate that that was "payoff" for the soldiers who had seized the city.
The barbarism of the Japanese military is well documented. Of course I am sure most Japanese soldiers were not evil, but unlike the Germans, they cannot put all the blame on SS units. I do believe that the average Japanese WW2 veteran’s biggest regret was that they lost.
Barbarism? For them western people were barbarians. So who is right here? You got the absolute truth? You decide who is barbaric and who is the good guy? You really are that stupid to think the japanese were barbaric? You dont see the hipocrisy on that? Throwing two atomic bombs on civilian targets is not barbaric then? Or bombing Japanese cities with incendiary bombs knowing everybody there lives in wooden houses is not barbaric? Killing prisioners of war if the prisioners of war are japanese is not barbarism? Cause the USA did all that over and over again. Well, except the atomic bombs, they only did it two times, over civilians, both the times. Man, one must have the head so deep into ones ass to think one has the right to judge as the super dooper absolute law in the planet.
You need to meet some of the survivors of the Bataan Death March. I met Bert Bank, who survived it. His testimony changed my entire perspective. Some countries are not fit to be included in the definition of "civilization".
My sincere thanks for this. In the midst of the contant barrage of populist rhetoric, that rely on half truths and lies of omission, examing these aspects history helps us to stay in touch with the better part of our conscience. 👍🏾🙏🏾👊🏾
The fact also that many of the worst Japanese war crime committing generals and admirals got away makes me believe many of these executions were show trial to make it look like justice is served. The fact that Yamashita wasn’t liked because of his desire for reform in the IJA also fuels my suspicions
@@jerrymiller9039 As far as that is concerned, the US Supreme Court had at least two judges who deprecated the trials of Homma and Yamashita. There was also the lone hold-out in the Tokyo trials who dug his heels in and refused to countenance judicial murder. The wrong people were arraigned and punished. This is with no thought of 'whataboutery'. If we descended to that, there would be no end to the discussion.
Unit 731; Shirō Ishii was let away scot free because the allies needed their human experimentation results for biological and chemical warfare for use in the upcoming war against the Soviets. So they obviously made a deal to let them go for the info. Many of Japan's post-war Medical and Science ranks were filled with these barbaric men as part of the establishment in Universities, Hospitals and Pharmacy and chemical companies. We (the allies) made a deal with the devil(s).
The love story that saved a town in WWII. “Before world war II, Japanese reaches the Philippines and some settled in Vigan. One of them is Japanese General Maj. Sakae Narioka who fell in love with a local woman named Belen Castillo. The Japanese General won the heart of Belen and they got married and had a child named Emiko Narioka. Couple of years then after signing the treaty of Paris which transfers the fate of the Philippines from Spanish to Americans the battle set in the Northern Part of the Philippines. While the battle is fast approaching north and further, the Japanese General had sensed news that the Americans are soon to arrive in Vigan. To spare his wife and child, he commanded the Japanese settlers and soldiers to depart going to north. He left his wife and son in one of the church in Vigan under the care of a Dominican priest. All signs of Japanese inhabitant were burnt in Vigan right after the General and his troops left the place. American flags were hung on each and every window of the houses signing the Americans that this place has fully turned to their side. By this, Vigan was spared from bombing. American troops kept going north and soon attacked Laoag City. Nothing was told about what happen to the brave general (now an image of loving father and husband) and his troops who they believe headed to Laoag too.
The history of Japanese attrocities in The Philippines is WELL documented and grand children of those the Japanese barbarically and ruthlessly decimated is in their family history, for you to extol any virtue of ANY Japanese soldier who served in The Philippines is an insult to justice and what really happened.
Unfortunately, the good were few and far in between. Homma and Yamashita were victims of MacArthur's petty arrogance, there truly was no reason for their executions.
ALSO THE ARCHITECT OF THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH AS WELL AS THE EXECUTION OF FILIPINO OFFICIALS LIKE JOSE ABAD SANTOS, ALMOST DID THE SAME TO FUTURE PRESIDENT MANUEL ROXAS, LOVES THE LIVERS OF AMERICANS... THE BASTARD NOT ONLY ESCAPED THE GALLOWS BUT ALSO BECAME PART OF THE GOVT AND BECAME A CIA ASSET... I HOPED THAT HIS VICTIMS GAINED JUSTICE WHEN HE SUDDENLY "DISAPPEARED"
@@54032Zepol Lol Japan will never be number 1 again. They were going to be leading economy in the 80s but the US fuck them up with the Plaza accord. Cause US needs to stay as the number 1 superpower.
Oh you dont have any statue for Patton? Cause he was a war criminal too. You dont have any statue or monument to presidents? Cause Truman was a war criminal too. You dont have statues, mpvies, comic books and all kind of glorified propaganda about the US paratroopers? Cause they were war criminal too. Well well, stupid ass hipocrite sighted, well sorry, the whole US history is a love letter to hipocrisy lol
It’s just like that one old video about the Wehrmacht standing up to the SS, and how it’s unfair to brand every German in WW2 with the word “Nazi”. It’s equally unfair to brand every Japanese soldier with the word “Barbaric”.
I had a neighbor that was a POW in a Japanese camp. He bore no bitterness against them. He said they were starving, but the guards also didn't have enough food.
I'm glad you've included Captain Isao Yamazoe, because he's not like any other Japanese soldiers who showed torture and cruel towards other people. But the problem is that he was completely unwritten in our Philippine history books. Only the elders are the only ones who can remember him.
He has a decent sized shrine in Leyte though. But yeah, I wish his story was more widespread. I think he's pretty well celebrated in Leyte, being remembered during the Leyte Landings anniversaries. But with the anniversary not being celebrated widely in the country, it's no wonder a lot of Filipinos haven't heard of him.
The story of Captain Yamazoe broke my heart, even though my heart is pretty much cold when it comes to the Japanese military in WWII. Like many others, my family was directly affected by the Japanese occupation as my great grandfather was forced to march to his death, even after having suffered a stroke.
There are accounts from Nanking Massacre survivors who met nice Japanese soldiers. One Japanese officer helped a survivor and his family by buying them food and coffins for their murdered relatives
Only evidence is that there is NO evidence to support what you say. The footage that both the Japanese took , oficially and the Chinese managed to take entirely refute your story as does all written records as well as the Bushido code, which was PART, and only PART of the contempt the Japanese furnished on others, and you MUST remember the rape of Nanking including horrendous rape, mass mureders and childred being tortured.....NO there were NOT!@@miliba
Captain Isao Yamazoe was doing what the Japanese originally promised all Asian peoples, bringing happiness and prosperity to all Asians. His successor, unfortunately, was the reality that most faced at the hands of the Imperial Japanese military and Kenpeitai (secret police). It's scary to think how far Japan would have gotten if they'd employed Captain Isao's tactics across the Empire, inspiring the loyalty and devotion of millions of people who'd been subjugated not by the sword, but by just and fair rule. Of course, the same could be said for another group of radicals a half-a-world away, who invaded the USSR, were hailed as liberators, and then were cursed as thugs and murderers.
@@ukeyaoitrash2618 If the the Japanese of that time had been just as hell-bent on conquest, but had actually enacted their "brotherhood" policies instead of the genocidal (suicidal) policies which actually occurred, the Japanese military would have found millions of ready volunteers in their subjugated territories, volunteers who could, in theory, have been used to expand Japan's greatness into still MORE territories, taking all of China, India, most of the Pacific, probably Australia, maybe even the West Coast of the United States. Instead, we have Captain Isao's example, a decidedly rare glimmer of light in an otherwise dark war.
@@ex-navyspook there's an alternate story i'd read, if the japanese really follow their propaganda to save the asia, of course there will be a hundred thousand or millions volunteers will join them, and also if they didn't commit atrocities in mainland china, of course they will be gained more sympathy by the chinese people as well, and it same to korean people as well.
lol. Oh look someone who knows absolutely nothing about what actually happened and the millions brutally murdered, raped and gutted by the Japanese. The lie that they would care about other Asian people is so ridiculous that it could only be utter by someone who is either dishonest or completely unaware of the facts. The Japanese believed that they were racially superior to everyone else. That was part of their culture and permeated throughout their society. If the Koreans, Chinese, Philippinos and other Asians were fortunate they may have been treated with the same regard as livestock. But never as humans anywhere near the level that the Japanese viewed themselves.
General Matsui Iwane, titular commander of the Japanese Army at the Siege, investiture and Rape of Nanking. He gave strict orders to preserve discipline, prevent civilian casualties, respect the property of civilians. All of which were fastidiously ignored by the generals under him who had separate orders to make an example of the population of Nanking.
I heard that about him. He can do nothing much about it though as the ferociousness of the NRA to defend their city frustrated most of his subordinates ever since their campaign that started in Shanghai.
Chinese here, imo, Matsui Iwane should been executed, but not due to the massacre in Nanjing but to advocate for expanding the war past Shanghai area, which led to high command sanctioning the invasion of Nanjing. He is guilt of war against peace. At the conclusion of the battle; he was transferred away to recover from illness, and the boots on the ground in charge of the army was Prince Asaka who gave the direct order to kill all captives, as well as Akira Muto (guy in glasses stood next to Yamashita 16:03) who gave the order for the troops to find their own accommodations in town which is a green light to carry out Prince Asaka’s order. At the war’s end, all royal family members are pardoned by MacArthur and Truman, Prince Asaka lost royal status and lived to a peaceful life till the age of 89. In short, Matsui Iwane is guilty with respect to Nanjing, the massacre might not have happened if he stayed in Nanjing after the battle and commanded the troops, but it definitely wouldn’t have happened if he didn’t advocate for the army to move onto Nanjing and make the war a bigger mess.
@@cube33 I mean he was at war so he had to do what is needed to win and yeah he could have avoided the massacre if he stayed but he was ill what can he had done??
He was in command and didn’t know what his subordinates was doing? Nah if he didn’t he wouldn’t have instituted Comfort Women. He knew of the rape of Nanking and let it happen!
@@cube33 how could a general guilt of war against peace? It usually befall on politicians like Putin not to generals. Matsui Iwane was doing what is necessary to win a war.
Homma, I personally think is someone honorable that is unwilling to pass what he viewed as his blame for not getting it right. He COULD, by everyone's view including his own, have stopped it. He didn't, and "fell on his sword" so to speak for it.
He may have been an honorable man, but leadership must take responsibility for the actions of their units. In a way he did, paying with his life. If he was truly honorable he would have understood that and probably did.
You should read about Fang Xianjue during Defense of Hengyang. After inflicting heavy casualties against Japanese 11th Army, he surrendered to them on a condition that they would not commit warcrimes against Chinese POWs. The Japanese, on rare occasion, did an "honorable" thing to the Chinese out of respect for their fierce Defense of Hengyang. Later, the surviving veterans of Japanese 11th Army who participated in Battle of Hengyang visited Fang's tomb to pay respect.
Homma and Yamashita … no they were a small minority of generals that tried to fight a clean war. And MacArther hated to lose. As for Sakai, banning such a gifted aviator from ever flying again is sad. I would have loved to have him in the JSDAF or a competitive air racer!
Well, he wasnt banned due to his war actions, but due to his wound. During the war he attacked a US dive bomber, and a rear gunner´s shot went through his head, temporarily blinding him, and permanently destroying one of his eyes. During the war he was put into action again, but after the war when there was no need for crippled pilots, he was basically out of action by principle.
@@pavelslama5543 but still, the Luftwaffe put crippled aviators to good use as commanders and instructors. Some even still flew! I wold have enjoyed the tactics that he could have came up with for the F-86 Sabres or the later F-16 Eagles.
@@kennethhummel4409 Well, I do not have an answer for why he didnt became a commander. His book doesnt go that far. But I suspect that the Murican-lead Japanese defense forces didnt want to have anything to do with prominent WW2 personas.
@@pavelslama5543 which is a loss to the military aviation community. The man was a leaf on the wind in an airplane, any pilot that could make 15 Hellcats look silly and ineffective in a single dogfight with the use of only one eye might have changed the all missile doctrine of the late 1950s and prevented the USN and USAF losses in the skies over Vietnam.
Better he be chained from flying than to have become a glorified living bomb on a futile gesture of "divine wind". Believe me, the man is lucky to have lived up to the new millennia.
This is a very thought provoking vid with the issues about Homma and Yamashita as in truth when I read about MacArthur life and found that he really was a very vain man and never liked to admit to mistakes and cared more about his image. So I would not have been surprised if he had a say in those trails at all.
MacArthur also thought himself as untouchable and blessed, so much so that if given the opportunity he'd challenge any commander, general, or admiral. And in the case of post war Japan, ridicule and humiliate state officials and national leaders, a sentiment he carried in his following career until his dismissal by Truman in the Korean war.
There was an allied airman who was caught by the Japanese and the Japanese commander of the post decided to cut his head off, this is a gruesome story and is documented by the Commanders doctor and they both laughed about it, you should read the diary before you post good things about Japanese soldiers of WW2.
Something that I found interesting is about Japanese soldiers conduct in the Boxer Rebellion, whereupon breaching the city, they watched on in horror as their Russian and German allies raped women and looted Chinese homes. The American Marines had a similar culture shock as well upon witnessing this. The Boxer Rebellion was kind of the first time in the modern era where all the world's major power sent troops as part of an allied coalition to restore order in another country. It's sad that they somehow went from being honorable to savage in a matter of a couple of decades, but I believe it was their officers that instigated such behavior, as they participated in a massacre against civilians (I forget where) not even 6-7 years later.
Before ww2 , japan helped the filipinos against spain and the U.S , they fought along side us ..... Yet none of us remember them . Only the few whom cared still remember their contribution .
I visited Leyte, adn they actually have many memorials for Yamaso even at the entrance of the town he was stationed in. They bring offerings to his spirit by placing food under his memorials, truly love and never forgotten.
It's nice to hear a different perspective on the Imperial forces. It needs to be common knowledge that they carried out horrific acts so that the history is ledd likely to repeat itself out of ignorance. But when people choose humanity in the face of punishment and even death it needs to be sung about also. Forget footballers and actors, these people are real role models.
Remember people the Japanese army was filled with militarist bushido like general. Many were as terrible as Samurai could be back in history but many were also as honorable as their memes to be. But the boys that Japan indoctrinated into this militarist culture created more of the former than the latter. With hard racial superiority in their minds.
What the Japanese did was never right but the Americans were also doing horrible things during their "colonization" of the country when the Spaniards handed the country over. Hundreds of thousands of Filipinos died during the Philippine-American war yet no one was punished. Of course, contemporary Filipinos never heard of it as history books were rewritten to show that the Americans were actually the good guys and even considered Filipino revolutionaries as rebels.
Actually, they admitted. The US State Department computed 200k to 800k civilian casualties. Though Filipino historians think the death toll higher, up to 3 million. This is due to the difference between the last Spanish census and the first American census. 3 million missing people.
@ERRATAS 0202 Just when did they ever apologized? To Mexico after stealing 5 whole states? To Hawaii after overthrowing the monarchy? To Japan after the two atomic bombs? What makes you think they will ever say sorry for anything they did?
I know this is a late comment. But thought i'd share this. Singaporean-chinese here. My great grandma had one of the japanese troops stationed at her home in occupied-Singapore. Unlike his colleagues who were happily being cunts and commiting war crimes, he was actually rather kind towards her and her family, sneaking them food and refraining from abusing them. He once even snuck them half a chicken, which was a big deal, considering the local population was starving at that time. After the war, this story was told from generation to generation in my family.
I read a excellent book by the historian, Hampton Sides, called the " The Ghost Soldiers". It deals with the Bataan Death March. He gives an example of Japanese humanity. Col. Masanobu Tsuji, who was also known as "The God of Operations", had considerable influence with in the Army, even though he was a Col. He started calling other Japanese officers In General Homma's divisions, giving the impression, that Homma had authorized the killing of prisoners. One the commanders of a Division did not believe that this order were genuine. So he called in the Senior American Officers in his group of prisoners, showed them on Japanese maps, how his men could avoid Japanese Patrols, and escape into the jungle. He let them go instead of killing them. Growing up there was a man in the neighborhood that was in the death march, and he told the story, that he fell out of the march because he was so weak, and a Japanese soldier came up to him, to stab him with his bayonet, stabbed the ground near him, making it looked like he killed him, then walked away. He was then able to escape into the jungle mountains and survived the war. He said that his greatest hope that the soldier survived the war too. As for Col Tsuji, he was never brought to trail and was elected to the Diet after the war, but he disappeared in China in 1968, many believe that he was a Chinese spy.
Speaking of Shunsaku Kudo, one of those rescued, by the name of Samuel Falle, became a prominent diplomat and was knighted later. Sir Samuel later visited Japan to find his saviour but Kudo was long gone by the time of Sir Samuel visited in the 2000s. Sir Samuel did have a second to none reception during his visit though.
The best humans will shine bright even in the darkest of days - just made that up in my head explaining some of these good humans whose personality shone through even in the darkness of war .
In the book the Rape of Nanjing a child at the time who was brutalized and bayoneted recalls beging saved by a 'kind hearted Japanese soldier'. Whoever that unnamed man was he should have been praised as a hero of the Japanese people
One of Japanese Navy officer were playing a major role for Indonesian Independence by helping them drafting the proclamation of independence A lot of Japanese Soldiers work alongside with Local Rebels during Indonesian Revolutionary war against NICA, a combination of UK and Netherland forces...
I read the officer name was Tadashi Maeda isn't it? The officer who sided with Indonesia for his personal purpose not because the order from his superiors.
@@riflya6012 just for some info. The japanese navy were less cruel and brutal if compared to the japanese army. Many japanese navy officers were disagreed and disgusted against japanese government and accusing them for betraying their 'propaganda to save the asia'. They also disgusted the kempeitai actions for assassinating their fellow officers who did not show 'support' for japanese government. And some of them also dislikes hideki tojo as well. The japanese officers who oppose the war and invasion mostly comes from the japanese navy, the good example is isoroku yamamoto, the famous officers who plays the role for attacking pearl harbor. Yamamoto is one of the japanese who oppose the war against china, oppose the colonialism against korea and taiwan, and also oppose the invasion in southeast asia and other parts of asia as well. So basically, he oppose the war and invasions.
Just remember, history is written by the victors. I'm sure there are a lot more stories about the Japanese being humane that are not known till this day.
History is not written by the Victors. Where else would the “lost cause myth” come from in the United States? Or the “clean Wehrmacht” myth in Germany? Also, of course there are many humane people from both the Japanese empire and Nazi Germany but, they were obviously and somewhat rightfully overshadowed. Just like there were likely “evil” people on the allied side who aren’t really talked about.
"The exception to the rule." This is a tragic contrast between the western Allies and the fanatic of the Axis powers. That is that although atrocities were committed by both sides, atrocities committed by the western Allies were the exception. (fyi, I say the "western" Allies as it is well known that the Red Army was, in most cases, hell-bent on retribution for atrocities committed by German personal during their advance into the Soviet Union during Operation Barbarossa.) In contrast, the policies of the Nazi regime, as well as the bulk of the Imperial Japanese Military, (basically) demanded atrocities be committed, therefore humane treatment of enemy combatants and/or civilian populations was the exception. Speaking of the exception of atrocities committed by western Allies, I have no doubt that MacArthur's input towards the possible error in judgment and sentence of the video-discussed-persons was quite likely an ego motivated atrocity as it is also well known that MacArthur could be irrational in his judgement. Take, for instance, MacArthur's desire to bomb N. Korea (Korean War) with nuclear weapons. This is evidence of MacArthur's less than completely humane rationale. Btw, of the men discussed in the video, I had heard of the last man mentioned, pilot Saburo Sakai, but it was bittersweet to learn of the others. Bittersweet because of the controversial convictions implemented as mentioned.
You seem like the person who likes to smell their own farts. After Philipines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia Yugoslavia, Iraq, Syria you expect anyone who's not from the western countries (western allies) to believe that they didn't commit war crimes just like the rest? Are you that naive or that deceitful? There are cases of American troops commiting mass rapes and blaming it on the Russians in Berlin. Do you want to deny the shit the Americans did during the occupation of Japan. Imagine pushing the good vs bad narrative knowing what we know about all sides of WW2
Thank you for this video. There's too many videos of of what the Japanese and Nazi did during WW2 that are inhumane. I'm not going to deny that because thats the truth. But were every single soldier from both sides devils? Definitely not. Even though he was a diplomat, Chiune Sugihara saved more than 5000 Jewish people during WW2 against his superiors orders.
"In view of the difficulties the Americans encounter today in Asia, "one can ask what gain to them is their winning in the Pacific." Saburo Sakai in his preface to Martin Caidin's "The Zero Fighter"(Ballantine's Illustrated History Of World War 2) Well, Sakai-san perhaps would rather have his neck massaged by soviet boots. Same with Erich Kuby, West German journalist, author of "The Russians and Berlin"(1967) who wrote that he preferred soviet occupation to American occupation, but persisted in living in West Germany instead of East Germany.
My Grandfather is Veteran of World War Two in the Philippines He was one of the survivors of the Bataan Death March he was a military doctor this is what he said about the Japanese Imperial Army, most of their officers and some Generals are soldiers and gentleman cause they are highly educated and respected and have Good breeding and mostly comes from a Samurai family, it was their common soldiers that did the wanton killings and torture of both soldiers and civilians k!
Some non-Japanese mercenaries who we’re working for the Japanese were attributed to horrific acts committed in WWll here in the Philippines. On the other hand, many Japanese soldiers were really kind . My father was a POW during WWIl & imprisoned in the University of Sto. Tomas, & every evening, a Japanese colonel would enter the American Occupied tents, put aside his weapons, bring out a deck of cards, & invite all to play poker . He was well liked by everyone.
It's impossible to talk about Japanese despicable acts without also talking about the terrible acts of the American Air Force on Japan. Americans fire bombed Tokyo civilians, burning thousands of children women and old people to death. Then the ultimate cruelty was to vaporize two Japanese cities with no military significance by dropping atomic bombs on them. Tens of thousands of civilians were intentionally killed by Americans. Whose acts were the most horrendous? Yet American movies and media excuse American military conduct.
End of WW2 wasnt about to bring justice to warmonger, it's just tip the balance away from old empires(Britain, France, Japan and Dutch) to new empires(US and USSR).
One Japanese general I really like is Tadamichi Kuribayashi, the defender of Iwo Jima. He cared for civilians as he adviced the local population to evacuated and he died doing his best to fight the Americans.
@@kusada3035 you ever hear the soldiers who choose to stay in their countries they occupied and not return to japan? What's your opinion on them? Do you still considers them a hero or a traitor?
@@borneowarriors4586 neither, can't always call a soldier a hero or traitor, just men. ordinary men with ordinary lives, lives that the war took away from them, some may decide to throw their past away, some may care for the lives of the people their superiors ruined, some might have lost their families during the bombing raids on the homeland & have nowhere else to return to. its up to the viewer's moral compass & origin to determine if one is a hero or a traitor. for example Stigler saved a B-17 from death, germans claim him as a traitor, but for the family members of the Ye Olde Pub, he is a hero
In times of darkness, heroes appear. Let us never forget these men, or all the others like them, who were at their best when things were at their worst. This is merely a comment on a media site, but it is a shrine to them all the same.🎗
And what about the countless villages that completely don't exist anymore ever since the US was in Vietnam? It's way easier to mark the scars a war leaves than to show the decent acts done
Notably, how Vigan (a historical significant and preserve location in the Philippines) was saved due to 2 japanese commander and major love story saved the place from being burnt down.
@@Martyn737 The love story that saved a town in WWII. “Before world war II, Japanese reaches the Philippines and some settled in Vigan. One of them is Japanese General Maj. Sakae Narioka who fell in love with a local woman named Belen Castillo. The Japanese General won the heart of Belen and they got married and had a child named Emiko Narioka. Couple of years then after signing the treaty of Paris which transfers the fate of the Philippines from Spanish to Americans the battle set in the Northern Part of the Philippines. While the battle is fast approaching north and further, the Japanese General had sensed news that the Americans are soon to arrive in Vigan. To spare his wife and child, he commanded the Japanese settlers and soldiers to depart going to north. He left his wife and son in one of the church in Vigan under the care of a Dominican priest. All signs of Japanese inhabitant were burnt in Vigan right after the General and his troops left the place. American flags were hung on each and every window of the houses signing the Americans that this place has fully turned to their side. By this, Vigan was spared from bombing. American troops kept going north and soon attacked Laoag City. Nothing was told about what happen to the brave general (now an image of loving father and husband) and his troops who they believe headed to Laoag too.
Australian soldiers in New Guinea bayoneted EVERY Japanese soldier they found that was ;aying down, either dead or alive, that is how much disrespect they had for them BECAUSE of the ordinary Japanese soldier's barbaric actions.
Because he have what the West wants the most...the effects of every biological on a human,but if he didn't got this info he would certainly be already kicked the bucket
I am Filipino, it is true that Japanese Imperial Army are brutal but their brutality was happened during the last years of the occupation since IJA despised USA much so they brutally tortured US symphatizer and innocent civilian equally. According to my grandmother who was born in a small town in 1929 , Tiaong , Quezon. At first years of the occupation Japanese was seem to be kind , they are polite , they organize calisthenics every morning and the constantly greet people with vow. They are not monster like most movie used to depict.
You have to remember Agnes Newton Keith author of Three Never Came Home she tells of a kindly Japanese guard who treated her well as her other inmates.
Sir, you have my compliments for your unbiased videos. There were/are both good and bad people in every nationality, and I am sure that the war trials were all heavily biased against the losing side regardless of their individuals performances. For the record, I am English born and bred, and I am sure that we Brits had many bastards in our forces who were never brought to account for what they may have done during wars, and not just in WW2. Again, thankyou for being unbiased.
What USA did against Vietnam during Vietnam war? They wanted to drop atomic bombs upon Vietnam but ultimately rejected this horrific ideas when Soviets gave clear threats to retaliate against imperial Britain and America by bombing both these countries with nukes. The two imperial countries applied back gear and retreat from the battle field.
The treatment of Yamashita, one of the greatest generals of World War 2, upsets me greatly. He was essentially sentenced to death for humiliating MacArthur and Percival in the field.
I think the same here. Even though the colonialists ransacked my country in the past, i'd realized not all of them were bad or cruel. And also not all japanese were that bad during their occupations. In my opinion, the japanese that didn't act that bad or cruel are the real samurai or a person who follow the bushido code.
I read a wonderful book called Tears in the Darkness by Michael and Elizabeth Norman. They covered the Masaharu Homma trial among other topics in this book. I was convinced the Bataan Death March was carried out not on Homma’s orders but by lower ranking officers.
10:52 Homa was executed falsely on British insistence as well. Homa humiliated the and tricked the cowardly British General Percival at Singapore. He also humiliated and tricked American General MacArthur in the invasion of Philippines in 42. He was executed out of revenge.
@@sambbhavmalhotra3270 people would point out Japanese were clearly on wrong side but i dont think so. It's true that most of them commited atrocities but on whole geopolitical scheme it's wrong to fully blame the Japanese on their way to carve up their own empire. No body protest western powers carved up Asia on their own terms except Asians themselves, and when Japanese did their own all fingers point out on them.
The Japanese military is to blame, Japanese democracy died because of the military fanaticism. Fanaticism born of out hate of anything western and over worship of Japanese culture.
This is a reminder that War is the principal of atrocities. However even in the midst of the tragedy and dehumanization of it all, there can still be some humanity found. It is important to remember the crimes against humanity, But it is as important to remember those whom exemplified the best qualities of humanity. War is the greatest crime against humanity after all. For all those atrocities happened under that umbrella.
Justice is often a victim of war. Thank you for shedding light on the dark corners that are often lost. May their light and sacrifice inpire us all to be our best.
The Japanese Imperialist had no choice Yamashita and Homma had orders from the Chain of Command, orders is orders, but if is true of what they did of the atrocities, brutal, abuse, and rape oppressive behaviors of their Generals, Officers, and Soldiers Yamashita and Homma cannot be blame for it, they have no Control, the horror of war is brutal, human aggression, emotional and physical is not in the mind set of Peace, Bushido is the way of the Samurai warrior, and during that Era all Japanese Soldiers are brainwashed with exception of some Soldiers who has a soft and kind heart. I respect the Imperial Japan, at least they Apologize after their occupation and conquering and invading the Philippines. They contribute to the economy of the Philippines, Education and help our Filipinos in all kinds of humanitarian, technological Industrial form after World War 2. The Japanese Invasion was a Coprosperity among Asians. The Spanish Colonization in the Philippines was uncalled, absurd dark history for the Philippines, Spain has not apologize, they sweep their Dirty history under the rug of what they did in the Philippines, Until now I feel Sad of how brutal, oppressive, abusive, how the Spanish treated us Filipinos. Our Country was rape of our race and culture. Even now Spain has no history lessons in their School to teach the younger generations and knowledge of what they did in the Philippines for 300 over years of colonization.
@@Dornana There were actually 2 I think, one was Saburo Sakai, the Samurai in a Zero as they called him, and there was a video of him on either Yarnhub or Simple History
Let's step back a little and take a look at a nation that bills itself as the defender of liberty, freedom and democracy, and ponder the names Andersonville and Elmira. The horrific treatment of the prisoners of war in these two prison camps easily rivals the gulags of Russia and Nazi Germany. Indeed, the prisoners were not murdered outright but the manner in which they died is, in a sense, far more cruel than a quick death. No nation that has ever fought a war can make the claim that it did not commit crimes against humanity. War itself is a crime against humanity. We would be best served to bear in mind the pitiless treatment of Indigenous peoples from whom we took their land, their freedom and their lives before we judge anyone else. No one is innocent.
I hesitate to post this because I think fairness toward former enemies is a good thing, and I don't want to discourage this. Consider this a friendly disagreement. Also, I am not an expert in Military Law and it has been awhile since I looked into these issues in depth. My understanding is based on the available scholarship from about twenty years ago, and new information may have come to light. But since you asked for comments... Several issues complicate any consideration of the justice of the prosecution of Japanese war crimes. One of the most pressing issues is the continuing refusal of the Japanese government to sufficiently acknowledge such atrocities. This refusal does no one any good and alienates the rest of East Asia from Japan at a time when East Asian democracies need unity in the face of a growing threat from China. That the government of Japan risks national security by refusing to acknowledge past crimes is a telling indication of the depth of the shame they think they are hiding. They simply increase their shame. It is certain that there were miscarriages of justice in war crimes tribunals. There were crimes committed by both sides, but no victors were ever put before a tribunal. There were far more Japanese soldiers who escaped justice than ran afoul of it (more on this later). As for the two Generals covered in this video, there is a very important element left unmentioned. Both of these men negotiated surrenders of enemy troops in bad faith*. They both guaranteed proper treatment of surrendered prisoners. They both knew they were incapable of providing proper care for prisoners. They both were aware of Western attitudes and expectations about surrender. What they did is no different than guaranteeing a besieged garrison safe passage and then slaughtering them as they leave the fort. For that they both deserved execution by hanging, rather than the more honorable firing squad. They forfeited their honor when they promised something they knew they were not able to provide. I think there are probably better examples for your argument than these two, though given the enormous number of Japanese war crimes, and the relatively few trials and convictions, maybe not, especially among senior commanders. The Japanese weren't Nazis, there was no systematic punishment of officers for doing the right thing. It took no courage to not commit war crimes. Japanese, German, and Allied war crimes were different. Allied Senior Command carried out operations that could certainly be construed as war crimes. The entire German war industry was based on slave labor, and the extermination of civilians in concentration camps was directed from the very top, as was the maltreatment of Soviet and other Eastern European POWs. While rank and file Allied and German soldiers certainly committed war crimes without being ordered to, Japanese soldiers appear to have been far more likely to do this. There are probably larger issues having to do with Japanese culture to explain this**, but a contributor to this behavior was undoubtedly the fact that Japanese enlisted men were routinely abused by their own officers, making them more likely to lash out at civilians and prisoners of war. I have no idea how many of these "low level" atrocities deserve a death sentence, but it is estimated that 3 to 10 MILLION Chinese alone (not counting other nationalities) were victims of war crimes. The figure of 900 executions seems rather small when compared 3 to 10 million. On the other hand, a demand for still more blood after oceans have been spilled discredits justice itself. On balance, I think that the miscarriage of justice in the Japanese War Crimes Tribunal lies far more toward failure to punish the guilty than mistakenly punishing the innocent. If justice is to be miscarried, it is better for the balance to lie in this direction than the opposite. *Yamashita pulled off a brilliant ruse of war by convincing a larger, still powerful British force to surrender to a much smaller Japanese force, and he deserves credit for that. This is not the bad faith I am claiming. This type of deception is an accepted strategy. Deceiving your enemy as to how they will be treated after the surrender is NOT an accepted strategy. This early in the war, Percival had no reason to believe his men would be maltreated. **Issues which would be easier to explore with Japanese cooperation.
It was all about supply, if there are enough food and supply, the commanders will always be somewhat nicer than when everything is in short supply. In Taiping Rebellion , Li HongZhang opened the Granary for the starving population in one city while looting/killing/Burning the other. The reason for different of treatment was because he had enough supply when taking the first city while his troops were starving in the next one. NOte: Japanese Naval often depend on companies to deal with local, Civilian often treated local better than Imperial military which was more ruthless AND (ironically) WAY LESS EFFECTIVE in getting thing done.
You want to play war? Well, getting put up against the wall when it's all over is part of the game. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes and humanity loses.
I READ IN A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE BACK IN 2000 THAT SOME JAPANESE ARE VERY LOYAL TO THEIR EMPLOYERS: ONE WHO WORKED AS A DRIVER FOR A MANILA FAMILY BEFORE THE WAR WOULD WEEKLY BRING A SACK OF RICE TO THEM
@@NEOSCISSORSJAGUARPRIME So basically you're saying that if someone else jumps off a bridge, you will too because it's their "style". Seems dumb to me.
One of my neighbors was a young boy during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. He credited his survival to a Japanese sergeant that regularly sneaked food to him. He said after the Allied victory a parade of captured Japanese troops was marched through the city and he threw rocks at them like every other Chinese. He then immediately felt ashamed remembering the sergeant who'd helped him survive the war simply out of human kindness and realizing not all Japanese had been monsters.
Considering Japan didn't even see the Chinese as people back then, he mightve just been doing the mental equivalent of feeding a stray cat.
Most of good and well discipline soldier of the IJA would be punish and demoted their rank, bad news to them who're nice and have a sense of humanity...
Yet war is written by the winner and the winner are allowed to do most herendous fact which wash the whole population as shit...
@@dantemoose420
Yep. Be kind to animals.
@@dantemoose420 NOT ALL OF THEM: THERE WAS A MEDIC WHO CANT STOMACH WHAT HIS COLLEAGUES DID, ESPECIALLY ONE WHO STRANGLED A BABY...HE STAYED IN CHINA , STATING THAT HE HAD TO ATONE FOR HIS ARMY
same for my grandmother in the philippines.she always tell me stories where the japanese soldiers would knock on their doors asking for some food but if she cannot give them any she told me they would just walk away
A few years back I watched a interview of this elderly villager who told this story about a group of Japanese soldiers passing through her village when she was younger, she was standing outside with her baby, the soldiers noticed that the baby was crying so they went a found some milk and brought it back to her so she could feed her baby.
Actually, at the Santo Tomas University campus, where Western civilians were detained, the detainees were allowed to administer the camp whilst Homma was in overall command. It wasn't until he was reassigned back to Japan that Japanese authorities took day to day control and existence became very difficult for the inmates.
MacArthur pushed for the execution of Generals Homma and Yamashita for crimes they didn't commit, but spared Shiro Ishii and his "colleagues" at Unit 731 in Northeastern China, men who had performed gruesome human experimentation and biological warfare. It sort of shows the (unimpressive) calibre of one of America's most famous military heroes.
Ok, so now the Commies with them helping tons of Nazi war criminals out.
You wonder where all the papers right now. A fort or something.
You can find stories of Germans who hid Jewish Germans as well. Individual acts of humanity are not uncommon. However, the Japanese Army was based on a systemic brutality to allow their soldiers to indulge their brutal anger on civilians and prisoners alike, as payoff for the brutality they received from their ncos and officers. I don't believe this is hyperbole. Reports from the Nanking massacre indicate that that was "payoff" for the soldiers who had seized the city.
Thanks for sharing this information...
UA-cam demonitizing the Japanese now??? Damn youtube 😔
Please take a look about Admiral Tadashi Maeda...
The barbarism of the Japanese military is well documented. Of course I am sure most Japanese soldiers were not evil, but unlike the Germans, they cannot put all the blame on SS units. I do believe that the average Japanese WW2 veteran’s biggest regret was that they lost.
Barbarism? For them western people were barbarians. So who is right here? You got the absolute truth? You decide who is barbaric and who is the good guy? You really are that stupid to think the japanese were barbaric? You dont see the hipocrisy on that? Throwing two atomic bombs on civilian targets is not barbaric then? Or bombing Japanese cities with incendiary bombs knowing everybody there lives in wooden houses is not barbaric? Killing prisioners of war if the prisioners of war are japanese is not barbarism? Cause the USA did all that over and over again. Well, except the atomic bombs, they only did it two times, over civilians, both the times.
Man, one must have the head so deep into ones ass to think one has the right to judge as the super dooper absolute law in the planet.
Some Japanese soldiers hid and raided in the mountains because they didn't believe that the war had ceased. That's crazy.
Quick question? Do you voice a Star Wars Chanel by any chance?
Yep, same guy who does Geetslys
Mc Arthur wanted revenge I think
You need to meet some of the survivors of the Bataan Death March. I met Bert Bank, who survived it. His testimony changed my entire perspective. Some countries are not fit to be included in the definition of "civilization".
My sincere thanks
for this. In the midst
of the contant barrage
of populist rhetoric,
that rely on half truths
and lies of omission,
examing these aspects
history helps us to
stay in touch with
the better part of
our conscience.
👍🏾🙏🏾👊🏾
could you make a video about the austrian resistances like the tyrolian resistance fighters, carinthnian slovenes and O5?
Rear Admiral Tadashi Maeda, that his name "will be written in the annals of Indonesia with golden letters" -Adam Malik Indonesia Foreign minister-
I have to cry BS on the last 2.
"these"
sigh There is such a thing as good. Would people ever stop putting it in scare quotes?
He was ordered out.
The fact also that many of the worst Japanese war crime committing generals and admirals got away makes me believe many of these executions were show trial to make it look like justice is served. The fact that Yamashita wasn’t liked because of his desire for reform in the IJA also fuels my suspicions
Watching a UA-cam video doesn't give us as much information as people that fought the war and conducted investigations
@@jerrymiller9039 As far as that is concerned, the US Supreme Court had at least two judges who deprecated the trials of Homma and Yamashita. There was also the lone hold-out in the Tokyo trials who dug his heels in and refused to countenance judicial murder. The wrong people were arraigned and punished.
This is with no thought of 'whataboutery'. If we descended to that, there would be no end to the discussion.
Unit 731; Shirō Ishii was let away scot free because the allies needed their human experimentation results for biological and chemical warfare for use in the upcoming war against the Soviets. So they obviously made a deal to let them go for the info. Many of Japan's post-war Medical and Science ranks were filled with these barbaric men as part of the establishment in Universities, Hospitals and Pharmacy and chemical companies. We (the allies) made a deal with the devil(s).
It's for the united state benefits
Guess they thought there might be backlash if every single war criminal was executed aka thousands of them
The love story that saved a town in WWII.
“Before world war II, Japanese reaches the Philippines and some settled in Vigan. One of them is Japanese General Maj. Sakae Narioka who fell in love with a local woman named Belen Castillo. The Japanese General won the heart of Belen and they got married and had a child named Emiko Narioka. Couple of years then after signing the treaty of Paris which transfers the fate of the Philippines from Spanish to Americans the battle set in the Northern Part of the Philippines.
While the battle is fast approaching north and further, the Japanese General had sensed news that the Americans are soon to arrive in Vigan. To spare his wife and child, he commanded the Japanese settlers and soldiers to depart going to north. He left his wife and son in one of the church in Vigan under the care of a Dominican priest. All signs of Japanese inhabitant were burnt in Vigan right after the General and his troops left the place. American flags were hung on each and every window of the houses signing the Americans that this place has fully turned to their side. By this, Vigan was spared from bombing.
American troops kept going north and soon attacked Laoag City. Nothing was told about what happen to the brave general (now an image of loving father and husband) and his troops who they believe headed to Laoag too.
The history of Japanese attrocities in The Philippines is WELL documented and grand children of those the Japanese barbarically and ruthlessly decimated is in their family history, for you to extol any virtue of ANY Japanese soldier who served in The Philippines is an insult to justice and what really happened.
Unfortunately, the good were few and far in between. Homma and Yamashita were victims of MacArthur's petty arrogance, there truly was no reason for their executions.
And in Japan there is a statue to Masanobu Tsuji, planner and executor of the Sook Ching massacre...
ALSO THE ARCHITECT OF THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH AS WELL AS THE EXECUTION OF FILIPINO OFFICIALS LIKE JOSE ABAD SANTOS, ALMOST DID THE SAME TO FUTURE PRESIDENT MANUEL ROXAS, LOVES THE LIVERS OF AMERICANS... THE BASTARD NOT ONLY ESCAPED THE GALLOWS BUT ALSO BECAME PART OF THE GOVT AND BECAME A CIA ASSET... I HOPED THAT HIS VICTIMS GAINED JUSTICE WHEN HE SUDDENLY "DISAPPEARED"
@@54032Zepol Oh my
@@54032Zepol Lol Japan will never be number 1 again. They were going to be leading economy in the 80s but the US fuck them up with the Plaza accord. Cause US needs to stay as the number 1 superpower.
Oh you dont have any statue for Patton? Cause he was a war criminal too. You dont have any statue or monument to presidents? Cause Truman was a war criminal too. You dont have statues, mpvies, comic books and all kind of glorified propaganda about the US paratroopers? Cause they were war criminal too. Well well, stupid ass hipocrite sighted, well sorry, the whole US history is a love letter to hipocrisy lol
@@Mocha_122 this is sacarsm
Among the greatest evils, there can always be found at least one single shred of good; and vice versa
It’s just like that one old video about the Wehrmacht standing up to the SS, and how it’s unfair to brand every German in WW2 with the word “Nazi”. It’s equally unfair to brand every Japanese soldier with the word “Barbaric”.
WW2 Germany has been slandered and lied about for over 80 years now
The Wehrmacht had FILTHY hands. The "clean" Wehrmacht is a myth. Review Wette.
It doesn’t really matter when the Japanese and German armies were evil as institutions
There were GOOD ONES, and BAD ONES, just like in ANY WALK OF LIFE.
The Battle of Castle Itter withJosef Gangl
I had a neighbor that was a POW in a Japanese camp. He bore no bitterness against them. He said they were starving, but the guards also didn't have enough food.
I'm glad you've included Captain Isao Yamazoe, because he's not like any other Japanese soldiers who showed torture and cruel towards other people. But the problem is that he was completely unwritten in our Philippine history books. Only the elders are the only ones who can remember him.
He has a decent sized shrine in Leyte though. But yeah, I wish his story was more widespread. I think he's pretty well celebrated in Leyte, being remembered during the Leyte Landings anniversaries. But with the anniversary not being celebrated widely in the country, it's no wonder a lot of Filipinos haven't heard of him.
@@clockwork204 because of many karens in the neighbor islands
The story of Captain Yamazoe broke my heart, even though my heart is pretty much cold when it comes to the Japanese military in WWII. Like many others, my family was directly affected by the Japanese occupation as my great grandfather was forced to march to his death, even after having suffered a stroke.
Just fitting for "Araw ng kagitingan" or "The day of Valor" which was celebrated today in our country, the Philippines
There are accounts from Nanking Massacre survivors who met nice Japanese soldiers. One Japanese officer helped a survivor and his family by buying them food and coffins for their murdered relatives
Absolute GARBAGE, the murder, rape, torture, the sheer volume of the carnage that was ordered and encouraged went on for days.
@@HenriHattar my point is out of the murderous bunch there were still a few individuals who behaved humanely
No there weren't.@@miliba
@@HenriHattar
Yes there were
Only evidence is that there is NO evidence to support what you say. The footage that both the Japanese took , oficially and the Chinese managed to take entirely refute your story as does all written records as well as the Bushido code, which was PART, and only PART of the contempt the Japanese furnished on others, and you MUST remember the rape of Nanking including horrendous rape, mass mureders and childred being tortured.....NO there were NOT!@@miliba
As the great George Lucas once said,
"There are heroes on both sides".
True, did you know that Chewbacca is today the Patron Saint of New Age travellers?
And devil's on both the side
@@limapongen7465 some not as much as others, but, yes.
Captain Isao Yamazoe was doing what the Japanese originally promised all Asian peoples, bringing happiness and prosperity to all Asians. His successor, unfortunately, was the reality that most faced at the hands of the Imperial Japanese military and Kenpeitai (secret police). It's scary to think how far Japan would have gotten if they'd employed Captain Isao's tactics across the Empire, inspiring the loyalty and devotion of millions of people who'd been subjugated not by the sword, but by just and fair rule.
Of course, the same could be said for another group of radicals a half-a-world away, who invaded the USSR, were hailed as liberators, and then were cursed as thugs and murderers.
Why would that have been scary???
@@ukeyaoitrash2618 If the the Japanese of that time had been just as hell-bent on conquest, but had actually enacted their "brotherhood" policies instead of the genocidal (suicidal) policies which actually occurred, the Japanese military would have found millions of ready volunteers in their subjugated territories, volunteers who could, in theory, have been used to expand Japan's greatness into still MORE territories, taking all of China, India, most of the Pacific, probably Australia, maybe even the West Coast of the United States. Instead, we have Captain Isao's example, a decidedly rare glimmer of light in an otherwise dark war.
@@ex-navyspook there's an alternate story i'd read, if the japanese really follow their propaganda to save the asia, of course there will be a hundred thousand or millions volunteers will join them, and also if they didn't commit atrocities in mainland china, of course they will be gained more sympathy by the chinese people as well, and it same to korean people as well.
@@borneowarriors4586 Exactly my point, and well said.
lol. Oh look someone who knows absolutely nothing about what actually happened and the millions brutally murdered, raped and gutted by the Japanese. The lie that they would care about other Asian people is so ridiculous that it could only be utter by someone who is either dishonest or completely unaware of the facts. The Japanese believed that they were racially superior to everyone else. That was part of their culture and permeated throughout their society. If the Koreans, Chinese, Philippinos and other Asians were fortunate they may have been treated with the same regard as livestock. But never as humans anywhere near the level that the Japanese viewed themselves.
General Matsui Iwane, titular commander of the Japanese Army at the Siege, investiture and Rape of Nanking. He gave strict orders to preserve discipline, prevent civilian casualties, respect the property of civilians. All of which were fastidiously ignored by the generals under him who had separate orders to make an example of the population of Nanking.
I heard that about him. He can do nothing much about it though as the ferociousness of the NRA to defend their city frustrated most of his subordinates ever since their campaign that started in Shanghai.
Chinese here, imo, Matsui Iwane should been executed, but not due to the massacre in Nanjing but to advocate for expanding the war past Shanghai area, which led to high command sanctioning the invasion of Nanjing. He is guilt of war against peace. At the conclusion of the battle; he was transferred away to recover from illness, and the boots on the ground in charge of the army was Prince Asaka who gave the direct order to kill all captives, as well as Akira Muto (guy in glasses stood next to Yamashita 16:03) who gave the order for the troops to find their own accommodations in town which is a green light to carry out Prince Asaka’s order. At the war’s end, all royal family members are pardoned by MacArthur and Truman, Prince Asaka lost royal status and lived to a peaceful life till the age of 89.
In short, Matsui Iwane is guilty with respect to Nanjing, the massacre might not have happened if he stayed in Nanjing after the battle and commanded the troops, but it definitely wouldn’t have happened if he didn’t advocate for the army to move onto Nanjing and make the war a bigger mess.
@@cube33 I mean he was at war so he had to do what is needed to win and yeah he could have avoided the massacre if he stayed but he was ill what can he had done??
He was in command and didn’t know what his subordinates was doing? Nah if he didn’t he wouldn’t have instituted Comfort Women. He knew of the rape of Nanking and let it happen!
@@cube33 how could a general guilt of war against peace? It usually befall on politicians like Putin not to generals. Matsui Iwane was doing what is necessary to win a war.
Homma, I personally think is someone honorable that is unwilling to pass what he viewed as his blame for not getting it right. He COULD, by everyone's view including his own, have stopped it. He didn't, and "fell on his sword" so to speak for it.
Regaining his honor in death, I guess.
He may have been an honorable man, but leadership must take responsibility for the actions of their units. In a way he did, paying with his life. If he was truly honorable he would have understood that and probably did.
Glad to see my recommendation for Captain Yamazoe used :D
You should read about Fang Xianjue during Defense of Hengyang. After inflicting heavy casualties against Japanese 11th Army, he surrendered to them on a condition that they would not commit warcrimes against Chinese POWs. The Japanese, on rare occasion, did an "honorable" thing to the Chinese out of respect for their fierce Defense of Hengyang. Later, the surviving veterans of Japanese 11th Army who participated in Battle of Hengyang visited Fang's tomb to pay respect.
Homma and Yamashita … no they were a small minority of generals that tried to fight a clean war. And MacArther hated to lose. As for Sakai, banning such a gifted aviator from ever flying again is sad. I would have loved to have him in the JSDAF or a competitive air racer!
Well, he wasnt banned due to his war actions, but due to his wound. During the war he attacked a US dive bomber, and a rear gunner´s shot went through his head, temporarily blinding him, and permanently destroying one of his eyes. During the war he was put into action again, but after the war when there was no need for crippled pilots, he was basically out of action by principle.
@@pavelslama5543 but still, the Luftwaffe put crippled aviators to good use as commanders and instructors. Some even still flew! I wold have enjoyed the tactics that he could have came up with for the F-86 Sabres or the later F-16 Eagles.
@@kennethhummel4409 Well, I do not have an answer for why he didnt became a commander. His book doesnt go that far. But I suspect that the Murican-lead Japanese defense forces didnt want to have anything to do with prominent WW2 personas.
@@pavelslama5543 which is a loss to the military aviation community. The man was a leaf on the wind in an airplane, any pilot that could make 15 Hellcats look silly and ineffective in a single dogfight with the use of only one eye might have changed the all missile doctrine of the late 1950s and prevented the USN and USAF losses in the skies over Vietnam.
Better he be chained from flying than to have become a glorified living bomb on a futile gesture of "divine wind". Believe me, the man is lucky to have lived up to the new millennia.
This is a very thought provoking vid with the issues about Homma and Yamashita as in truth when I read about MacArthur life and found that he really was a very vain man and never liked to admit to mistakes and cared more about his image. So I would not have been surprised if he had a say in those trails at all.
MacArthur also thought himself as untouchable and blessed, so much so that if given the opportunity he'd challenge any commander, general, or admiral. And in the case of post war Japan, ridicule and humiliate state officials and national leaders, a sentiment he carried in his following career until his dismissal by Truman in the Korean war.
There was an allied airman who was caught by the Japanese and the Japanese commander of the post decided to cut his head off, this is a gruesome story and is documented by the Commanders doctor and they both laughed about it, you should read the diary before you post good things about Japanese soldiers of WW2.
@@HenriHattarWomp womp.
Something that I found interesting is about Japanese soldiers conduct in the Boxer Rebellion, whereupon breaching the city, they watched on in horror as their Russian and German allies raped women and looted Chinese homes. The American Marines had a similar culture shock as well upon witnessing this. The Boxer Rebellion was kind of the first time in the modern era where all the world's major power sent troops as part of an allied coalition to restore order in another country. It's sad that they somehow went from being honorable to savage in a matter of a couple of decades, but I believe it was their officers that instigated such behavior, as they participated in a massacre against civilians (I forget where) not even 6-7 years later.
Dont forget the Japanese training the Vietnamese in their struggle against the French and later US led occupations.
same in indonesia. which later they join force with indonesia fighting against the colonial dutch, very underrated stories
Japan also helped aid the US in the Korean War (Minor help) and a LOT of help in the Vietnam war.
Before ww2 , japan helped the filipinos against spain and the U.S , they fought along side us ..... Yet none of us remember them . Only the few whom cared still remember their contribution .
I visited Leyte, adn they actually have many memorials for Yamaso even at the entrance of the town he was stationed in. They bring offerings to his spirit by placing food under his memorials, truly love and never forgotten.
A enemy is merely a inconvenience of the present a friend is a fond memory forever
It's nice to hear a different perspective on the Imperial forces. It needs to be common knowledge that they carried out horrific acts so that the history is ledd likely to repeat itself out of ignorance. But when people choose humanity in the face of punishment and even death it needs to be sung about also. Forget footballers and actors, these people are real role models.
Remember people the Japanese army was filled with militarist bushido like general. Many were as terrible as Samurai could be back in history but many were also as honorable as their memes to be. But the boys that Japan indoctrinated into this militarist culture created more of the former than the latter. With hard racial superiority in their minds.
What the Japanese did was never right but the Americans were also doing horrible things during their "colonization" of the country when the Spaniards handed the country over. Hundreds of thousands of Filipinos died during the Philippine-American war yet no one was punished. Of course, contemporary Filipinos never heard of it as history books were rewritten to show that the Americans were actually the good guys and even considered Filipino revolutionaries as rebels.
Actually, they admitted. The US State Department computed 200k to 800k civilian casualties. Though Filipino historians think the death toll higher, up to 3 million. This is due to the difference between the last Spanish census and the first American census. 3 million missing people.
@ERRATAS 0202
Just when did they ever apologized?
To Mexico after stealing 5 whole states?
To Hawaii after overthrowing the monarchy?
To Japan after the two atomic bombs?
What makes you think they will ever say sorry for anything they did?
I know this is a late comment. But thought i'd share this. Singaporean-chinese here. My great grandma had one of the japanese troops stationed at her home in occupied-Singapore. Unlike his colleagues who were happily being cunts and commiting war crimes, he was actually rather kind towards her and her family, sneaking them food and refraining from abusing them. He once even snuck them half a chicken, which was a big deal, considering the local population was starving at that time. After the war, this story was told from generation to generation in my family.
Suzuki Keiji, He genuinely wanted Independence for Burma and was send back to Japan because of it.
I read a excellent book by the historian, Hampton Sides, called the " The Ghost Soldiers". It deals with the Bataan Death March. He gives an example of Japanese humanity. Col. Masanobu Tsuji, who was also known as "The God of Operations", had considerable influence with in the Army, even though he was a Col. He started calling other Japanese officers In General Homma's divisions, giving the impression, that Homma had authorized the killing of prisoners. One the commanders of a Division did not believe that this order were genuine. So he called in the Senior American Officers in his group of prisoners, showed them on Japanese maps, how his men could avoid Japanese Patrols, and escape into the jungle. He let them go instead of killing them. Growing up there was a man in the neighborhood that was in the death march, and he told the story, that he fell out of the march because he was so weak, and a Japanese soldier came up to him, to stab him with his bayonet, stabbed the ground near him, making it looked like he killed him, then walked away. He was then able to escape into the jungle mountains and survived the war. He said that his greatest hope that the soldier survived the war too. As for Col Tsuji, he was never brought to trail and was elected to the Diet after the war, but he disappeared in China in 1968, many believe that he was a Chinese spy.
Unfortunately, the bad deeds overcomes the good.
only if you lose
Speaking of Shunsaku Kudo, one of those rescued, by the name of Samuel Falle, became a prominent diplomat and was knighted later. Sir Samuel later visited Japan to find his saviour but Kudo was long gone by the time of Sir Samuel visited in the 2000s. Sir Samuel did have a second to none reception during his visit though.
The best humans will shine bright even in the darkest of days - just made that up in my head explaining some of these good humans whose personality shone through even in the darkness of war .
wow thanks
And yet War can bring out the best and worst in people. Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany just happened to be the latter.
@@princeofpokemon2934Not sure war bringing out the BEST in people, to be honest.
In the book the Rape of Nanjing a child at the time who was brutalized and bayoneted recalls beging saved by a 'kind hearted Japanese soldier'. Whoever that unnamed man was he should have been praised as a hero of the Japanese people
One of Japanese Navy officer were playing a major role for Indonesian Independence by helping them drafting the proclamation of independence
A lot of Japanese Soldiers work alongside with Local Rebels during Indonesian Revolutionary war against NICA, a combination of UK and Netherland forces...
I read the officer name was Tadashi Maeda isn't it? The officer who sided with Indonesia for his personal purpose not because the order from his superiors.
@@borneowarriors4586 correct, he and more unknown Japanese Soldier decided to stay and fight with Rebels during tbe Revolutionary War
@@riflya6012 just for some info. The japanese navy were less cruel and brutal if compared to the japanese army. Many japanese navy officers were disagreed and disgusted against japanese government and accusing them for betraying their 'propaganda to save the asia'. They also disgusted the kempeitai actions for assassinating their fellow officers who did not show 'support' for japanese government. And some of them also dislikes hideki tojo as well. The japanese officers who oppose the war and invasion mostly comes from the japanese navy, the good example is isoroku yamamoto, the famous officers who plays the role for attacking pearl harbor. Yamamoto is one of the japanese who oppose the war against china, oppose the colonialism against korea and taiwan, and also oppose the invasion in southeast asia and other parts of asia as well. So basically, he oppose the war and invasions.
Just remember, history is written by the victors. I'm sure there are a lot more stories about the Japanese being humane that are not known till this day.
History is not written by the Victors.
Where else would the “lost cause myth” come from in the United States?
Or the “clean Wehrmacht” myth in Germany?
Also, of course there are many humane people from both the Japanese empire and Nazi Germany but, they were obviously and somewhat rightfully overshadowed.
Just like there were likely “evil” people on the allied side who aren’t really talked about.
The worst atrocities in humankind were perpetuated by the Allies but of course no one knows about them.
"The exception to the rule." This is a tragic contrast between the western Allies and the fanatic of the Axis powers. That is that although atrocities were committed by both sides, atrocities committed by the western Allies were the exception. (fyi, I say the "western" Allies as it is well known that the Red Army was, in most cases, hell-bent on retribution for atrocities committed by German personal during their advance into the Soviet Union during Operation Barbarossa.) In contrast, the policies of the Nazi regime, as well as the bulk of the Imperial Japanese Military, (basically) demanded atrocities be committed, therefore humane treatment of enemy combatants and/or civilian populations was the exception.
Speaking of the exception of atrocities committed by western Allies, I have no doubt that MacArthur's input towards the possible error in judgment and sentence of the video-discussed-persons was quite likely an ego motivated atrocity as it is also well known that MacArthur could be irrational in his judgement. Take, for instance, MacArthur's desire to bomb N. Korea (Korean War) with nuclear weapons. This is evidence of MacArthur's less than completely humane rationale.
Btw, of the men discussed in the video, I had heard of the last man mentioned, pilot Saburo Sakai, but it was bittersweet to learn of the others. Bittersweet because of the controversial convictions implemented as mentioned.
You seem like the person who likes to smell their own farts. After Philipines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia Yugoslavia, Iraq, Syria you expect anyone who's not from the western countries (western allies) to believe that they didn't commit war crimes just like the rest? Are you that naive or that deceitful? There are cases of American troops commiting mass rapes and blaming it on the Russians in Berlin. Do you want to deny the shit the Americans did during the occupation of Japan. Imagine pushing the good vs bad narrative knowing what we know about all sides of WW2
Perfectly timed video to our country's Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valour)
Thank you for this video. There's too many videos of of what the Japanese and Nazi did during WW2 that are inhumane. I'm not going to deny that because thats the truth. But were every single soldier from both sides devils? Definitely not.
Even though he was a diplomat, Chiune Sugihara saved more than 5000 Jewish people during WW2 against his superiors orders.
"In view of the difficulties the Americans encounter today in Asia,
"one can ask what gain to them is their winning in the Pacific."
Saburo Sakai in his preface to Martin Caidin's "The Zero Fighter"(Ballantine's Illustrated History Of World War 2)
Well, Sakai-san perhaps would rather have his neck massaged by soviet boots.
Same with Erich Kuby, West German journalist, author of "The Russians and Berlin"(1967)
who wrote that he preferred soviet occupation to American occupation,
but persisted in living in West Germany instead of East Germany.
My Grandfather is Veteran of World War Two in the Philippines He was one of the survivors of the Bataan Death March he was a military doctor this is what he said about the Japanese Imperial Army, most of their officers and some Generals are soldiers and gentleman cause they are highly educated and respected and have Good breeding and mostly comes from a Samurai family, it was their common soldiers that did the wanton killings and torture of both soldiers and civilians k!
Sound like 18th century and early 19th century mentality of soldier beings killing beasts to be carralled. The generals command it.
Some non-Japanese mercenaries who we’re working for the Japanese were attributed to horrific acts committed in WWll here in the Philippines. On the other hand, many Japanese soldiers were really kind . My father was a POW during WWIl & imprisoned in the University of Sto. Tomas, & every evening, a Japanese colonel would enter the American Occupied tents, put aside his weapons, bring out a deck of cards, & invite all to play poker . He was well liked by everyone.
Not what the Philippines people I know told me.
Sound like nonsense to me.
Star Wars pfp. Opinion invalid. @@jacobitewiseman3696
@@HenriHattarFrench name. Opinion invalid.
@@lelouchvibritannia4028 dumbness comes in all names, look at yours!
It's impossible to talk about Japanese despicable acts without also talking about the terrible acts of the American Air Force on Japan. Americans fire bombed Tokyo civilians, burning thousands of children women and old people to death. Then the ultimate cruelty was to vaporize two Japanese cities with no military significance by dropping atomic bombs on them. Tens of thousands of civilians were intentionally killed by Americans. Whose acts were the most horrendous? Yet American movies and media excuse American military conduct.
End of WW2 wasnt about to bring justice to warmonger, it's just tip the balance away from old empires(Britain, France, Japan and Dutch) to new empires(US and USSR).
One Japanese general I really like is Tadamichi Kuribayashi, the defender of Iwo Jima. He cared for civilians as he adviced the local population to evacuated and he died doing his best to fight the Americans.
If only he choose to surrender in peacefully, the story might be different and turns great.
Anyone against America is automatically evil.
@@borneowarriors4586 unfortunately that is not the way of the Bushido, where death comes before dishonor of the family name
@@kusada3035 you ever hear the soldiers who choose to stay in their countries they occupied and not return to japan? What's your opinion on them? Do you still considers them a hero or a traitor?
@@borneowarriors4586 neither, can't always call a soldier a hero or traitor, just men. ordinary men with ordinary lives, lives that the war took away from them, some may decide to throw their past away, some may care for the lives of the people their superiors ruined, some might have lost their families during the bombing raids on the homeland & have nowhere else to return to. its up to the viewer's moral compass & origin to determine if one is a hero or a traitor. for example Stigler saved a B-17 from death, germans claim him as a traitor, but for the family members of the Ye Olde Pub, he is a hero
Watching in Japan rn. Nice to know not all the soldiers were blackhearted
In times of darkness, heroes appear. Let us never forget these men, or all the others like them, who were at their best when things were at their worst.
This is merely a comment on a media site, but it is a shrine to them all the same.🎗
There are countless unmarked graves, in countless Pacific Islands with headless bodies in them. Just saying. That list was appropriately short.
And what about the countless villages that completely don't exist anymore ever since the US was in Vietnam? It's way easier to mark the scars a war leaves than to show the decent acts done
Notably, how Vigan (a historical significant and preserve location in the Philippines) was saved due to 2 japanese commander and major love story saved the place from being burnt down.
Now this needs a video on its own.
@@Martyn737 The love story that saved a town in WWII.
“Before world war II, Japanese reaches the Philippines and some settled in Vigan. One of them is Japanese General Maj. Sakae Narioka who fell in love with a local woman named Belen Castillo. The Japanese General won the heart of Belen and they got married and had a child named Emiko Narioka. Couple of years then after signing the treaty of Paris which transfers the fate of the Philippines from Spanish to Americans the battle set in the Northern Part of the Philippines.
While the battle is fast approaching north and further, the Japanese General had sensed news that the Americans are soon to arrive in Vigan. To spare his wife and child, he commanded the Japanese settlers and soldiers to depart going to north. He left his wife and son in one of the church in Vigan under the care of a Dominican priest. All signs of Japanese inhabitant were burnt in Vigan right after the General and his troops left the place. American flags were hung on each and every window of the houses signing the Americans that this place has fully turned to their side. By this, Vigan was spared from bombing.
American troops kept going north and soon attacked Laoag City. Nothing was told about what happen to the brave general (now an image of loving father and husband) and his troops who they believe headed to Laoag too.
That deserves a movie.
Australian soldiers in New Guinea bayoneted EVERY Japanese soldier they found that was ;aying down, either dead or alive, that is how much disrespect they had for them BECAUSE of the ordinary Japanese soldier's barbaric actions.
Happy Easter The Front and Everybody
Yet the doctor of 731 lived on was an outrageous justice
Because he have what the West wants the most...the effects of every biological on a human,but if he didn't got this info he would certainly be already kicked the bucket
The brits and the Muricans let go the generals who massacred Chinese and Russian civilians.
I am Filipino, it is true that Japanese Imperial Army are brutal but their brutality was happened during the last years of the occupation since IJA despised USA much so they brutally tortured US symphatizer and innocent civilian equally. According to my grandmother who was born in a small town in 1929 , Tiaong , Quezon. At first years of the occupation Japanese was seem to be kind , they are polite , they organize calisthenics every morning and the constantly greet people with vow. They are not monster like most movie used to depict.
Saburo Sakai also became a devout Buddhist after the war, eschewed violence, and befriended some of the US navy pilots he flew against.
You have to remember Agnes Newton Keith author of Three Never Came Home she tells of a kindly Japanese guard who treated her well as her other inmates.
Actually It was Three Came Home.
Takeo Imai refused to exexute prisoners of war during the Bataan death march in the Pantingan river.
Sir, you have my compliments for your unbiased videos. There were/are both good and bad people in every nationality, and I am sure that the war trials were all heavily biased against the losing side regardless of their individuals performances. For the record, I am English born and bred, and I am sure that we Brits had many bastards in our forces who were never brought to account for what they may have done during wars, and not just in WW2.
Again, thankyou for being unbiased.
What USA did against Vietnam during Vietnam war? They wanted to drop atomic bombs upon Vietnam but ultimately rejected this horrific ideas when Soviets gave clear threats to retaliate against imperial Britain and America by bombing both these countries with nukes. The two imperial countries applied back gear and retreat from the battle field.
The treatment of Yamashita, one of the greatest generals of World War 2, upsets me greatly. He was essentially sentenced to death for humiliating MacArthur and Percival in the field.
Bad leadership changes the followers, these people who remained unchanged are pretty solid
I think the same here. Even though the colonialists ransacked my country in the past, i'd realized not all of them were bad or cruel. And also not all japanese were that bad during their occupations. In my opinion, the japanese that didn't act that bad or cruel are the real samurai or a person who follow the bushido code.
Ya, I think we need to look at these cases, and others like them, to see if we can find the truth, and make things right, if need be.
as usual, leave it to the Americans to provide unnecessary overkill
At last!!! A video about Capt. Yamazoe 😊
yup
I read a wonderful book called Tears in the Darkness by Michael and Elizabeth Norman. They covered the Masaharu Homma trial among other topics in this book. I was convinced the Bataan Death March was carried out not on Homma’s orders but by lower ranking officers.
true and it was Col. Masanobu who had ordered the Japanese soldiers to commit atrocities in Gen. Homma's name
10:52
Homa was executed falsely on British insistence as well.
Homa humiliated the and tricked the cowardly British General Percival at Singapore.
He also humiliated and tricked American General MacArthur in the invasion of Philippines in 42.
He was executed out of revenge.
Bataan Death March.
Sorry. A lot of Chinese disagree. The Japanese Officers belonged to a sadistic class.
The good ones don’t even matter, when the bad ones ran the whole thing
That's what the Tibetans say about China too
AT LEAST MANUEL ROXAS WAS ABLE TO CONVINCE THEM TO RELEASE HIS JAPANESE FRIEND
The Chinese are following in their footsteps today.
@@54032Zepol Tibet...oh yeh...the rest of the world conveniently forgotten about that country.
Captain Isao Yamazoe, a good man, on the wrong side of the war.
There is no wrong side or right side in war only the side which is left
~ A wise man
@@sambbhavmalhotra3270 Japanese were definitely wrong, no need to be profound.
@@sambbhavmalhotra3270 the japanese were obviosly on the wrong
No need to be a philosophycal edge lord
@@sambbhavmalhotra3270 people would point out Japanese were clearly on wrong side but i dont think so. It's true that most of them commited atrocities but on whole geopolitical scheme it's wrong to fully blame the Japanese on their way to carve up their own empire. No body protest western powers carved up Asia on their own terms except Asians themselves, and when Japanese did their own all fingers point out on them.
The Japanese military is to blame, Japanese democracy died because of the military fanaticism. Fanaticism born of out hate of anything western and over worship of Japanese culture.
Remember guys, win....then all "all the good ones" and "those who were your friends all along" always appear. lol✌️
This is a reminder that War is the principal of atrocities. However even in the midst of the tragedy and dehumanization of it all, there can still be some humanity found. It is important to remember the crimes against humanity, But it is as important to remember those whom exemplified the best qualities of humanity. War is the greatest crime against humanity after all. For all those atrocities happened under that umbrella.
Justice is often a victim of war. Thank you for shedding light on the dark corners that are often lost. May their light and sacrifice inpire us all to be our best.
Captain isao yamazoe have Use Hearts and minds
The Japanese Imperialist had no choice Yamashita and Homma had orders from the Chain of Command, orders is orders, but if is true of what they did of the atrocities, brutal, abuse, and rape oppressive behaviors of their Generals, Officers, and Soldiers Yamashita and Homma cannot be blame for it, they have no Control, the horror of war is brutal, human aggression, emotional and physical is not in the mind set of Peace, Bushido is the way of the Samurai warrior, and during that Era all Japanese Soldiers are brainwashed with exception of some Soldiers who has a soft and kind heart. I respect the Imperial Japan, at least they Apologize after their occupation and conquering and invading the Philippines. They contribute to the economy of the Philippines, Education and help our Filipinos in all kinds of humanitarian, technological Industrial form after World War 2. The Japanese Invasion was a Coprosperity among Asians. The Spanish Colonization in the Philippines was uncalled, absurd dark history for the Philippines, Spain has not apologize, they sweep their Dirty history under the rug of what they did in the Philippines, Until now I feel Sad of how brutal, oppressive, abusive, how the Spanish treated us Filipinos. Our Country was rape of our race and culture. Even now Spain has no history lessons in their School to teach the younger generations and knowledge of what they did in the Philippines for 300 over years of colonization.
There was a story of a Japanese aviator saved a shot down US pilot on his parachute
Care to share the details?
@@Dornana There were actually 2 I think, one was Saburo Sakai, the Samurai in a Zero as they called him, and there was a video of him on either Yarnhub or Simple History
@@johnryder1713 i'll definetly check it out, thanks man
@@Dornana Your welcome
It seems that MacArthur was no Mr Nice Guy after all.
Let's step back a little and take a look at a nation that bills itself as the defender of liberty, freedom and democracy, and ponder the names Andersonville and Elmira. The horrific treatment of the prisoners of war in these two prison camps easily rivals the gulags of Russia and Nazi Germany. Indeed, the prisoners were not murdered outright but the manner in which they died is, in a sense, far more cruel than a quick death. No nation that has ever fought a war can make the claim that it did not commit crimes against humanity. War itself is a crime against humanity. We would be best served to bear in mind the pitiless treatment of Indigenous peoples from whom we took their land, their freedom and their lives before we judge anyone else. No one is innocent.
The depressing part that the real monster that committed inhumane acts escape punishments and worst likely are written down in history as war "heroes"
I hesitate to post this because I think fairness toward former enemies is a good thing, and I don't want to discourage this. Consider this a friendly disagreement. Also, I am not an expert in Military Law and it has been awhile since I looked into these issues in depth. My understanding is based on the available scholarship from about twenty years ago, and new information may have come to light. But since you asked for comments...
Several issues complicate any consideration of the justice of the prosecution of Japanese war crimes. One of the most pressing issues is the continuing refusal of the Japanese government to sufficiently acknowledge such atrocities. This refusal does no one any good and alienates the rest of East Asia from Japan at a time when East Asian democracies need unity in the face of a growing threat from China. That the government of Japan risks national security by refusing to acknowledge past crimes is a telling indication of the depth of the shame they think they are hiding. They simply increase their shame.
It is certain that there were miscarriages of justice in war crimes tribunals. There were crimes committed by both sides, but no victors were ever put before a tribunal. There were far more Japanese soldiers who escaped justice than ran afoul of it (more on this later). As for the two Generals covered in this video, there is a very important element left unmentioned. Both of these men negotiated surrenders of enemy troops in bad faith*. They both guaranteed proper treatment of surrendered prisoners. They both knew they were incapable of providing proper care for prisoners. They both were aware of Western attitudes and expectations about surrender. What they did is no different than guaranteeing a besieged garrison safe passage and then slaughtering them as they leave the fort. For that they both deserved execution by hanging, rather than the more honorable firing squad. They forfeited their honor when they promised something they knew they were not able to provide. I think there are probably better examples for your argument than these two, though given the enormous number of Japanese war crimes, and the relatively few trials and convictions, maybe not, especially among senior commanders. The Japanese weren't Nazis, there was no systematic punishment of officers for doing the right thing. It took no courage to not commit war crimes.
Japanese, German, and Allied war crimes were different. Allied Senior Command carried out operations that could certainly be construed as war crimes. The entire German war industry was based on slave labor, and the extermination of civilians in concentration camps was directed from the very top, as was the maltreatment of Soviet and other Eastern European POWs. While rank and file Allied and German soldiers certainly committed war crimes without being ordered to, Japanese soldiers appear to have been far more likely to do this. There are probably larger issues having to do with Japanese culture to explain this**, but a contributor to this behavior was undoubtedly the fact that Japanese enlisted men were routinely abused by their own officers, making them more likely to lash out at civilians and prisoners of war. I have no idea how many of these "low level" atrocities deserve a death sentence, but it is estimated that 3 to 10 MILLION Chinese alone (not counting other nationalities) were victims of war crimes. The figure of 900 executions seems rather small when compared 3 to 10 million. On the other hand, a demand for still more blood after oceans have been spilled discredits justice itself.
On balance, I think that the miscarriage of justice in the Japanese War Crimes Tribunal lies far more toward failure to punish the guilty than mistakenly punishing the innocent. If justice is to be miscarried, it is better for the balance to lie in this direction than the opposite.
*Yamashita pulled off a brilliant ruse of war by convincing a larger, still powerful British force to surrender to a much smaller Japanese force, and he deserves credit for that. This is not the bad faith I am claiming. This type of deception is an accepted strategy. Deceiving your enemy as to how they will be treated after the surrender is NOT an accepted strategy. This early in the war, Percival had no reason to believe his men would be maltreated.
**Issues which would be easier to explore with Japanese cooperation.
It was all about supply, if there are enough food and supply, the commanders will always be somewhat nicer than when everything is in short supply. In Taiping Rebellion , Li HongZhang opened the Granary for the starving population in one city while looting/killing/Burning the other. The reason for different of treatment was because he had enough supply when taking the first city while his troops were starving in the next one.
NOte: Japanese Naval often depend on companies to deal with local, Civilian often treated local better than Imperial military which was more ruthless AND (ironically) WAY LESS EFFECTIVE in getting thing done.
You want to play war? Well, getting put up against the wall when it's all over is part of the game. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes and humanity loses.
I READ IN A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE BACK IN 2000 THAT SOME JAPANESE ARE VERY LOYAL TO THEIR EMPLOYERS: ONE WHO WORKED AS A DRIVER FOR A MANILA FAMILY BEFORE THE WAR WOULD WEEKLY BRING A SACK OF RICE TO THEM
Why are you yelling
@@somethingmoredecent I AIN'T, JUST MY SIGNATURE
@@NEOSCISSORSJAGUARPRIME How bout you change your signature then, it's obnoxious.
@@GetDougDimmadomed I'VE SEEN OTHERS HAVING THE SAME STYLE, EACH TO HIS OWN
@@NEOSCISSORSJAGUARPRIME So basically you're saying that if someone else jumps off a bridge, you will too because it's their "style". Seems dumb to me.