Wally_Hood
One Too Many
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- Screwy, bally hooey Hollywood
Emperor, with Tommy Lee Jones and Matthew Fox.
Emperor, with Tommy Lee Jones and Matthew Fox.
Hi, check out my comments on Emperor on page 1435 (on 8/18) - what did you think of the movie?
The 1982 version of Conan the Barbarian on Blu ray. Great sound track and it made a star out of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Actually, because of your comments I watched it with the wife; she said she originally thought, Oh, no, another war movie, but was drawn into the story. The historical part was interesting, but took cinematic liberties with facts in order to tell a story. My degree in college was East Asian Studies, so I've read a little bit about the history of Japan. I think the emperor had become pretty much a symbolic figurehead under the control of the militarists. They manipulated the Japanese people through him. To try him for war crimes, when the generals and the government were planning and carrying out the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, military domination of neighboring countries, and plotting the attack on Pearl Harbor, would have been wrong. Hirohito was pretty much at their mercy; he "ruled" only so far as it furthered the ends of the militarists.
Thats a bit of an old wives tale. Hirohito gave the final green light to go to war and he gave the final decision to surrender. He had one condition, that the declaration did not compromise any demand which prejudiced the prerogatives of His Majesty as a Sovereign Ruler. In other words, he would let his people continue to die if he was not guaranteed to live. I have zero respect for the man because of that decision!Actually, because of your comments I watched it with the wife; she said she originally thought, Oh, no, another war movie, but was drawn into the story. The historical part was interesting, but took cinematic liberties with facts in order to tell a story. My degree in college was East Asian Studies, so I've read a little bit about the history of Japan. I think the emperor had become pretty much a symbolic figurehead under the control of the militarists. They manipulated the Japanese people through him. To try him for war crimes, when the generals and the government were planning and carrying out the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, military domination of neighboring countries, and plotting the attack on Pearl Harbor, would have been wrong. Hirohito was pretty much at their mercy; he "ruled" only so far as it furthered the ends of the militarists.
If you think Hirohito ruled without opposition then you need to read Nomonhan 1939. Japanese military leaders either directly disobeyed orders or pretended they never got the orders and did what they wanted. They even had an accepted term for it. You have to view the entire war in its global context. Hirohito was no Stalin. He didn't kill those who disobeyed or even those who failed.Thats a bit of an old wives tale. Hirohito gave the final green light to go to war and he gave the final decision to surrender. He had one condition, that the declaration did not compromise any demand which prejudiced the prerogatives of His Majesty as a Sovereign Ruler. In other words, he would let his people continue to die if he was not guaranteed to live. I have zero respect for the man because of that decision!
If you think Hirohito ruled without opposition then you need to read Nomonhan 1939. Japanese military leaders either directly disobeyed orders or pretended they never got the orders and did what they wanted. They even had an accepted term for it. You have to view the entire war in its global context. Hirohito was no Stalin. He didn't kill those who disobeyed or even those who failed.
After all that... we watched Babyface (1933) with Barbara Stanwycke, George Brent, and about ten spots down on the credits a young John Wayne. Then, an episode of 77 Sunset Strip, followed by a snippet of Hawaiian Eye.
If you think Hirohito ruled without opposition then you need to read Nomonhan 1939. Japanese military leaders either directly disobeyed orders or pretended they never got the orders and did what they wanted. They even had an accepted term for it. You have to view the entire war in its global context. Hirohito was no Stalin. He didn't kill those who disobeyed or even those who failed.