Roger Cain wrote:
Heh, good one Ollie.
This is my personal opinion and is a version of the answer I give when I am critisized for the Luftwaffe Resource Center and the Imperial Japanese Resource Center. By studying and understanding your opponent or the opponents of those you admire, like veterans, it helps you comprehend what those people went through in fighting them. By understanding the abilities of a German Ace and his aircraft you gain insight into the difficulties faced by American and British pilots and in my opinion adds to thier accomplishments.
By understanding all points of view (or as many as possible) it allows you to put a conflict in context. In the case of the Japanese, if we had understood them better and respected them for thier strengths we probably wouldn't have entered WWII at the time and in the manner we did. Yes the Jaopanese and Germans committed horrible atrocities, but the only difference between thier atrocities and the ones America has done is about 60 years. Ask an Native American how he feels about Americas activities in the 1800's. Should he hate all Americans alive today? Since I am part Native American I view this time period as horrible and repulsive, but like the Holocaust, the Bataan Death March, and the Mass Graves in Serbia and Iraq, it is something to be remembered and prevented.
By continuing a cycle of hatred and ignorance you perpetuate the issues which caused the conflicts in the first place. Just look at the middle east.
I try to honor the Allied Veterans in any way I can, and I love the military technology, but I would rather have avoided the World Wars and have history to be alot more boring and have those men and women alive. We should honor the sacrifice taht soldiers made for thier countries but mourn the necessity of it.
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