World War Two still causing issues?
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4517683.stm

Really- what is up with the issues of WW2 causing tensions between nations of the world 60 years later?
South Korea and China are pissed at Japan for denying and glossing over their military and war acts.

And now the EU and the US are going after Russia to acknowledge their occupation of nations after WW2.

Memories live long and die hard...

After what Japan did to Korea and China, they ain't gonna forgive nor forget.

Stalin wasn't gonna get caught with his pants around his ankles like he did in 1941, so he figgered that "hmmm... I just took over all this land on the way to kick that paperhanging Sookin Sin (Russian for son of a b*tch) Adolf Hitler on his own home turf, so why not have a convenient set of buffer states to keep the evil forces of capitalism from marching up Red Square?"

It's kind of like how Europe won't forget either World War. It's like this ya'll: People don't forget too easily a war that was fought in their backyard. A lot of people who were alive in WW2 are still alive. They remember it. I bet if you go to Vietnam the Vietnamese still remember that conflict as if it were yesterday.

I just find it interesting that 10 years ago there was not this much tension for the 50th anniversary of the end. But now it's sparking mass riots and demands for apologies as if it just happened recently.

In East and Southeast Asia, what the Japanese did during World War 2 is still causing issues. It doesn't help that many in Japan has refuse to come to term on what they've done during that period of time. For instance, there is the entire text book controvery which shows Japan as a beneloven occupier in East Asia. There was also a great controvery in Indonesia a couple years ago. In this instance, there was a movie that showed Japan as a great liberator of Indonesia. Nevermind that many Indonesian women were used as sex slaves by the Japanese troops. Many of these women are still alive or they've told their children and grandchildren about their experience.

In certain parts of AL and MS and other states, the Civil War is still being fought 140 years later, so don't look for peace and quiet in Europe soon.

Aren't the Sunis and the Shiites in Iraq still fighting about soon dispute from the early 1000s?

Aren't the jews and arabs still fighting about who knows what?

These disputes - all of them - are kept alive by so-called leaders for the leaders' self preservation and power grabbing.

Instead of fighting, all of these groups should start working, educating, researching, making, and selling. South Korea is a rich country, making and selling stuff to the world. North Korea is a worthless poor country, still trying to fight everybody - 50 years after the peace agreement.

Germany, Japan, and Italy - the WWII losers - are prosperous nations which have rebuilt themselves. The USSR - among the WWII winners - wasted their resources on socialism and a police state. They've sent men to space, but can't feed their people.

Rebuilt themselves?! I believe that they had more than a little help from the victors!

As for what ztawinthropgirl's remark, it's sooo true! I can remember a professor telling us about a 40th year reunion of the Gettysburg veterans. There were film crews, and both the Union veterans and the Confederate veterans were to get to the wall of the "high water mark" and shake hands. Instead, these old geezers started saying, "You're not going to win a second time, Yankee!" and "Dag nab it, you lost before and you'll lose again!"

It must have been a riot!!

I'm dying to do a civil war re-enactment.

-Rudey
--It sounds so American.

Plenty of freaks out there who do that regularly. Some reenact Civil War, others World War II. Needless to say, people shit a brick when you see WWII reenactors dressed up in full Waffen-SS garb.

I don't think there's anthing wrong with Civil War re-enactment. Anything after WWI is still too fresh to re-enact...

-Rudey

Rudey-- I'll have my dad fit you in during a reactment w/his civil war troop if you really want (Cadot-Blessing Camp, they're Union)! :p They'd probably even let you shoot some blanks, heh ;)

Can I shoot a cannon? Do people actually buy their own uniforms?

-Rudey

....and not that many out there want to re-enact WWI... something about digging all day ;)

I've participated in some re-enactments for fun or profit... for fun War of 1812, with the red coat, kilt and musket... for profit many WW2 re-enactments for documentary makers and films, playing either Brits, Canadians or the Germans - Dieppe being the worst, doing an amphibious assault in the cold water; over and over and over to get it right.

In the case of Civil War reenactors, most will have uniforms made using replicas of the same weight cloth (heavy-ass wool) and either make their own or purchase the replica insignia and accoutrements. The closer the uniform is to a replica, the more expensive it is.

As for the WWII reenactors, surplus (at least for British and US uniforms) turns up; German uniforms are harder to come by, though surplus ex-East German uniform fills in a pinch.

Serious reenactors will even follow their side's grooming standards down to the haircuts.

Can an Asian be part of the confederate army in the reenactment? I've always though they had the better looking uniform.

It depends how much you get into the whole reenactment gig. A good book about it (about the process, not a "How To") is Confederates in the Attic.

I have friends who are into Rev War reenacting; they have a weaver who makes "regulation" material, and then make their own clothing. But, if you look in the back of most War-oriented magazines, you'll see suttlers (people who provide uniforms etc) listed.

I'll echo you on that one. "Confederates in the Attic" is an excellent book - it's a great supplement to those who would like to study the Civil War further.

They have one...heh. And yes, they do. My father is a Zolave (spelling...I'm not sure of) and that little outfit was expensive.

AlphaSigOU--Do you know everything? ;)

Nahhh... my Mark I Mod I computer (read: brain) just a repository for useless trivia... :D People keep asking me why haven't I tried out for Jeopardy! One of these days I'll go to one of those contestant searches...

BTW, you were close... it's Zouave. :D

Zouave.

Thanks AlphaSigOU !

They look liked Musilums (SIC) in those funny Uniforms. Great Battlers though.


I have Friends who do this and it can be expensive. End of Month going to a Partners for His.


What can I say, Earps Fought for the North, Il. I am also Related to Andrew Johnson 17 th Pres. and Robert E. Lee!

I know what you mean, Tom. I had ancestors on both sides, fighting in the same battles. I like to think that they shot at each other!

Can you imagine the in-law problems their kids had?!

LOL!!!!:D :D That made me happy today :)

Returning (roughly) to the topic, I was in London on VE Day and the big issue there was Tony Blair ignoring the celebrations while Bush and a lot of other world leaders were meeting.

The PM took his lumps in the British media.

BBC-TV did a big live remote broadcast from Trafalgar Square -- which I saw them setting up for and then forgot to watch.

I'm totally feeling you on that one. My great grand-mother still has my great-grandfather's uniform, he was in the SS Panzer Divison (he was a tank commander during the invasion of france and during the battle of the bulge). She even still has his ring he got when he joined the SS as well as all his papers. For some reason, though, it's not something she breaks out and shows people outside our family. I'm guessing its because most people don't know the difference between the SS Panzer Divisions and the SS Deaths Head Division. The one my great-grandfather was in (tank divisions) was nothing like the murderers of the Deaths Head.

Commemorating WW2 soldiers in German hasn't really ever happened - mainly because to many difficult questions about their service would then arise... my great uncle never wore his medals or talked about his service unless he was comfortable and familiar with the people around .

... and some of us do know alot about SS Divisions.

Well I guess it all depends on what division he was in... yes the Totenkopfverbände were the focal point of many war crimes; but other SS Divisions had there fair share as well - if your great-grandfather was in Meyer's for Normandy or Pieper's for the Bugle then I'd have to refute that claim of total innocence.

The Canadian PM took a beating as well for not being in the Netherlands for Liberation Celebrations, or actively playing any part in VE-Day celebrations/memorials... his political instability right now barely allowed him to leave - and only because the leaders of the opposition parties called a two day truce to go over to Europe.

How did Bush´s trip to Russia on May 9th go? I was in Moscow last year for the celebration of the liberation, and it was huge!

p.s. I also do not want to re-enact any WW´s-something about the fact that I had family in concentration camps during that time doesn´t really do it for me.

I once mentioned in a class that I know of someone (who has since passed away) who was in the SS and got calls for months, threatening me for not saying his name and where he lived!

Thats fucked up.


When I was in 5th grade I did something horrible....every student had to draw a flag other than the U.S. and it had to be one that related to them in a way. I was 10 yrs old. When it was my turn to get up in front of the class I showed them the Nazi flag/Swastika. I didnt think anything was wrong with it, I didnt know any better. My teacher started freaking out and I remember this black kid named Isaiah asking what a "Nay-Z-eye" flag was. When asked why I drew it, I told her it was part of my family. :rolleyes: I wasnt old enough/had to know how to inform them I just ment it to be a German thing. Back in 1990 very few people back then knew what the German flag was, but most people knew the swastika. Still, it must have seemed really fucked up for a 10 yr old to draw something like that when there is no way in hell I could have come up with that on my own without having someone in my family somehwere along the line affiliated with the party in those days.