Totally lost respect for: Tom Hanks

[DjTj]

I missed this a few weeks back when it happened but apparently Tom Hanks thinks the war in the Pacifc was waged because America was racist and wanted to wipe out the Japanese becuase they were different.

He's not just blaming America. He's also saying that the war in the Pacific was waged because Japan was racist and wanted to wipe out the Americans because they were different.

There was much more racism, on both sides, in the Pacific Theater. We put Japanese Americans in internment camps while we never did the same with the Germans. The Japanese were absolutely brutal in battle in a way that Germans never were.

I don't think Hanks is placing the blame on America at all. He's just pointing out that racism was a much bigger factor, on both sides, in the Pacific theater. I don't think you can argue with that.

...It's weird that people would jump all over Hanks when he has just helped produce a major miniseries about the War in the Pacific which is told from the American perspective. He clearly has a lot of respect for the veterans who fought in that war ... the brutality of the battles is an important part of the history.

[MrSilverMaC]

LOL your post made no sense and doesnt even come close to making a coherent point, other than perhaps saying that the imperialistic endeavours of Japan during the meiji period somehow influenced their later endeavours, my point point was simple, the US knew Japan required Strategic Raw materials and backed them into a corner through embargoes and outright denial of resources. This is not debatable its history...The japanese responded diplomaticaly until it became rather obvious that there was no diplomatic resolution to be found and then Japan secretly joined the axis because the Russians had actively joined the allies after german backstabbed them (Japan was going to attack some parts of russia in a continuation of the sino japanese war and in actuallity was going to do it even when the russians were allied with germany) However its not debateable that The US fomented the war its accepted among people who actually read history books.

So you're saying that because the U.S refused to supply a war machine that was guilty of committing the atrocities that Japan was against the Chinese, we forced them to attack us? Is that really your stance?

The anti-U.S stance you take in most of your political posts is pathetic to say the least.

[Henry]

My Great Gramma was from Norway, they disliked the Germans and used words like "square head" and "kraut" when talking about them but the truth is that they do look like us and frankly Othering is a term used for how we treat people Other than those who look like us. there were no German camps, there were no Vichy french camps, there were however Japanese internment camps.

FYI

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_American_internment

A total of 11,507 people of German ancestry were interned during the war, accounting for 36% of the total internments under the Justice Department's Enemy Alien Control Program.[10] Such internments began with the detention of 1,260 Germans shortly after attack on Pearl Harbor.[11] Of the 254 persons evicted from coastal areas, the majority were German.[12]

[Henry]

So you're saying that because the U.S refused to supply a war machine that was guilty of committing the atrocities that Japan was against the Chinese, we forced them to attack us? Is that really your stance?

The anti-U.S stance you take in most of your political posts is pathetic to say the least.

The US, through economic measures, did force Japan to make some tough decisions. And they chose poorly.

But the fact that Japan wrongly felt the need to sucker-punch us does not mean we CAUSED the war. That's a huge stretch.

[MrSilverMaC]

The US, through economic measures, did force Japan to make some tough decisions. And they chose poorly.

But the fact that Japan wrongly felt the need to sucker-punch us does not mean we CAUSED the war. That's a huge stretch.

I understand that they had to make a decision based on their goals at the time, but they had other options and I agree, they chose poorly. In order to gain the Pacific empire they wanted they would have obviously had to go to war with us at some point, but their reasoning at that point was what they wanted rather than need and so they weren't forced either way.

They went all-in against American industry and lost. They didn't study WWI. Same thing with hitler deciding to attack Russia. Both countries bit off more than they could chew.

[Ryman of the North]

FYI

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_American_internment

Not really a fan of wiki as a source but point taken, I know that there were no canadian german interment camps that I was aware of but we stored your japanese near medicine hat. Ill look into that. thanks btw.

[USS Redskins]

Whoot. I knew if this thread got long enough I could do this again! One more time for Honorary_Hog. :laugh:

That guy to MacArthur's left, with the binoculars - that's my grandfather. I used those binoculars at Redskins games for years. We also had a samurai sword in our house growing up, a souvenier he picke up during the Pacific War.

Dude- that is incredible! Wow! In the RETURN picture.... so cool. Thanks for posting.

[Ryman of the North]

So you're saying that because the U.S refused to supply a war machine that was guilty of committing the atrocities that Japan was against the Chinese, we forced them to attack us? Is that really your stance?

The anti-U.S stance you take in most of your political posts is pathetic to say the least.

You dont know how to read very well, I am far from anti american, what I am is anti ignorance and anti hypocrisy. something that abounds around here when it comes to americas role in the world.

Its easy to talk about embargoing the "japanese war machine" and how they were commiting atrocities against the chinese , so explain then how so many german vehicles that powered theior war machine came from the US? or how about the russians who committed several atrocities against the Fins and others using american equipment?

Flat out, The Americans didnt like japan trying to become an imperialist nation and moved to prevent it, the Japanese then did what they thought was their best course of action.

I am not blaming anyone I am simply saying that blaming the japanese for acting out of self interest in stupid and not very enlightened.

Henry, fomenting the war and being behind the direct cuases doesnt make the sneak attack right, I agree, however one could argue that they felt right in doing so.

[isle-hawg]

I agree with what Tom stated, kind of stating the obvious to me, WTF is the big deal?

All or most "Japs" in internments camps - "Krauts" not so many in camps (my German great-grandfather and his family who immigrated about 10 years before the war not in a camp). Yeah hello there was some what we would call today "racial profiling" going on back then.

Oh and this just in - there was a little thing some called "segregation" in the US going on back then too. Tom Hanks IMO has done a terrific job of telling the WWII history the good the bad and the ugly granted perhaps with some embellishment. He should not be demonized IMHO for doing so.

I'm a life member of VFW from Saipan and I have been asked not less then 6 times (at a freakin VFW in the states no less) when showing my life VFW card "where is Saipan"?

Great on Tom Hanks and CO for telling part of the story of the WW II Pacific heroes!

[Dan T.]

...It's weird that people would jump all over Hanks when he has just helped produce a major miniseries about the War in the Pacific which is told from the American perspective. He clearly has a lot of respect for the veterans who fought in that war ...

Agree. The phrase "knee-jerk reaction" comes to mind.

[Spartacus87]

...It's weird that people would jump all over Hanks when he has just helped produce a major miniseries about the War in the Pacific which is told from the American perspective. He clearly has a lot of respect for the veterans who fought in that war ... the brutality of the battles is an important part of the history.

Completely agreed.

I don't really get where the OP was coming from with this thread.

[isle-hawg]

Completely agreed.

I don't really get where the OP was coming from with this thread.

Me neither.

[Thiebear]

His movies and his words seem at odds.

I'll go with what he 'does' over what he 'says'.

[chipwhich]

His movies and his words seem at odds.

I'll go with what he 'does' over what he 'says'.

$20 Million dollars pay plus royalty for a couple months work is what he 'does'.

Doesn't make him a good or bad guy. Just means he got paid.

Not sure why any of these actors get to have a "voice". There voice is no better than the rest of us. They just make more money to say stuff.

[deejaydana]

Wow. Another Hollywood star who's misinformed and loathsome of the United States. Maybe he's been hanging out with Penn, Glover, Mahr, et al.?

[Dan T.]

Wow. Another Hollywood star who's misinformed and loathsome of the United States. Maybe he's been hanging out with Penn, Glover, Mahr, et al.?

Do people even read what they comment on? This knee-jerk bashing of Hanks is just idiotic.

[deejaydana]

Do people even read what they comment on? This knee-jerk bashing of Hanks is just idiotic.

Well, in truth he's just trying to garner ratings for his show but only a Hollywood liberal would envoke "racism" when it's the furthest thing from actually intellectualizing the situation of WWII.

[Soup]

I can't take my grandfather to the air and space museum, EVERY single time we used to take him he would cry when he saw that big painting of B-17.

Kinda dumb for hanks to say that..

[DCSaints_fan]

LOL your post made no sense and doesnt even come close to making a coherent point, other than perhaps saying that the imperialistic endeavours of Japan during the meiji period somehow influenced their later endeavours, my point point was simple, the US knew Japan required Strategic Raw materials and backed them into a corner through embargoes and outright denial of resources. This is not debatable its history...The japanese responded diplomaticaly until it became rather obvious that there was no diplomatic resolution to be found and then Japan secretly joined the axis because the Russians had actively joined the allies after german backstabbed them (Japan was going to attack some parts of russia in a continuation of the sino japanese war and in actuallity was going to do it even when the russians were allied with germany) However its not debateable that The US fomented the war its accepted among people who actually read history books.

I think your history is a little confused. The Japanese did attempt to invade the Soviet Union, in May 1939, but got their clocks cleaned. This was before the Molotov-Ribbentropp pact. The two countries signed a ceasefire and remained nominally neutral, although the SU was obligated to declare war on Japan 90 days after the defeat of Germany. The tripartite pact (Germany, Italy and Japan) was in Sept of 1940, before the German invasion of the SU in December of 1941. So the German invasion could not have caused Japan to join the axis since they had already joined. I am not aware of any serious plans for Japan to invade the SU after 1941. They had their hands full in the Pacific.

[jnhay]

$20 Million dollars pay plus royalty for a couple months work is what he 'does'.

Doesn't make him a good or bad guy. Just means he got paid.

Not sure why any of these actors get to have a "voice". There voice is no better than the rest of us. They just make more money to say stuff.

The fact that they're famous is why. You have a voice too, it's just that most people won't listen unless what you're saying is really profound.

[PeterMP]

The US, through economic measures, did force Japan to make some tough decisions. And they chose poorly.

But the fact that Japan wrongly felt the need to sucker-punch us does not mean we CAUSED the war. That's a huge stretch.

If the economic measures were the ONLY thing the US was doing, you'd actually have a point, but realistically the US was involved in the war in both theatres well before Perl Harbor and by any reasonable measure US involvement would be considered an act of war.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Volunteer_Group

(Japan, clearly, made a bad decision when bombing Perl Harbor though.)

[Thiebear]

$20 Million dollars pay plus royalty for a couple months work is what he 'does'.

Doesn't make him a good or bad guy. Just means he got paid.

Not sure why any of these actors get to have a "voice". There voice is no better than the rest of us. They just make more money to say stuff.

As an actor he can pick and chose whatever he wanted...

As a director he can pick and chose whatever he wants...

= choice and (does)

see how that works... he is so rich and popular he doesn't have to hate his job and just do what the man demands.. He does what he "wants" to do.

look deeper

[HighOnHendrix]

The US backed Japan into a corner, its pretty much accepted now that THE US caused that war.

I have read this book three times and cannot come to the same conclusion.

my point point was simple, the US knew Japan required Strategic Raw materials and backed them into a corner through embargoes and outright denial of resources. This is not debatable its history...However its not debateable that The US fomented the war its accepted among people who actually read history books.

The decision to cut Japan off from oil and other resources was arrived at after many years of diplomatic wrangling aimed at convincing them to pull out of their ill-conceived war against China (which they had been fighting since 1931) and brutal occupation of Manchuria and parts of China. Our intent was to give them two choices: stop their military expansion and get their resources back or watch their empire wither on the vine from lack of resources. They invented a third choice: a sneak attack. Had America's intention been to foment a war with anyone it would have been with Germany. Pearl Harbor did work out to our advantage in the end, since Hitler stupidly declared war on us as a result, but FDR could hardly have known such would be the case.

Maybe the history books I've been reading are wrong:

Well, in truth he's just trying to garner ratings for his show but only a Hollywood liberal would envoke "racism" when it's the furthest thing from actually intellectualizing the situation of WWII.

Racism didn't motivate us to fight the war to start with, but it motivated people to keep on fighting and contributing. I don't know why people are equating this as a partisan political issue. The racial overtones of both nations' propaganda is well known.

[Capt Rich Fla]

My grandfather survived that.

Daaaaaamn, I've seen some documentaries on that. Wow, good on him.

[Hubbs]

I absolutely cannot believe that there are some people advocating the notion that we "forced" Japan to attack us at Pearl Harbor.

Yeah, economic sanctions are equivalent to a surprise military attack that cost over 3,000 American lives.

Give me a break.