Author Topic: The great raid.. (Read 1241 times)

lazs2 · « **on:** April 11, 2006, 09:09:21 AM »

Don't know how I missed this one till now.

True story about the raid in WWII to rescue 500 prisoners of war that the japs were about to execute in their normal brutal way.

120 army rangers and philipino resistance took on 250 or so japs and rescued 511 prisoners..

Greatest and most sucessful rescue in U.S. history.

lazs

Mustaine · « **Reply #1 on:** April 11, 2006, 09:58:26 AM »

so did you watch it? was it any good? i heard some not so great stuff about it.

Stringer · « **Reply #2 on:** April 11, 2006, 10:00:18 AM »

It's a great story. The planning was brilliant as was the execution of the plan.

The epilogue to that turned out bad for the local habitants, as the Japenese took out their anger on nearby villages. A sad event in an otherwise great operation.

Toad · « **Reply #3 on:** April 11, 2006, 10:13:05 AM »

Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission

Same story (Cabanatuan), different book.

Hangtime · « **Reply #4 on:** April 11, 2006, 10:21:03 AM »

My son in law's grandfather was rescued at cabanatauan. He was one of the few surviors of the bataan death march. To think that my daughter would have never met her husband... and where my kid would be now...

The boy sez his grandfather was not a particularly happy camper. While very thankful of the Rangers for the effort he's less than charmed by Roosevelt.. feels that the defenders at corregidor were betrayed by washington. Also sez that the cabanatauan raid incensed the japanese and that prisoners in many other regional camps were slaughtered outright as a result.

One thing really hit me though... seems like every vet I ever met that fought the Japanese hates them with a passion. Nope.. thats an understatement. Seems more viscereal than that, even. I can certainly understand the sentiment.

Was the movie a good one Laz? Saw the history channel documentary last year, thought it was pretty good.

midnight Target · « **Reply #5 on:** April 11, 2006, 11:21:54 AM »

I bought it. Liked it.

It was pretty good. Not overly schmaltzy even though they had to put in a love interest. It would seem, based on the documetary and epilog info that it was pretty close to accurate.

Mickey1992 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 11, 2006, 12:25:06 PM »

"U.S. prisoners of war held by the Empire of Japan, 1941-1945 died at a rate exceeding 37% while in captivity. On the other hand, U.S. prisoners of war held captive by Nazi Germany died at a rate of less than 2% while held by the Germans."

I can easily understand the lasting hatred towards Japan from WWII war vets.

lazs2 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 11, 2006, 03:06:43 PM »

it was good if a little slow at first. In the end in the special features veterans that were pow's and rescuers were interviewed.

They didn't pull any punches. in the movie you could sense that the pow's were not happy with the government and felt abondoned... I think they were trying to get that point across..

also... the inhumanity of the jap was not downplayed. Not many of the real pow's bought the explanation that the jap soldiers were a completely differen race than all the other japs seemed to be after they were defeated.

The brutality was unbelievable but true.

It is hard for me to trust such people.

lazs

lasersailor184 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 11, 2006, 03:10:39 PM »

I actually disagree. I believe it was a horribly acted movie, and was almost painful to watch.

The documentaries on the history channel were very nice though.

Elfie · « **Reply #9 on:** April 11, 2006, 04:26:50 PM »

Quote

One thing really hit me though... seems like every vet I ever met that fought the Japanese hates them with a passion. Nope.. thats an understatement. Seems more viscereal than that, even.

I've only met a couple vets that fought the Japanese and both of them hated the Japanese with a hatred that is indescribable. Otoh, I have met a few vets that fought against the Germans and they didnt feel the same hate towards the Germans.

Wonder why this is?

GtoRA2 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 11, 2006, 04:40:50 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Elfie
I've only met a couple vets that fought the Japanese and both of them hated the Japanese with a hatred that is indescribable. Otoh, I have met a few vets that fought against the Germans and they didnt feel the same hate towards the Germans.

Wonder why this is?

I bet it is because the germans treated western POWs better. Sure they executed some here and there but it was not common place.

I have not heard of a case of them seeing how many bones they can break with a rifle butt before the person dies, or chopping off heads for kicks, or live disections, or any of the other brutal things that were common and normal for the Japanese to do to POWs.

It is sad so few know just had bad the Japanese were. They get a free pass from history when they were just as bad as the Nazi's.

Maybe they get the free pass cause we dropped the bomb on them?

midnight Target · « **Reply #11 on:** April 11, 2006, 04:42:43 PM »

My father-in-law certainly doesn't show any hatred. He is a 'let bygones be bygones' kinda guy I guess. But then again he worked as a prison guard after the war and says nice things about the prisoners too.

He was in the 3rd marines and made 3 landings including a 1st wave assault on Bouganville. He was wounded on Guam.

Elfie · « **Reply #12 on:** April 11, 2006, 04:55:20 PM »

Quote

I bet it is because the germans treater western POWs better. Sure they executed some here and there but it was not common place.

One of the vets was stationed on a submarine, never fought in land battles etc nor was he a pow but still....the hatred for the Japanese was something you could *feel* emanating from him.

Bluedog · « **Reply #13 on:** April 12, 2006, 04:14:48 AM »

Part of the reason for people not realising the extent of IJA brutality in WWII is that when you bring it up for discussion, people get all upset and call you racist.
It allways disturbed me that it was fine to call the Nazis the worst scum on earth, but mention the Japanese atrocities and you will get howled down with cries of racist and biggot, or at least that has been my experience.

Debonair · « **Reply #14 on:** April 12, 2006, 04:29:55 AM »

Lindberg says he saw some nasty stuff happening in the SWPAC & it wasn't the japanese doing it...but he was flying combat missions there in violation of the geneva conventions....