ELDERLY AMERICAN P O Ws at last some recognition'

[dogsbody70]

Unusual bond heals wounds for American WWII POWs who will visit Japan

[dogsbody70]

it seems nobody is interested or even cares about this.

Shame or maybe its too much in the past to be taken seriously or compassionately?

[yuriyuri]

I don't generally participate in these kind of general discussion or news threads but, I decided to post to suggest that you could perhaps describe your views and opinions to get the ball rolling.
I know for me it is hard to reply to a thread which is started with just a link to another website.

What did you think about the contents of the article?

Which parts in particular did you find interesting?

Are you opposed to, or for any of the opinions or views expressed in this article?

Is there anything within the article that you would like to focus on as a point of discussion?

How would you feel if you were in their situation?

etc etc...

[dogsbody70]

ah thankyou Yuriyuri excellent suggestions.

I know that many Other POW'S from other countries suffered terribly. So many people think oh it was all so long ago, it is of no concern to us, but I believe we must never forget the awful consequences of war, and how humans can turn into monsters so easily.


I have a friend who is involved in a SOCIETY to improve relations between the japanese and those who survived the Burma Railway Incident-- the fact that so many survivors lives were ruined by their awful experiences, there have been cases where one or two of the worst japanese abusers have apologised and befriended some of the POW's whose lives were so badly affected. That is a move in the right direction.

I do not know how many Americans were also treated so badly and it seems very late in the day that some kind of acknowledgement to some surviving American POW's.


The whole war was shocking but too many were treated appallingly by the Japanese in the camps and mines etc. THE hellships where so many of them were transported to places where the japanese wished to have their slave labour-- !!! words cannot express how so many suffered. ALl the allies from other countries as well.


japan had not signed the geneva convention about the treatment of captured prisoners. (Maybe someone can correct me on this)


THis man is 90 years old. It has taken so long.

The book I have which comprises of letters to the ASAHI SHIMBUN written in 1986 by many japanese survivors is also enlightening-- You have soldiers, housewives and etc,and it is well worth reading. it is called: SENSO: THE JAPANESE REMEMBER THE PACIFIC WAR.


I grew up in much ignorance about what had happened in JAPAN during the war. When each year it was VJ day I did not understand because it seemed not to be mentioned here/ UK. I grew up all during the ww2 here in UK and hated the GERMANS.


later when I had friends who hated the JAPANESE and would never buy anything from JAPAN because of the japanese cruelty to POW's I learned much more.

what I have learned so far has horrified me-- It proves how easily man can swiftly become a monster.

If forgiveness and acknowledgement of what happened to all those who were incarcerated in JAPANESE camps then hopefully lessons will be learned.

thanks again Yuri yuri.

[Ronin4hire]

A touching story. Especially considering the guy's capacity to forgive.

I agree that this stuff shouldnt be forgotten... but it will be.

200 years from now people will be speaking about WW2 in a disconnected, matter of fact manner in the same way people speak of wars like the American civil war, or the Boer war.

The best way to make people realise war sucks is to use present day examples or more recent ones.

Guantanamo bay among other US prison camps are still open.... people are being held without trial and tortured.

It seems like America learnt nothing.

[Mazikeen]

I'm really glad that Lester Tenney is visiting Japan and getting closure. I don't want to imagine what it's been like for him living with those terrible events replaying in his mind without any solace.

[dogsbody70]

mmm maybe for you RONIN better to illustrate more recent events-- but we do too easily forget. I am in my mid- seventies--not sure how much longer I'll be around and people of my era tend to look back.

What is TIME after all?


If some ex pows have suffered for too many years because of lack of understanding or some sort of closure-- it seems heartless.

I believe many people in the forces today are treated badly when they get back home. It slike the government send them to war-- but really don't take enough responsibility when they return.

I believe our country does not do anywhere enough to help returning soldiers etc.

America over reacted after 9/11 and dragged us into new wars. Bush brought our prime minister in-- He hung onto Bushes coat tails. Many of us protested against going into IRAQ. And what the blazes we are doing in Afghanistan beats me!!


History should teach us-- do we ever learn from history? It seems not because the same things are repeated over and over.

As for GUantanamo bay? How is it still allowed?

[dogsbody70]

umm this seems to be extracts from a book re POW's.


Soldier slaves: abandoned by the ... - Google Books

[x2cool]

I don't think that Japan should apologize to the U.S or any pow's form there until the U.S apologizes for what it did, which I think is a lot worse. Ex. Nuking Japan and imprisoning Japanese Americans in internment camps just because the government was paranoid. It seems like the U.S government only follows the constitution when it's convenient for them.

[dogsbody70]

if we all do what you suggest then there will never be closure.

surely individuals who were brutally treated as POW's when they were in a war where they had to join and fight-- It wasn't the POW's choice to be there.

It seems to always be Not if so and so and so and so.

Somewhere it has to start and to change.