The World of The Gunny

The Wasted World of Gunnery Sergeant DeShane
It is currently 28 Mar 2024 17:03

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: A dragonfly flitted in front of me...
PostPosted: 18 Jan 2008 17:51 
Offline
Corporal
Corporal
User avatar

Joined: 19 Jun 2006 14:27
Posts: 194
Location: MCAS Miramar, California
and stopped on a fence.
I stood up, took my cap in my hands,
and was about to catch the dragonfly when...


Image

2 Minutes after explosion a mushroom cloud gathers, one of many pictures taken between 1-40 minutes after the detonation.

Image

8:15AM August 6, 1945 frozen in time.

Image
Image

The A-dome today.

Image

The Cenotaph for the A-Bomb Victims etched up on it is: Let all souls here rest in peace; for we shall not repeat the evil. Inside is a ledger that contains the names of all the victims. It is updated every year on the anniversary.

Image

The A-dome from the peace park.

Image

Scale Model of 1 second after detonation.

Image

A woman's shadow "burnt" into the stone. Essentially the stone was whitened heavily by the blast and her ashes were burnt into the stone. Its faded but a picture nearby shows it recently after the explosion.

Image

Sadako Sasaki's Paper Cranes: The most touching story: She was a mile from the hypocenter and was 2 at the time but later developed the latent problems of radiation sickness and leukemia. She was hospitalized and given a year to live in 1955. She decided to fold paper cranes, legend saying that someone who folds 1000 cranes would be granted a wish. So she folded in an effort to find a cure. She made it past 1000 and as she went the cranes got smaller and smaller, there are examples of ones that were folded with needle points they are so small. But she eventually passed away at the age of 12. They gave away some of her cranes at her funeral (some of which have made their way back to the museum) and later her classmates decided to push for a monument in her honor. There now stands a children's memorial that has booths filled with chains of a thousand cranes brought from all over the world and hung behind the memorial.

Image

The peace bell, to be rung for everlasting peace. I struck it, the ring is loud and persists for a long time, and that was a medium tap. Its detached and brought to the cenotaph where the mayor of Hiroshima strikes it at 8:15 on the 6th of August every year during a moment of silence.

It was an emotional place to go to say the least, not as much as being on Iwo Jima (that was a very personal pilgrimage for me), but it was another thing I felt I had to do with my time in Japan. It was well worth it. The museum is very informative and presents the information unadulterated from the fall of Nanking and the Hiroshima residents celebrating it as a holy victory (not knowing the atrocities being committed there) to Pearl Harbor, National Mobilization (which led to many children's death when the bomb struck, since they were mobilized to help put out fires and clear rubble in the radiation), to the decisions of the development, choice of target, and finally use of the bombs. Others point out Nuclear Weapons and their historical development, which nations hold them, lists of accidents, gifts from other cities. It was solemn but I kept telling myself that it had to be done, Operation Downfall would have cost us and them so much more. But then you get to the room that shows the pictures of the blast taken by Japanese photographers, an entry way built to look like a rubbled building with paintings of the destruction that would have laid outside of its windows. Then you see the wax figures of Japanese with their flesh sloughing from their bodies (which seems to be a common story among survivors from the immediate area of the blast, or where the dying were round up). Then the shock hits you as you see these artifacts and clothes and their stories, all ringing the same. A waterbottle belonging to a boy, a girl's work pants, a boy's lunch box and charred lunch, a national uniform for a teenager, and every one of them were sent in to clean up and died days later. Or were never found and the parents only managed to find their belongings. The boy that was buried with his helmet and trike. The pictures of men and women brought into hospitals mangled and burned. That was the only place in a stuffed public building I have heard dead quiet, aside from a quietly whispered comment or question.

The Mayor of Hiroshima is a great person for trying to fight nuclear weapons development but I fear that it is not something that will be simply eliminated. But I wholly agree that we should never have to use them... ever. And then you realize how many close calls we've had.

That autumn
In Hiroshima where it was said:
"For seventy-five years nothing will grow"
New buds sprouted
In the green that came back to life
Among the charred ruins
People recovered
Their living hopes and courage


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: 19 Jan 2008 12:26 
Offline
Sergeant Major of the USMC
Sergeant Major of the USMC
User avatar

Joined: 23 May 2005 16:49
Posts: 5244
Location: Wandering the Wastes
Nice pics dude. but I have a question, where are the memorials to the soldiers slain by the Japanese troops after surrednering? Where are the memorials to the victioms of biological warfare the Japanese performed? Where are the memorials to the slaves the Japanese used, abused and killed at a whim?

In my opinion the Japanese are damned lucky to still exist as a culture. They got what they deserved in the A-Bombing. In fact Tojo and his cronies were prepared to continue resisting until the Emperor intervened. That bastard should have been hung for war crimes after the war instead of left as titular head of Japan. Thats the equielent of beating Germany and leaving 'Dolf still in command.

He knew what was going on and approved of it. So he is as guilty as the rest of the bastards who attacked us and began that damned war.

_________________
Benno the Mad Wrote:
man, you gotta realise that thor and bos fell out of the patriot tree (like the ugly tree, but instills patriotism instead of ugly) and hit every branch on the way down.


"Gone now, dispersed by the brutal destruction of this one day, was the belief that the Darkman and his army of the dead were so superior as to be invincible. By attempting to destroy the morale of the Marines, the Darkman had restored it to full vigor. Dia De La Muerto had failed in its objectives."
The Gunny: Stand of the 300

Si vis pacem, para bellum
If you want peace, prepare for war

Gunny's color #FF2400


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: 19 Jan 2008 14:33 
Offline
Warrant Officer 1
Warrant Officer 1
User avatar

Joined: 25 May 2005 15:34
Posts: 984
Location: In the Stan
I agree with sai, Kenn on this... The A-Bomb was bad, but it was a lesser of two evils. Because I am sure if that war had gone on the way it had for a time, the Japanese people might as well been an endangered species.

Still, I remember the stories of what the Japanese had done in the Pacific, and I also remember my Grand Mother telling me when Japan had surrendered it had been a day of joy since the Japanese had totally brutalized the East.

But I suppose the Japanese people and the Marine Corp, especially the Corp will always have that tight and strained relationship since that war had tested the metal of both sides.

_________________
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: 19 Jan 2008 15:16 
Offline
Sergeant Major of the USMC
Sergeant Major of the USMC
User avatar

Joined: 23 May 2005 16:49
Posts: 5244
Location: Wandering the Wastes
Carib wrote:
I agree with sai, Kenn on this... The A-Bomb was bad, but it was a lesser of two evils. Because I am sure if that war had gone on the way it had for a time, the Japanese people might as well been an endangered species.

Still, I remember the stories of what the Japanese had done in the Pacific, and I also remember my Grand Mother telling me when Japan had surrendered it had been a day of joy since the Japanese had totally brutalized the East.

But I suppose the Japanese people and the Marine Corp, especially the Corp will always have that tight and strained relationship since that war had tested the metal of both sides.


Carib, it would not be so bad if the Japanese just owned up to their war crimes and guilt. To this day they STILL teach in their schools that WE, the US, are responsible for their aggression and attack. Till they 'own up' I have no sympathy for them at all.

Also, let me put it this way, if I had to choose between 500,000 more US casualties and millions of dead Japanese or the A-Bomb, no choice in my opinion the bomb all the way.

In the Gunny's world timeline I postulated, and firmly believe, what may have happened if the Japanese had continued to resist. Annihlation of the Japanese as a culture and about 700,000 more US casualties. I firmly believe that the A-Bomb and the Emperor surrendering saved Japan as a culture and nation. They should get down on their knees thanking their gods the Sleeping Giant they had awakened and filled with a terrible wrath was satiated with their surrender and not their extinction. Any other nation on this planet would have conquered and wiped out that island nation for what they did.

_________________
Benno the Mad Wrote:
man, you gotta realise that thor and bos fell out of the patriot tree (like the ugly tree, but instills patriotism instead of ugly) and hit every branch on the way down.


"Gone now, dispersed by the brutal destruction of this one day, was the belief that the Darkman and his army of the dead were so superior as to be invincible. By attempting to destroy the morale of the Marines, the Darkman had restored it to full vigor. Dia De La Muerto had failed in its objectives."
The Gunny: Stand of the 300

Si vis pacem, para bellum
If you want peace, prepare for war

Gunny's color #FF2400


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: 20 Jan 2008 11:39 
Offline
Warrant Officer 1
Warrant Officer 1
User avatar

Joined: 25 May 2005 15:34
Posts: 984
Location: In the Stan
I hear you well and say thank ya. I suppose the A-Bomb was too much of a shock to them that denial was perhaps a better way of dealing with their war crimes. But at least a few have acknowledged the crimes and have sought some sort of redemption instead of play the wrong and strong route.

_________________
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: 20 Jan 2008 12:49 
Offline
Sergeant Major of the USMC
Sergeant Major of the USMC
User avatar

Joined: 23 May 2005 16:49
Posts: 5244
Location: Wandering the Wastes
Carib wrote:
I hear you well and say thank ya. I suppose the A-Bomb was too much of a shock to them that denial was perhaps a better way of dealing with their war crimes. But at least a few have acknowledged the crimes and have sought some sort of redemption instead of play the wrong and strong route.


Yes, a few, very few in fact, have admitted it. But as a nation they have refused to admit or even recognise their crimes against humanity. Even Germany, as a nation, has admitted their guilt, apologized and have tried to make amends. The Japanese, as a nation, have not. To them they did nothing wrong, and that bodes ill for the furure when a criminal nation does not think they have done wrong. For they may decide to do the same thing again.

Oh another lil' tidbit, do not let the 'Self Defense Force' in the Japanese military fool you. They have the fourth largest military in the world, and their navy STILL flies the Rising Sun emblem.



Cheers, Thorgrimm

_________________
Benno the Mad Wrote:
man, you gotta realise that thor and bos fell out of the patriot tree (like the ugly tree, but instills patriotism instead of ugly) and hit every branch on the way down.


"Gone now, dispersed by the brutal destruction of this one day, was the belief that the Darkman and his army of the dead were so superior as to be invincible. By attempting to destroy the morale of the Marines, the Darkman had restored it to full vigor. Dia De La Muerto had failed in its objectives."
The Gunny: Stand of the 300

Si vis pacem, para bellum
If you want peace, prepare for war

Gunny's color #FF2400


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: 20 Jan 2008 13:20 
Offline
Warrant Officer 1
Warrant Officer 1
User avatar

Joined: 25 May 2005 15:34
Posts: 984
Location: In the Stan
Þórgrímr wrote:
Yes, a few, very few in fact, have admitted it. But as a nation they have refused to admit or even recognise their crimes against humanity. Even Germany, as a nation, has admitted their guilt, apologized and have tried to make amends. The Japanese, as a nation, have not. To them they did nothing wrong, and that bodes ill for the furure when a criminal nation does not think they have done wrong. For they may decide to do the same thing again.

Oh another lil' tidbit, do not let the 'Self Defense Force' in the Japanese military fool you. They have the fourth largest military in the world, and their navy STILL flies the Rising Sun emblem.



So the Rising sun still flies, huh. I know for sure, to the older generations that lived under Japanese Oppression and occupation that is a symbol equal to the Swastika being flown across occupied Europe.

_________________
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: 20 Jan 2008 14:35 
Offline
Sergeant Major of the USMC
Sergeant Major of the USMC
User avatar

Joined: 23 May 2005 16:49
Posts: 5244
Location: Wandering the Wastes
Carib wrote:
So the Rising sun still flies, huh. I know for sure, to the older generations that lived under Japanese Oppression and occupation that is a symbol equal to the Swastika being flown across occupied Europe.


Exactly. And we let the Japanese get away with murder because we feel guilty for a-bombing their sorry asses. One day our letting them continue to think they have done nothing wrong will come back to bite us in the ass. Since the Japanese, with our help I might add, are trying to get the part of their constitution that forbids them from sending troops oveseas taken out.

When that happens Japanese aggression will surface again since they feel they have done nothing wrong and can do whatever they wish to 'ensure' their place as a superpower.

A lot of former Japanese soldiers who have not admitted wrong doing are now the leaders of Japan, politically and economically, and would love to see the giant who wounded their honor fall. Remember that the next time a Japanese company rips off an American invention and mass produces it to undercut our economy. Example, the CD and its player was invented in the US but the Japs stole the invention and began mass producing it while the inventors here were still in the patent registering process.

Both Japan and China are using this form of economic warfare because they know they could not take the US on with military force.

Sorry to rant, but I see what a lot of Americans do not, the world is full of nations who would dearly love to see the US as a nation fall and fail as a protector of liberty around the world. The unfortunate thing about that is some of those nations include some of our 'allies' who are jealous they have lost the position of leader in the world today. :vm

_________________
Benno the Mad Wrote:
man, you gotta realise that thor and bos fell out of the patriot tree (like the ugly tree, but instills patriotism instead of ugly) and hit every branch on the way down.


"Gone now, dispersed by the brutal destruction of this one day, was the belief that the Darkman and his army of the dead were so superior as to be invincible. By attempting to destroy the morale of the Marines, the Darkman had restored it to full vigor. Dia De La Muerto had failed in its objectives."
The Gunny: Stand of the 300

Si vis pacem, para bellum
If you want peace, prepare for war

Gunny's color #FF2400


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: 20 Jan 2008 21:38 
Offline
Corporal
Corporal
User avatar

Joined: 19 Jun 2006 14:27
Posts: 194
Location: MCAS Miramar, California
I can see what you are saying. I think that this younger generation is better though, most are seeing the light so to speak and are showing it. The museum is setting to get the unadulterated record set straight. Obviously war crimes stays the unmentioned part...

But, you are right, Japan has a lot of right wing nutjobs that like to drive around and spout about how they could become a powerful nation again and rise, or dudes that dress up in WWII uniforms and go out on the streets preaching the same bull. They get odd and pissed off stares from the general populace thank god... but how long can it last?

They do need to come to restitution with what happen, say they did messed up shit, apologize and move on from there.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: 20 Jan 2008 23:32 
Offline
Sergeant Major of the USMC
Sergeant Major of the USMC
User avatar

Joined: 23 May 2005 16:49
Posts: 5244
Location: Wandering the Wastes
wolfblade wrote:
I can see what you are saying. I think that this younger generation is better though, most are seeing the light so to speak and are showing it. The museum is setting to get the unadulterated record set straight. Obviously war crimes stays the unmentioned part...

But, you are right, Japan has a lot of right wing nutjobs that like to drive around and spout about how they could become a powerful nation again and rise, or dudes that dress up in WWII uniforms and go out on the streets preaching the same bull. They get odd and pissed off stares from the general populace thank god... but how long can it last?

They do need to come to restitution with what happen, say they did messed up shit, apologize and move on from there.


Yup, I agree. The average Japanese citizen is a good person, and Carib knows I admire parts of their culture a lot. But this refusal to admit any wrong doing is worrisome. It shows that the bad parts of their culture, everybody not Japanese is Gaijain (SP?), is a classic example of the bad parts of their culture that still has a tremondous hold on their society. And that is the troubling part about this subject.



Cheers, Thorgrimm

_________________
Benno the Mad Wrote:
man, you gotta realise that thor and bos fell out of the patriot tree (like the ugly tree, but instills patriotism instead of ugly) and hit every branch on the way down.


"Gone now, dispersed by the brutal destruction of this one day, was the belief that the Darkman and his army of the dead were so superior as to be invincible. By attempting to destroy the morale of the Marines, the Darkman had restored it to full vigor. Dia De La Muerto had failed in its objectives."
The Gunny: Stand of the 300

Si vis pacem, para bellum
If you want peace, prepare for war

Gunny's color #FF2400


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: 22 Jan 2008 12:20 
Offline
Warrant Officer 1
Warrant Officer 1
User avatar

Joined: 25 May 2005 15:34
Posts: 984
Location: In the Stan
I think one of the most infamous war criminal to get off scott free resides in Brazil as a Cattle Rancher... Unrepentant to the bitter end, and when you look into that old sai's face, you can see he honestly believes he did nothing wrong and that Japan should have kept fighting.


Or to quote a famous Japanese Commander after the Peace was given.

"Due to the great inhumanity of the atomic bomb... the Emperor has granted the world peace."

_________________
Image


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: 22 Jan 2008 13:28 
Offline
Corporal
Corporal
User avatar

Joined: 19 Jun 2006 14:27
Posts: 194
Location: MCAS Miramar, California
Þórgrímr wrote:
wolfblade wrote:
I can see what you are saying. I think that this younger generation is better though, most are seeing the light so to speak and are showing it. The museum is setting to get the unadulterated record set straight. Obviously war crimes stays the unmentioned part...

But, you are right, Japan has a lot of right wing nutjobs that like to drive around and spout about how they could become a powerful nation again and rise, or dudes that dress up in WWII uniforms and go out on the streets preaching the same bull. They get odd and pissed off stares from the general populace thank god... but how long can it last?

They do need to come to restitution with what happen, say they did messed up shit, apologize and move on from there.


Yup, I agree. The average Japanese citizen is a good person, and Carib knows I admire parts of their culture a lot. But this refusal to admit any wrong doing is worrisome. It shows that the bad parts of their culture, everybody not Japanese is Gaijain (SP?), is a classic example of the bad parts of their culture that still has a tremondous hold on their society. And that is the troubling part about this subject.



Cheers, Thorgrimm


Yup that attitude is there hopefully this younger and more open minded generation goes further with their acceptance, most of the young Japanese are all right. Some of the die hards are the angry ones. All the Japanese that worked on base were awesome people.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: 22 Jan 2008 13:30 
Offline
Sergeant Major of the USMC
Sergeant Major of the USMC
User avatar

Joined: 23 May 2005 16:49
Posts: 5244
Location: Wandering the Wastes
Carib wrote:
I think one of the most infamous war criminal to get off scott free resides in Brazil as a Cattle Rancher... Unrepentant to the bitter end, and when you look into that old sai's face, you can see he honestly believes he did nothing wrong and that Japan should have kept fighting.


Or to quote a famous Japanese Commander after the Peace was given.

"Due to the great inhumanity of the atomic bomb... the Emperor has granted the world peace."


And if Japan had continued to resist, the US would have granted his wish to die for his Emperor. :bs

_________________
Benno the Mad Wrote:
man, you gotta realise that thor and bos fell out of the patriot tree (like the ugly tree, but instills patriotism instead of ugly) and hit every branch on the way down.


"Gone now, dispersed by the brutal destruction of this one day, was the belief that the Darkman and his army of the dead were so superior as to be invincible. By attempting to destroy the morale of the Marines, the Darkman had restored it to full vigor. Dia De La Muerto had failed in its objectives."
The Gunny: Stand of the 300

Si vis pacem, para bellum
If you want peace, prepare for war

Gunny's color #FF2400


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group