Pearl Harbor Day

[Mike Burke]

Lest We Forget.

[Francis A. Miniter]

Post by Mike Burke
Lest We Forget.

Indeed.

There is an interesting historical novel that I read a couple years ago.
Riding The East Wind, by Kaga Otohito. It is closely based on the war
years of Kurusu Saburo, a career diplomat, and his family. Kurusu was
married to an American woman, and they had three American-Japanese
children, the oldest of which served in the Japanese Air Force during
the war. Kurusu was named as imperial envoy to sign the Tripartite
Agreement in 1940, which he did on the Emperor's orders. But he
resigned after that, his way of protesting the alliance. In November,
1941, he was again called on to be Special Envoy to the USA, to
negotiate peace. He was in Washington, D.C., on December 7, 1942,
waiting outside Secretary of State Cordell Hull's office, when Hull
burst out verbally attacking him. Kurusu had been played by the
Japanese Government, which knew that his credibility would give them
cover while they readied the assault on Pearl Harbor, Singapore and the
Philippines, all of which started on December 7th, 1941.


Francis A. Miniter

[Mike Burke]

Post by Francis A. Miniter

Post by Mike Burke
Lest We Forget.

Indeed.
There is an interesting historical novel that I read a couple years ago.
Riding The East Wind, by Kaga Otohito. It is closely based on the war
years of Kurusu Saburo, a career diplomat, and his family. Kurusu was
married to an American woman, and they had three American-Japanese
children, the oldest of which served in the Japanese Air Force during
the war. Kurusu was named as imperial envoy to sign the Tripartite
Agreement in 1940, which he did on the Emperor's orders. But he
resigned after that, his way of protesting the alliance. In November,
1941, he was again called on to be Special Envoy to the USA, to
negotiate peace. He was in Washington, D.C., on December 7, 1942,
waiting outside Secretary of State Cordell Hull's office, when Hull
burst out verbally attacking him. Kurusu had been played by the
Japanese Government, which knew that his credibility would give them
cover while they readied the assault on Pearl Harbor, Singapore and the
Philippines, all of which started on December 7th, 1941.
Francis A. Miniter

Very interesting, Francis. I must chase it up.

My next-door neighbours have just returned from another visit to Japan.
Looking back over the years it's hard for people of our generation to
imagine how something as earth-shattering as the Japanese attacks that
started the Pacific War could be almost completely forgotten by the younger
generations. What is often forgotten is that only a few weeks later, on
Feb 19, 1942, they attacked Darwin, at the northern tip of Australia. They
launched 188 aircraft and reputedly dropped more bombs than they had on
Pearl Harbor.

I've spent a fair few years in and around Pacific Theatre battlegrounds,
and have visited many war cemeteries. None moved me quite as much as the
Arizona Memorial.

[Francis A. Miniter]

Post by Mike Burke

Post by Francis A. Miniter

Post by Mike Burke
Lest We Forget.

Indeed.
There is an interesting historical novel that I read a couple years ago.
Riding The East Wind, by Kaga Otohito. It is closely based on the war
years of Kurusu Saburo, a career diplomat, and his family. Kurusu was
married to an American woman, and they had three American-Japanese
children, the oldest of which served in the Japanese Air Force during
the war. Kurusu was named as imperial envoy to sign the Tripartite
Agreement in 1940, which he did on the Emperor's orders. But he
resigned after that, his way of protesting the alliance. In November,
1941, he was again called on to be Special Envoy to the USA, to
negotiate peace. He was in Washington, D.C., on December 7, 1942,
waiting outside Secretary of State Cordell Hull's office, when Hull
burst out verbally attacking him. Kurusu had been played by the
Japanese Government, which knew that his credibility would give them
cover while they readied the assault on Pearl Harbor, Singapore and the
Philippines, all of which started on December 7th, 1941.
Francis A. Miniter

Very interesting, Francis. I must chase it up.
My next-door neighbours have just returned from another visit to Japan.
Looking back over the years it's hard for people of our generation to
imagine how something as earth-shattering as the Japanese attacks that
started the Pacific War could be almost completely forgotten by the younger
generations. What is often forgotten is that only a few weeks later, on
Feb 19, 1942, they attacked Darwin, at the northern tip of Australia. They
launched 188 aircraft and reputedly dropped more bombs than they had on
Pearl Harbor.
I've spent a fair few years in and around Pacific Theatre battlegrounds,
and have visited many war cemeteries. None moved me quite as much as the
Arizona Memorial.

I confess that I either did not know, or have forgotten, the Darwin attack.

Just yesterday (the 7th), I had to summarize for a younger person what
Pearl Harbor Day was all about. History is apparently not well taught
in the schools these days.


Francis A. Miniter

[Nyssa]

Post by Francis A. Miniter

Post by Mike Burke

Post by Francis A. Miniter

Post by Mike Burke
Lest We Forget.

Indeed.
There is an interesting historical novel that I read a
couple years ago.
Riding The East Wind, by Kaga Otohito. It is closely
based on the war
years of Kurusu Saburo, a career diplomat, and his
family. Kurusu was married to an American woman, and
they had three American-Japanese children, the oldest of
which served in the Japanese Air Force during
the war. Kurusu was named as imperial envoy to sign the
Tripartite
Agreement in 1940, which he did on the Emperor's orders.
But he
resigned after that, his way of protesting the alliance.
In November, 1941, he was again called on to be Special
Envoy to the USA, to
negotiate peace. He was in Washington, D.C., on
December 7, 1942, waiting outside Secretary of State
Cordell Hull's office, when Hull
burst out verbally attacking him. Kurusu had been
played by the Japanese Government, which knew that his
credibility would give them cover while they readied the
assault on Pearl Harbor, Singapore and the Philippines,
all of which started on December 7th, 1941.
Francis A. Miniter

Very interesting, Francis. I must chase it up.
My next-door neighbours have just returned from another
visit to Japan. Looking back over the years it's hard for
people of our generation to imagine how something as
earth-shattering as the Japanese attacks that started the
Pacific War could be almost completely forgotten by the
younger
generations. What is often forgotten is that only a few
weeks later, on
Feb 19, 1942, they attacked Darwin, at the northern tip
of Australia. They launched 188 aircraft and reputedly
dropped more bombs than they had on Pearl Harbor.
I've spent a fair few years in and around Pacific Theatre
battlegrounds,
and have visited many war cemeteries. None moved me
quite as much as the Arizona Memorial.

I confess that I either did not know, or have forgotten,
the Darwin attack.
Just yesterday (the 7th), I had to summarize for a younger
person what
Pearl Harbor Day was all about. History is apparently not
well taught
in the schools these days.
Francis A. Miniter

I had heard of the Darwin attack, but I'm not surprised that
most non-Australians haven't.

I agree that history is not being taught well in US schools
these days, but it's not a recent problem. It's been poorly
taught for at least 20 years or more, and limited to only
American history "highlights" ignoring the rest of the world
almost entirely unless it's involving a war.

Mention "Bastille Day" to any American, and I doubt more than
a single digit percentage of them would have a clue about
what country it occurred in much less when or what it was.

I don't see it improving any time soon either, unfortunately.

Nyssa, who needs to write a posting about her recent finishes
before she forgets all of the plots