With the last man,Enola Gay slips beneath the sea of history

[Organized States]

Often ignored is the Pacific Theater of WWII.

Not in Singapore here. World War II has exerted a considerable influence on our national psyche and policy-making.

Although admittedly yes; people tend to remember grand battles like Barbarossa, the Normandy Campaign and North Africa better than forgotten distant places like Guadalcanal or Saipan.

I'm going to counter that by saying that here in the US, Saipan and Guadalcanal are far more revered, and Okinawa and Iwo Jima are often considered right up there with Gettysburg and Yorktown.

[Napkiraly]

It's not like Imperial Japan wasn't guilty of some terrible stuff too.

True, but it was just simply that beating the Nazis sounds better in the history books.

It's also because the European Theatre was more...flashy if you know what I mean. Big battles, mobile warfare, etc. The Pacific was a long, drawn out, island hopping, slow war of attrition.

[Napkiraly]

Not in Singapore here. World War II has exerted a considerable influence on our national psyche and policy-making.

Although admittedly yes; people tend to remember grand battles like Barbarossa, the Normandy Campaign and North Africa better than forgotten distant places like Guadalcanal or Saipan.

I'm going to counter that by saying that here in the US, Saipan and Guadalcanal are far more revered, and Okinawa and Iwo Jima are often considered right up there with Gettysburg and Yorktown.

Then there is Tarawa...

[Organized States]

True, but it was just simply that beating the Nazis sounds better in the history books.

It's also because the European Theatre was more...flashy if you know what I mean. Big battles, mobile warfare, etc. The Pacific was a long, drawn out, island hopping, slow war of attrition.

Very true as well. The European Theater could also be considered far more memorable considering that most people would be able to point it out on the map, which cannot be said about every Pacific Battle.

[Napkiraly]

It's also because the European Theatre was more...flashy if you know what I mean. Big battles, mobile warfare, etc. The Pacific was a long, drawn out, island hopping, slow war of attrition.

Very true as well. The European Theater could also be considered far more memorable considering that most people would be able to point it out on the map, which cannot be said about every Pacific Battle.

Mhm. Tiny islands that were turned into fortresses.

[Organized States]

I'm going to counter that by saying that here in the US, Saipan and Guadalcanal are far more revered, and Okinawa and Iwo Jima are often considered right up there with Gettysburg and Yorktown.

Then there is Tarawa...

Tarawa, was probably the one of the worst landings ever carried out by the USMC, especially in terms of intelligence.

Inchon, Guam, and Tinian are probably among the best.

[Tolmakia]

Just dropping by to send my regards to his family and to him. Rest in peace

[The Greater Aryan Race]

I'm going to counter that by saying that here in the US, Saipan and Guadalcanal are far more revered, and Okinawa and Iwo Jima are often considered right up there with Gettysburg and Yorktown.

Of course, I gladly concede that in the US, people do remember the Pacific campaigns but I think that's chiefly because the US was by and large, the largest allied belligerent and was directly involved in most of these battles. (And paid a very bloody price too)

On the other hand, a lot of Britons I've spoken to remember the UK's European activities but virtually nothing on the Malayan campaign of 1941-42.

[Napkiraly]

I'm going to counter that by saying that here in the US, Saipan and Guadalcanal are far more revered, and Okinawa and Iwo Jima are often considered right up there with Gettysburg and Yorktown.

Of course, I gladly concede that in the US, people do remember the Pacific campaigns but I think that's chiefly because the US was by and large, the largest allied belligerent and was directly involved in most of these battles. (And paid a very bloody price too)

On the other hand, a lot of Britons I've spoken to remember the UK's European activities but virtually nothing on the Malayan campaign of 1941-42.

Some might be able to toss out the Burma campaign, though non of the battles (admittedly, my knowledge on the Burma campaign is also rather shoddy). And a fair bit could probably mention the loss of Singapore. Hong Kong maybe.

[The Greater Hyperborean Realm]

I'm going to counter that by saying that here in the US, Saipan and Guadalcanal are far more revered, and Okinawa and Iwo Jima are often considered right up there with Gettysburg and Yorktown.

Of course, I gladly concede that in the US, people do remember the Pacific campaigns but I think that's chiefly because the US was by and large, the largest allied belligerent and was directly involved in most of these battles. (And paid a very bloody price too)

On the other hand, a lot of Britons I've spoken to remember the UK's European activities but virtually nothing on the Malayan campaign of 1941-42.

Not as relevant on a personal level I'd imagine.
Singapore is a lot further away then Dunkirk after all.

[Organized States]

I'm going to counter that by saying that here in the US, Saipan and Guadalcanal are far more revered, and Okinawa and Iwo Jima are often considered right up there with Gettysburg and Yorktown.

Of course, I gladly concede that in the US, people do remember the Pacific campaigns but I think that's chiefly because the US was by and large, the largest allied belligerent and was directly involved in most of these battles. (And paid a very bloody price too)

On the other hand, a lot of Britons I've spoken to remember the UK's European activities but virtually nothing on the Malayan campaign of 1941-42.

I will admit though that the Australians, Canadians, New Zealanders, Indians, Britons, and other commonwealthers in the Pacific were some of the toughest soldiers you could come by in the Pacific.

Not many people here in the US know very much about that campaign either.

[The Greater Aryan Race]

Not as relevant on a personal level I'd imagine.
Singapore is a lot further away then Dunkirk after all.

And probably the circumstances for it's loss to Japan make for less interesting reading than Dunkirk I suppose.

[Ulrenon]

How many more lives would have been lost trying to storm Japan?

The Japanese were a fierce, respectable fighting force. Dropping the bomb was better than an invasion.

[Greater Beggnig]

Often ignored is the Pacific Theater of WWII.

Ignored, kind of. It's not really as glorified as the European Theater (especially considering the heinous crap the Nazis did), due to the fact that, "We stopped those evil guys!" sounds a bit better than, "We beat the living crap out of people that were socially and economically different than us!".

Uhh...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_war_crimes
Dafuq?

[Gezi Park]

Just three letters for me to say: R.I.H.

[Organized States]

Ignored, kind of. It's not really as glorified as the European Theater (especially considering the heinous crap the Nazis did), due to the fact that, "We stopped those evil guys!" sounds a bit better than, "We beat the living crap out of people that were socially and economically different than us!".

Uhh...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_war_crimes
Dafuq?

They did terrible things, no doubt. But, most history books decided to prioritize the crimes of the Nazis instead of those of the IJA. It's a hot topic, but, alas, not to debate here.

[Napkiraly]

Just three letters for me to say: R.I.H.

Rest in Heaven?

[Tuthina]

A lot more people would have died and Japan would have likely still be recovering. The use of atomic weapons was a necessary and humane action.

But why on a civilian area? Why not on a major military base in the Pacific, or even on mainland Japan? Innocent civilians should not be attacked in war. The use of nuclear weapons would have given the Japanese a clear sign that it was time to surrender, even on a different area.

Because most military bases of significant size are located in civilian area (Hiroshima housed the HQ of the 2nd Army of IJA), and IJA had no way of knowing what the hell is going on outside the Home Islands by then. Even if they knew, I suspect they would care much unless the Home Islands are threatened.

[Imperializt Russia]

A lot more people would have died and Japan would have likely still be recovering. The use of atomic weapons was a necessary and humane action.

But why on a civilian area? Why not on a major military base in the Pacific, or even on mainland Japan? Innocent civilians should not be attacked in war. The use of nuclear weapons would have given the Japanese a clear sign that it was time to surrender, even on a different area.

The use of nuclear weapons killed fewer people than single bombing raids with incendiaries.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki were limited strategic targets. One was a communications hub, the other transport and manufacturing.
Little Boy missed its target by almost a kilometre.

[Imperializt Russia]

Just three letters for me to say: R.I.H.

Rest in Heaven?

I'm gonna go out on a limb with "rot in hell".

[Napkiraly]

Rest in Heaven?

I'm gonna go out on a limb with "rot in hell".

Well I guess that makes sense, considering he didn't die on the battlefield and thus is not admissible to Valhalla.

[Gezi Park]

Rest in Heaven?

I'm gonna go out on a limb with "rot in hell".

Yea, that.

[Washington Resistance Army]

I'm gonna go out on a limb with "rot in hell".

Yea, that.

Why that?

[Organized States]

I'm gonna go out on a limb with "rot in hell".

Yea, that.

Why? It wasn't his choice. Orders are orders.

[Tuthina]

Yea, that.

Why? It wasn't his choice. Orders are orders.

And it is not a bad choice. Then again, I might have bias.