Yeah, sorry about that, but this is really bugging me. I saw a movie on television many years ago (probably more than 30) that contained a scene of a professor illustrating some point of American culture to his class. His story went something like this:
During the waning days of World War II, American and Japanese soldiers were dug into their positions in an uneasy standoff. One night the pressure became too much for one American soldier who shouted out, “The emperor of Japan is big fat chicken plucker!” A bloody battle ensued. Eventually, the standoff was restored until a few days later, the pressure got to one of the Japanese soldiers, who yelled out, “Harry Truman is a big fat chicken plucker!” All the Americans nodded their heads in agreement that in fact Harry Truman was a big fat chicken plucker.
My best Google-fu has failed to turn up any reference to this movie. I’d like to know the exact quote, and what particular point the professor was making. On the other, maybe it’s just a product of my diseased brain. I’m beginning to think so. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t come up with chicken plucker as the ultimate insult, but you never know.
“You’re darn right! If he wasn’t a chicken-plucker, we wouldn’t be here!”
I remember that scene. I am fairly certain that the teacher was African American. For some reason my brain remembers that story, told in Richard Pryor’s voice. But offhand, I don’t recall Pryor ever playing a teacher. Perhaps an episode of White Shadow?
Doesn’t sound right. Truman became president in April 1945. The war with Japan was over in August. In no way would anyone blame Truman for being in the war. He came in at the end of the game.
Now if you replace the Japanese soldiers with North Koreans or Chinese then it sounds much better.
Well, at least there’s some confirmation of my memory. I always thought it was a movie, but it could have been a TV show. I do think the professor was African American, but White Shadow doesn’t really sound right.
Loach, I think the point was Americans can be willing to fight and die for their country, while still deriding their own president. It’s a rejection of the class system. People may be in higher positions, but they are not any better than the grunts in the trenches, and certainly not immunes from insults deserved or not.