# Why were the Japanese so cruel in World War II? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 22, 2010, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034 "2010-12-22T02:36:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/301 "2012-12-22T20:22:10Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > While I reject an absolute comparison between the two Axis countries, I also reject a willful amnesia. Just as Americans must remember that they were a nation in which one race of humans enslaved another I agree. I posted above about how some Japanese argue that other countries, including the United States, have done things in their past that are just as bad as anything Japan did during WWII. And it’s not an argument you can just dismiss out of hand. ---
**Author:** ![Mapache](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58956e/32.png) [@Mapache](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mapache)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/302 "2012-12-23T16:58:45Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I agree. I posted above about how some Japanese argue that other countries, including the United States, have done things in their past that are just as bad as anything Japan did during WWII. And it’s not an argument you can just dismiss out of hand. Yes. Check this site, about Dwight Eisenhower and his treatment of German POWs. Most of the Germans were either boys, 14 or 16 years old, or old men, since almost all of the frontline troops had been killed. If the quotes on the site are correct, good old Ike deliberately starved and froze to death as many as one million, seven hundred thousand captured Germans. A couple of examples: "One month before the end of World War 11, General Eisenhower issued special orders concerning the treatment of German Prisoners and specific in the language of those orders was this statement, “Prison enclosures are to provide no shelter or other comforts.” Eisenhower biographer Stephen Ambrose, who was given access to the Eisenhower personal letters, states that he proposed to exterminate the entire German General Staff, thousands of people, after the war. Eisenhower, in his personal letters, did not merely hate the Nazi Regime, and the few who imposed its will down from the top, but that HE HATED THE GERMAN PEOPLE AS A RACE. It was his personal intent to destroy as many of them as he could, and one way was to wipe out as many prisoners of war as possible. " “He (Ëisenhower) ordered that these Germans did not fall under the Geneva Rules, and were not to be fed or given any water or medical attention. The Swiss Red Cross was not to inspect the camps, for under the DEF classification, they had no such authority or jurisdiction.” So, you all wanna play “Who’s worst?” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/303 "2012-12-23T17:03:43Z")
> [@Mapache](#): > > Yes. Check this site, about Dwight Eisenhower and his treatment of German POWs. … What site? ---
**Author:** ![Mapache](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58956e/32.png) [@Mapache](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mapache)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/304 "2012-12-23T17:09:23Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > What site? Sorry, forgot to post the site and missed the editing period. Try:rense.com/general46/germ.htm ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/305 "2012-12-23T17:16:17Z")
I have no idea of the veracity of these claims about Eisenhower, but I’m not going to accept an article whose author who doesn’t even post his name with his article as evidence of … anything, except that someone either believes it or has a grudge against Eisenhower. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/306 "2012-12-23T17:32:31Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > What site? I’m smelling the distinct odor of James Bacque, who has made a career out of spouting conspiratorial nonsense about Eisenhower committing mass murder of German POWs after the war, starting with the book [Other Losses](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Other_Losses). Be sure to look at the [Criticism of Other Losses](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Other_Losses#Criticism_of_Other_Losses) section, > [@](#): > > The historians conclude that, among its many problems, Other Losses:[39] > [ul] > [li]misuses documents[/li][li]misreads documents[/li][li] ignores contrary evidence[/li][li] employs a statistical methodology that is hopelessly compromised[/li][li] made no attempt to see the evidence he has gathered in relation to the broader situation[/li][li] made no attempt to perform any comparative context[/li][li] puts words into the mouths of the subjects of his oral history[/li][li] ignores a readily available and absolutely critical source that decisively dealt with his central accusation[/li][/ul] > > As a consequence of those and other shortcomings, the book “makes charges that are demonstrably absurd.” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/307 "2012-12-23T17:36:41Z")
[Here is a Wiki page discussing the claims against Eisenhower](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Other_Losses), apparently stemming from the book _Other Losses_ by James Bacque. Contrary to the claims in the article, Ambrose defended Eisenhower and claimed the book was almost total bullshit. Of course, IMO Ambrose has his own credibility problems, but the revelations against Ambrose AFAIK were all about plagiarism, not about outright falsifications. And of course, Ambrose was Eisenhower’s chief cheerleader for decades, which perhaps undercuts his defense of Eisenhower, but almost certainly undercuts claims that he agreed Eisenhower was a mass murderer. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/308 "2012-12-23T17:42:49Z")
> [@Mapache](#): > > Sorry, forgot to post the site and missed the editing period. Try:rense.com/general46/germ.htm Oh, and [rense.com](http://rense.com/)? Seriously? You may as well link to Time Cube. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/309 "2012-12-23T17:44:34Z")
> [@Dissonance](#): > > Oh, and [rense.com](http://rense.com/)? Seriously? You may as well link to Time Cube. Oh, man, that is _harsh_. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mapache](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58956e/32.png) [@Mapache](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mapache)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/310 "2012-12-23T17:50:16Z")
Looks like you’re right. I withdraw my allusions to Eisenhower. Sorry, should have looked deeper before posting. ---
**Author:** ![Zebos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/35a633/32.png) [@Zebos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebos)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/311 "2012-12-30T08:55:19Z")
> [@sanblvd](#): > > My response: I agree Japan have indeed make more than one official apology, but to many Asians they are both insincere and done for the sake of doing them. But Japanese society never had any real understand and atonement of what they have done to their neighbors. In Australia, we recently had a Prime Minister who would not say “sorry”, on behalf of white Australia, for the sufferings endured by the Indigenous people due to the European settlement of Australia. Has white America ever said ‘sorry’ for the basic genocide of the Indigenous people or the brutal slavery of Africans? Most groups of peoples have exhibited extreme inhumane behaviour during times of war because soldiers go on an adreneline frenzy. The Japanese? They did militarize & industrialize due to threats of American invasion & colonization in the 19th century. In their brutality, it is possible they were following the examples set by Europeans in Asia? One only has to read the books of Moses in the Bible, to read about the genocide of races or tribes of people. Rape? Today, countries like the Philipines have sex tourism, where football teams go on a sex crazed frenzy. Yet you take exceptional issue about what happened during war? To me, you sound quite biased against the Japanese. At least that nation has demilitarised, for which the same cannot be said for the Anglo-American military, which is continuing with the imperialist agenda of past centuries. ---
**Author:** ![Zebos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/35a633/32.png) [@Zebos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebos)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/312 "2012-12-30T09:05:34Z")
> [@tomcar](#): > > The karmic laws work as such: > > Sure, the beggar had done something in his previous life to attain that position, BUT, that doesn’t mean: > > 1. Do bad things to him. You, yourself, will get bad karma and suffer for acting that way. > > 2. Don’t help them. To overcome your bad karma, or to get a higher birth, etc you must help. Imo, quite a superstitious approach to the main questio, here. I doubt any real answers can be found in this line of enquiry. When I travelled in Asia, some non-1st world countries has no beggars at all. It is obvious beggars occur due to the culture of the society. For example, recently American Wall St & its naive followers caused the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). This resulted in a large increase in unemployment & I trust more beggars and street people in Western nations such as the USA. This obvious example is completely unrelated to karma in a past life. The causes of this increase in beggars are apparent before our eyes. It is quite obvious a lot of misery is caused by the rich & powerful rather than by the common folk. For example, on going wars & corruption by military elites in Africa have resulted in years of poverty amongst the common people. It is quite obvious the starving children in Africa are that way not because of past life karma. The causes are present. Similarly, whatever caused the Japanese to be cruel during WW2 were present realities back then. . ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/313 "2012-12-30T18:14:25Z")
I think the difference is that a lot of these people are still alive. ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2012, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/314 "2012-12-31T10:48:13Z")
Just when you thought things would settle down a little, we get the new prime minister who decides that making the right wingers happy is worth [pissing off the neighbors](http://japandailypress.com/abe-sticks-to-1995-statement-on-wwii-apologies-may-review-comfort-women-acknowledgements-2720539). > [@](#): > > However, the new administration has seen fit to review the controversial Kono statement of 1993 which was issued by then Chief Cabinet Secretary Yōhei Kōno. It was an acknowledgement and an apology for Japan’s involvement in the forced sexual servitude of women in South Korea, known as comfort women, during the war and an apology as well. Suga said that it is “desirable for experts and historians to study” the facts that resulted in the statement. Many conservatives and nationalists have objected to the Kono statement, contesting that there was no hard evidence that the Japanese military were involved in such heinous crimes. Suga said that this “should not be made into a political or diplomatic issue.” This is silly and claiming it shouldn’t be a “political or diplomatic issue” doesn’t fool anyone as it’s specifically a political statement which they know is a diplomatic issue. ---
**Author:** ![metalimpactss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7feea3/32.png) [@metalimpactss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/metalimpactss)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/315 "2013-01-05T08:02:53Z")
[“Metal Impacts is a leading Manufacturers & Suppliers of Mobile Compactor, Mobile Compactors Racks, Heavy Duty Pallet Racks, Heavy Duty Rack and Compactors Racks in Bangalore, India.”](http://www.metalimpacts.in/mobile.php) ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/316 "2013-01-05T08:11:23Z")
Spam reported. Suggest deportation to a Japanese POW camp. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/317 "2013-01-05T08:22:21Z")
> [@Zebos](#): > > Rape? Today, countries like the Philipines have sex tourism, where football teams go on a sex crazed frenzy. Yet you take exceptional issue about what happened during war? Please qualify. I’m sure the Philippine government would not sanction this. It’s a purely private (illegal) enterprise to cater to perverts coming to the Philippines. As regards the football teams, I know only one team of note and that is the national team. Yeah, they’re all sex starved but so is any any college football team in the US (and I’ve seen several.) ---
**Author:** ![quiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/a88e57/32.png) [@quiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiddy)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2014, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/318 "2014-12-03T09:11:01Z")
Hi guys so let me pre-empt my reply with the following: - None of my posts are intended to troll or incite reactions. Rather it is meant to get some qualification, explore a potentially legitimate perspective that ultimately could lead to the truth - My comments are more speculative in nature, like a stream of consciousness, than a statement of fact. I saw this article and photo ---
**Author:** ![quiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/a88e57/32.png) [@quiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiddy)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2014, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/319 "2014-12-03T09:39:09Z")
Hi guys so let me pre-empt my reply with the following: - None of my posts are intended to troll or incite reactions. Rather it is meant to get some qualification, explore a potentially legitimate perspective that ultimately could lead to the truth - My comments are more speculative in nature, like a stream of consciousness, than a statement of fact. I saw this article and photo at the following address and although I had thought and speculated about it before, it certainly made my suspicions stronger: [ODD NEWS AND STORIES: Japanese Atrocities](http://darkandbizaarestories.blogspot.com/2006/08/japanese-atrocities.html?m=1) Do you think the Japanese soldiers contempt of not just American but Caucasian soldiers is due to the Caucasian soldiers’ penis size, which would be presumably larger than the Japanese, even (or especially ) in flaccid state. Now before you guys jump on me, please consider the following: - for those who would say " it’s wartime the last thing a soldier in distress would have in mind is sex or another man’s penis , especially if he’s straight ", I respond with : not necessarily true. Guys are guys and especially in situations when there had been sexual deprivation , sexual thoughts deviant or not can rsndomly or persistently manifest themselves. Further, it’s not an issue of sex , but rather a thought that male species can have by instinct - and that is the threat of the presence of a more alpha type within same species. It is not uncommon for men to gauge one’s alpha-ness (?) or man-ness with his penis size relative to those around him. The logic is this: I am looking for females or I am with/protecting a female species, who by instinct are attracted to a male’s alpha -ness. Therefore if I see another male species whether or not my woman is here , and I see that male as more slpha than me due to his penis size or due to stereotypical notions of their race’s penis size, AND to his larger dimensions in overall physical stature, despite his horizontal/lying down position, then I will feel a threat and a natural reaction to eliminate this source of threat in anyway. - imagine you have a prisoner whom you have defeated and for some reason he is stripped naked and/or somehow displays his large endowment, of which I not only lack but which has cause numerous frustrations sexually or non sexual but socially, then YES it would infuriate me to the point of humiliating him like what the Japanese soldier did to the american gi In the link. ---
**Author:** ![quiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/a88e57/32.png) [@quiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiddy)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2014, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034/320 "2014-12-03T09:55:24Z")
> [@quiddy](#): > > Hi guys so let me pre-empt my reply with the following: > > - None of my posts are intended to troll or incite reactions. Rather it is meant to get some qualification, explore a potentially legitimate perspective that ultimately could lead to the truth > - My comments are more speculative in nature, like a stream of consciousness, than a statement of fact. > > I saw this article and photo at the following address and although I had thought and speculated about it before, it certainly made my suspicions stronger: [ODD NEWS AND STORIES: Japanese Atrocities](http://darkandbizaarestories.blogspot.com/2006/08/japanese-atrocities.html?m=1) > > Do you think the Japanese soldiers contempt of not just American but Caucasian soldiers is due to the Caucasian soldiers’ penis size, which would be presumably larger than the Japanese, even (or especially ) in flaccid state. Now before you guys jump on me, please consider the following: > > - for those who would say " it’s wartime the last thing a soldier in distress would have in mind is sex or another man’s penis , especially if he’s straight ", I respond with : not necessarily true. Guys are guys and especially in situations when there had been sexual deprivation , sexual thoughts deviant or not can rsndomly or persistently manifest themselves. Further, it’s not an issue of sex , but rather a thought that male species can have by instinct - and that is the threat of the presence of a more alpha type within same species. It is not uncommon for men to gauge one’s alpha-ness (?) or man-ness with his penis size relative to those around him. The logic is this: I am looking for females or I am with/protecting a female species, who by instinct are attracted to a male’s alpha -ness. Therefore if I see another male species whether or not my woman is here , and I see that male as more slpha than me due to his penis size or due to stereotypical notions of their race’s penis size, AND to his larger dimensions in overall physical stature, despite his horizontal/lying down position, then I will feel a threat and a natural reaction to eliminate this source of threat in anyway. > > - imagine you have a prisoner whom you have defeated and for some reason he is stripped naked and/or somehow displays his large endowment, of which I not only lack but which has cause numerous frustrations sexually or non sexual but socially, then YES it would infuriate me to the point of humiliating him like what the Japanese soldier did to the american gi In the link. The link above is a good short read about the subject line, further supporting my supposition. By the way I am of asian pac descent, gay male, and self admittedly fond of white males so yes I admit my perspective is biased but it isn’t uncommon. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-were-the-japanese-so-cruel-in-world-war-ii/565034.md?page=17)