The Japanese are incredibly sensitive to the actions taken by their nation during the war.
While Germany has been unable to shake the specter of its past, Japan seems to have been able to
reinvent itself. In what ways did this book (re)introduce to you the horrors perpetrated by the Japanese
during WWII?
The central question for our Great Books inquiry this year is "What does it mean to be a moral Christian?". Please comment on the questions below. The first five respondents need only to answer the questions. All others must post their answers and respond to two (2) earlier posts.
Unbroken shows one man's personal story of the horrors he endured from the Japanese during the war. Louie may have been singled out while he was in the POW camps but his experience was not one of a kind. The story follows Phil as he goes to different camps and is met with much of the same, Louie gives accounts of the tortures his friends and other men in his camp, the book tells numerous stories of other men who are lead on death marches or men taken into the mountains and just shot. Men in POW camps all over Japan were starved, beaten unconscious and then beaten again, forced into slave labor and so much more. Hillenbrand reintroduces her readers to the horrors perpetrated by the Japanese in many ways. She gives the story of Louie and his friends, she gives other famous horrors that took place in Japan during the war, she gives the statistics of the amount of men killed while under Japanese control in POW camps and she shows how many Japanese officials were wanted for awful war crimes after the war was over. Unbroken gives the reader an understanding of the awful events that happened in Japanese POW camps that are sometimes overlooked because of what happened in Germany.
ReplyDeleteModern historians strive for factual precision and data-loaded information to present history’s events in an unbiased, accurate voice. Nonetheless, the fallibility of history exists as scholars filter information to match a distinctive perspective. Repeatedly, history’s ‘winners’ -- the victorious and true authors of history -- opt to include or exclude information to present alternate, more pleasing realities to the world. By the conclusion of World War II, the former realm of the Japanese empire truly was a sphere of the world on the brink of catastrophe; just as Churchill described the descent of an iron curtain across Europe, successive US administrations feared a domino effect would spread Communism like wildfire across Asia. In the epilogue of Unbroken, author Laura Hillenbrand explains how this fear led post-war America to view a future alliance with a Japanese democracy as “critical to national security” (380). Thus, American historians elect not to bitterly portray the brutalities taken by empirical Japan in an effort to sooth international relations. Still, of the ruthless fighting in the Pacific and the Japanese insistence on glory in death or glory in victory I knew. A veteran friend of my grandfather’s once related to me his relief when in the latter stages of war he was deployed to Europe and not the hell of the Pacific conflict. However, in all my studies of World War II, I have never encountered so vivid and horrific a description of Japanese mistreatment of prisoners like Louis Zamperini. The excruciating detail of beatings and dehumanization is unparalleled in its obscenity. Oddly, such descriptions are abundant when discussing the Holocaust. In this regard, Unbroken provides an interesting commentary on the study and varying viewpoints that produce history. At the same time, Unbroken is eye-opening. Americans cannot forget the stories of surviving prisoners of war, the lives of soldiers missing in action, or the ultimate sacrifices of the fallen.
ReplyDeleteIn the course of history, all countries have had to face the shame of their actions. From the guillotines of the French Revolution, to the plantations of the American South, or even the more recent atrocities committed by the Japanese in WWII, every country must learn from their past mistakes and rebuild. Though I learned of the horrors perpetuated by the Japanese through history class, Unbroken brought my understanding to a whole new level. I learned of the horrible human experimentation documented in Unit 731, but Zamperini’s story puts faces to the names and truly reaches the reader’s humanity in this horrendous time. The meticulous and gruesome details Zamperini provides makes it impossible to not feel compassion for him and the other POWs. From the personal accounts and connections made throughout the novel to Zamperini and other POWs, my perspective has changed on just how shocking and vicious the POW camps were.
ReplyDelete“Unbroken” reintroduced me to the horrors perpetrated by the Japanese during WWII through the descriptions of how the prisoners of war were treated in the camps. The medical testing really got to me through how Hillenbrand described what the substance Louie was injected with did to him. It was just unsettling to read. Louie was not alone in his suffering though, as the story also follows Phil and his experiences. The other POW’s torture is also described. There are some countries that just cannot get over the horrors committed during war. Many families were affected because their loved ones were wanted for terrible crimes, and were often questioned as to whereabouts of fugitives. Every country must learn from their mistakes in order to rebuild.
ReplyDeleteWithin her book, Unbroken, Hillenbrand discusses Louie Zamperini's POW experience in Japan, however, she also portrays the bigger picture, and shares the horrors suffered by all of the Pacific POWs during WWII. While Germany has not been able to move past horrors from the Hitler era, Japan has managed to move on from it because of their actions and cooperation directly after the war. Hillenbrand reintroduces the horrors, but does not only focus on the historically significant details. She individualized the stories, and focused on the pain of prisoners, and their struggle to deal with balancing halved rations and forced labor, as well as living with constant fear of the guards and their lives. But, at the same time she painted a broad picture of life in a Japanese POW camp for the reader.
ReplyDeleteWhile many people inseparably associate World War II with Germany, Nazis, and concentration camps, Japan’s involvement in the war hides under a shadow of shame and regret. Louie’s story, though truly individual, parallels other accounts of those trapped in European concentration camps. Without a doubt, countless prisoners of war died as German captives, history almost tends to forget that the percentage of POWs killed under Japanese oppression is even higher than under European. I had read the diary of Anne Frank and even heard the daunting account of a family friend who survived the Holocaust, but I never once pondered the circumstances of captives in Japan. While starvation, sickness, and shipwreck alarmingly set the stage for Louie’s horrors, the descriptions of Bird, Quack, and other unforgiving guards made his story almost unbelievable. I agree with Jake, that in order to form a necessary alliance during the Cold War, America needed to lessen its resentment to Japan. At the time, our country did not need relations with Germany, so by suppressing Japan’s hostile reputation, Germany’s could bear a heavier burden of blame. Additionally, including the personal details as well as historical information, as noted by Haley, compassionately resonates with the viewers.
ReplyDeleteStarvation, torture, slave labor and medical experimentation typically connect to World War Two through the concentration camps of Nazi Germany. However, through Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand reminds readers that these words can also be linked to World War Two through the experiences of POWs on the opposite side of the world. The experiences of POWs in Japan in many ways mirror those of Holocaust victims. Both groups of prisoners faced human cruelty at its strongest and survived the most horrific circumstances. Like Haley mentioned, Hillenbrand’s recreation of individual stories of cruelty as well as showing the broad picture of life as a Japanese prisoner truly reintroduces the terror of being an inmate of the Japanese POW camps. And as Catherine said, Unbroken puts names to the people experiencing this and through the included pictures, faces as well. This serves to make the horrors experienced all the more real. But the tragedy didn’t end with the war. Hillenbrand’s final chapters include the recovery process following it. A serving of rice caused one man to become hysterical, as it reminded him of his time in Japan. Many men hoarded food long after they returned home. Others developed destructive habits such as drinking, like the main character Zamperini. The aftermath strongly demonstrates how awful the POW camps must have been to create such a long lasting effect. This book reminds all that the world must not forget the horrors experienced by these POWs.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the horrors of World War Two were made known prominently through the treatment of Nazis in Germany, "Unbroken" opened me up to a world where not only were citizens of other countries tortured, but America's own soldiers as well. The fact that the men fighting so hard for our country and treated like portrayed in the book almost puts me to tears. We spend weeks of our lives in school learning about the Holocaust, but I vaguely remember learning about the Japanese POWs. This frightens me, because the soldiers victimized by these crimes were AMerican soldiers. Caroline was right when she says that the treatment Louie underwent was almost unbelievable, and I think it is saddening that these conditions were not made more known after the war was over.
ReplyDeleteNever, when studying the horrors of Japanese or German POW camps, did I encounter such vivid and terrifying descriptions of the brutal reality of the second World War. Zamperini himself described his treatment not only phyisically, but emphatically recalling that he felt that the way the guards treated him destroyed his dignity and self worth. Louie and Allen went to different camps for years, but were exposed to the same unspeakable suffering and degradation. I agree with Jake and Caroline, in that the awful circumstances for POWs of Japan was probably covered up so that we can move on from the terrible truth, and that it is insulting to those survivors, and to the memories of the lives lost that the true story is usually unspoken. That is why Zamperini's story, recounted by Hillenbrand in Unbroken is so important, so that we do not forget the past.
ReplyDelete-John Ray
Every once in a while, one comes across a rare story that immerses the reader into a world that he or she did not even know existed. For me, that is what Laura Hillenbrand’s unique novel, Unbroken, has succeeded in doing. Having studied World War II many times through history classes, books, and movies never have I ever been introduced to the atrocities American POWS faced by the Japanese. Through Hillenbrand’s voice I was not only opened up to the distinctive survival story of Louis Zamperini, but also presented with an image of life as Pacific POW. She describes the drastic weight loss and many other physical diseases these men faced, “men were so ill that they had to be carried from camps…some couldn’t be saved” (346). Hillenbrand also uses meticulous detail to describe the beatings captured soldiers experienced by terrible men such as the Bird and Quack. Not only did Hillenbrand introduce me to the horrors faced by captured soldiers, but also those of the helpless women. While on Kwajalen, an officer explains to Louie how the Japanese military provides their soldiers with women. Louie then notices the thousands of Chinese, Korean, Indonesian, and Filipino women who the Japanese had captured and brought into sexual slavery. I find it a little unsettling that while so many people were under the horrible conditions imposed by the Japanese their stories seem to go untold. I believe that Jake’s connection to the fear American’s had of Communism spreading could contribute to why the Japanese’s horrors often go unnoticed. I also agree with Frankie’s statement because indeed it is sad that these horrific stories did not receive more attention after the war.
ReplyDeleteWhen World War II is brought to mind, many people immediately jump to the European aspect of the war. However, in Laura Hillenbrand’s novel Unbroken the Japanese involvement in the war is brought center stage. Throughout the novel the audience is reminded that Germany was not the only place that prisoners of war were held and that Nazis were not the only group brutalizing these POWs. Hillenbrand did an excellent job in recounting the horrors many people all over the world saw through Louie Zamperini. First, like Gabrielle Timm said, the Japanese starved their prisoners. Japanese soldiers would receive Red Cross packages to give to their prisoners, but instead the soldiers would hoard the packages to sell on the black market. This left the prisoners with very tiny rations each day, and it caused dramatic weight loss, malnutrition, and death. Next, Hillenbrand focused on the medical horrors the Japanese preformed on their prisoners. Fred Garret, a friend of Louie, had a foot infection up to his ankle. After divulging fake information to the Japanese he was promised medical treatment. However, the surgeon cut his leg off at the knee, just so Garret could never fly again. Another example of the medical horrors can be found when the Japanese injected Louie and Phil with serums that put the men under intense pain. Finally, the most evident in Hillenbrand’s tale of Japanese horror is the physical violence the guards inflicted upon the POWs. I agree with Sarah Young when she brings up the Bird as a perpetrator of physical violence. The Bird physically and tormented every POW at any camp he went to, with a special hatred towards Louie. Also, the policy to kill all prisoners if threat of their escape came near was a perfect example of the brutalities the Japanese conducted during World War II. Starvation, medical experiments, and physical violence are all recorded in Laura Hillenbrand’s novel Unbroken as Japanese World War II horrors.
ReplyDeleteThe novel, Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand reintroduced me to the horrors perpetrated by the Japanese during WWII. Learning about the history of WWII during school is one thing,but following the story of a man, Louis Zamperini, adds a whole new perspective to the horrors of WWII. I agree with Caroline Hughes when she stated that much of WWII was associated with the Nazis and concentration camps, when there were still people belonging to other camps like in Japan. Louis Zamperini faced difficult times adding to the horrors of the Japanese during the war. Many different situations stood out in my mind about the struggles he and his friends had to overcome. For example, like Sarah Young said there was a drastic weight loss for many of the POWs because they were starved. Louis also got very harsh treatment by getting beaten up by The Bird. Being able to read about one man's experience is a great learning aid. Not only does the book provide statistics but also includes pictures to make the novel more realistic. Laura Hillenbrand did a terrific job discussing the life of Louis Zamperini and also portraying the Japanese horrors during World War II.
ReplyDeleteUnbroken opened my eyes to a whole new level of war horror stories. Like Claire said, sadly, when most people think of WWII, they think of Germany, Hitler, and the Holocaust. What usually doesn't come to mind is the lost souls of the thousands of brave POWs who died due to horrible treatment by the Japanese. Like Sarah Young explained, even studying about WWII in class, little is discussed on the topic of POWs, and even the war in the Pacific itself. I think the Japanese so quickly reinvented itself because they were willing to forget. Also, they were afraid of failure. Hillenbrand mentioned how the Japanese wasted no time joining forces with the Americans to capture Japanese war criminals, probably because they wanted to form strong ties with the winning ties. As much as I enjoyed this novel, I also found it very unsettling, because some of the suffering the soldiers endured seemed almost horrifically impossible, yet this page in history almost seems to go unnoticed, with WWII stories usually shedding light on the Holocaust. After reading this book, I have an even greater respect for the soldiers who served our country, especially those who served in the Pacific War.
ReplyDeleteAnnie Lyons
"Unbroken" introduces readers to the side of war that most people are not familiar with and those are the horror stories of prisoners of war. As Tom said "Unbroken gives the reader an understanding of the awful events that happened in Japanese POW camps that are sometimes overlooked because of what happened in Germany" Louie and his friends all believed "the one outcome that they feared most was capture by the Japanese" (pg.88) The Japanese left a sign saying All prisoners of war are to be executed and this foreshadowed what was to come later when Hillenbrand describes the absolutely unjust life in the prison camps. Hillenbrand presents a different look at war that many aren't aware of. I agree with Annie in saying I have an even greater respect for the soldiers who served our country because of the horror stories that Hillenbrand introduces to readers.
ReplyDeleteIn the 21st century, anyone has access to endless amounts of research and accounts of quite possibly the world’s most historically evil political system, the German Nazi Party. While horror upon horror occurred daily at Hitler’s concentration camps, even more human suffering was brewing across the globe, coming to life in a kind of cruelty that degraded some of America’s most valued heroes. Hillenbrand’s book, Unbroken, explores the abuse parallel to that of Hitler’s creation, and the unique type of cruelty inflicted by the Japanese on American POWs, through the experiences of the unbreakable himself, Louie Zamperini. Readers are introduced to heartbreaking accounts of starvation, the absolute limits of filth, and fatigue. Just as in any account of extreme oppression, the human capacity for suffering makes the story so heart-wrenching. As Claire Murphy described, the medical practices of the Japanese verged on evil and inhumane. Fred Garrett lost his leg, while officials toyed with Louie and Phil’s lives through experimental medicine. While the conditions at Japanese POW camps were equal in horror to German ones, the most darkly poignant moments of the novel stem from a place unique to Japanese culture. Hillenbrand asserts, “Few societies treasured dignity, and feared humiliation, as did the Japanese…This is likely one of the reasons why the Japanese soldiers in World War II debased their prisoners with such zeal, seeking to take from them that which was most painful and destructive to lose.” (183) During his time in Japan, Louie is forced to clean a pig’s sty, dance for a crowd of howling soldiers, and is overcome by all manner of dehumanizing illnesses. As Annie Lyons stated, the book creates an acutely painful awareness of the time period, and a profound respect for the POWs who sacrificed so much. Perhaps because dignity is an essential element in human lives that Unbroken is so memorable. Through Zamperini’s story, Hillenbrand paints a stirring portrait of the somewhat overlooked and the uniquely degrading Japanese cruelty during World War II.
ReplyDeleteThough I had previously learned about some horrors of Japanese warfare, such as the notorious kamikaze bombers, Unbroken opened my eyes to many of the lesser known atrocities committed by Japan during WWII. Though these atrocities are often overshadowed by the Holocaust, they are no less despicable. Throughout the book, it was as if the Japanese were trying not only to physically damage their prisoners, but also to mentally break them. Though some of the Japanese soldiers, such as Private Yukichi Kano, were civil to their prisoners, most of them were ceaselessly brutal to the POW's. This brings me to one of the book’s main characters and possibly the most brutal of all the Japanese soldiers, Mutsuhiro Watanabe. better known as "the Bird". It was astonishing to read about how he abused his authority and took every opportunity to torture his prisoners, especially his favorite, Louis Zamperini. One account of his endless harassment appears on page 287, when he forced all of the enlisted men to punch the officers in the face as hard as they could. Each of the officers received a total of two hundred and twenty punches. It was difficult to comprehend how a man could not only dehumanize his prisoners individually, but also force the men to fight against their own brothers. However, “the Bird” was not alone in his sadistic characteristics. His cruelty was mirrored in hundreds of other POW camps. As Claire noted, the Japanese even confiscated the Red Cross packages that had arrived for the prisoners. Overall, Unbroken took my breath away with every new page and every new description of the horrors these brave men endured. As Tom mentioned, Hillenbrand used many statistics that put the horrors of war in perspective.
ReplyDeleteLucy Melbinger
The primary focus of most WWII study is on the European front and the Holocaust, and the war in the Pacific is usually left untouched except for the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and general Douglas MacArthur's exploits. Unbroken focuses on what it was like to be a Japanese prisoner of war and really exploits the horrors that went on in enemy territory. The Japanese dehumanized their POWs, they beat them, starved them, and forced them to do manual labor. They would mercilessly beat their prisoners for no reason, and if a prisoner did something wrong, they beating was increased ten fold. This caused the prisoners to live in constant fear of their captors. POWs were treated like dirt and over time lost their will to live. This not only made life in the camps extremely difficult but also integrating back into civilian life very hard for the soldiers. I agree with Lucy when she said how it was almost disturbing to read about how the Bird treated his prisoners and with Grace about how the Japanese almost toyed with their prisoners for fun.
ReplyDeleteMax Janczak
Usually when people are asked about WWII, they immediately reply about the Germans, concentration camps, and Hitler. However, when reading the book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, it illustrates the ways that American soldiers were tortured, humiliated, and belittled by Japan. Hillenbrand introduces the horrors perpetrated by the Japanese as she gives accounts of what Louie Zamperini had to endure after he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. American POWs captured by the Japanese were forced into camps where they were starved, humiliated, tortured, beaten, and worked to death. Just as Sarah Young mentioned, I as well have never been introduced to the horrors that POWs faced. One of the most disturbing things from reading this book was that the Bird was pleased sexually from beating the POWs. He would beat his prisoners until they were unconscious, but still kept beating. In addition, it is heartbreaking reading that the Japanese would execute all of the POW captives if they heard of an invasion. I agree with Frankie Fridman when she says that it is very sad that the conditions the American POWs underwent were not made more public after the war.
ReplyDeleteMarisa Donato
Although almost all Americans are familiar with the horrors of the Nazi Regime during WWII, many are not aware of the horrors performed by the Japanese people. This novel has shown me the unforgivable and torturous actions of the Japanese army. Even though readers only get insight into Louie's experience, it is plain to know that Louie's treatment was not one of a kind. It is easy to assume that the Bird, Quack, and other ruthless guards existed in many other forms in many different camps. Louie, as we learn over the course of the novel, was lucky, no matter how hard it is to believe. Readers hear of Louie's friends perishing from malnutrition and beriberi (wet & dry), and none were given medical care in these POW camps. The account we hear from Louie is a daunting and disturbing one. As Grace Parker said, "During his time in Japan, Louie is forced to clean a pig’s sty, dance for a crowd of howling soldiers, and is overcome by all manner of dehumanizing illnesses," which sums up Louie's many horrifying experiences in POW camp.
ReplyDeleteJulia Papanastou
Like Claire and Caroline, I would say that most people associate World War II with the Nazis and the terror they inflicted across Europe and beyond. Because the initial guilt of the war was placed on Germany’s shoulders and USA’s initial resources were dedicated to ending the war in Europe, most people overlook the war in the Pacific. The only thing really remembered is the dropping of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which was extreme measure taken by the United States. This book clearly shows readers that the Nazis were not the only ones torturing, killing, and experimenting on their prisoners. The most eye-opening words to read were one man’s account of seeing the damage done to Hiroshima after the bombing. Because of his experiences in the POW camps, he could think only of himself, and how the bomb had saved him. He called the sight beautiful, claiming that the ends certainly justified the means. This man’s statement, as well as Louie’s experiences in the POW camps facing starvation, disease, and daily beatings from sadists like The Bird, clearly shows readers that Japan was no passive force in World War II and reintroduces them to the destruction done by the Japanese.
ReplyDeleteDuring World War II, the Japanese committed horrible atrocities and war crimes against their POW’s. Sometime this fact gets lost in our studies of World War II with things concerning Hitler, the Holocaust, the European front, etc. In her book Unbroken, Laura Hillendbrand brings these occurrences to the front of our minds by telling the story of one man, Louis Zamperini, and his fight for survival in several Japanese POW camps as he is beaten, starved, and worked to exhaustion. Also, as John Ray stated, they stripped the men of their dignity and self worth, which may have been the most effective method of torture used by the Japanese. To keep from losing this dignity they committed petty crimes against the guards that barely kept them going and helped them maintain a hold on their self worth and individuality. Hillenbrand gives us his first hand account of the horrors that were committed against Louie and the hardships that he had to go through merely to come out alive, which makes his experiences seem even more
ReplyDeletereal to us. Rather than just stating the facts of the Japanese atrocities, Hillenbrand gives us a personal account filled with emotions of sadness and terror. I agree with Tom when he says that Louie may have been singled out by the “Bird” and had a uniquely horrible experience, yet as we look at the bigger picture it seems that his experience was almost no different than that of many other Japanese POW’s during World War II.
In retrospect, I learned the much from the story in regards to the cruelty of Japan. It is evident through the story UNBROKEN that the Japanese were cruel, harsh, and insensitive to their captives. This was prompted by the old Japanese ideal that it is better to commit suicide than be captured or defeated. Nonetheless, the intentional cruelty toward unarmed or undeserving prisoners and the intentional withholding of food from captives is appalling and should be remembered "in infamy." But, unlike Germany, Japan became quick allies with us after the war and since then has brought forth a fruitful and peaceful relationship. It is for that reason alone that the Japanese country is not thought upon in disdain.
ReplyDeleteI agree with John Ray that it is terrible that the truth has been covered up to forget the past. I also agree with Caroline Hughes when she says "While starvation, sickness, and shipwreck alarmingly set the stage for Louie’s horrors, the descriptions of Bird, Quack, and other unforgiving guards made his story almost unbelievable."
DeleteThe book Unbroken introduced me to the side of World War II with the horrors of
ReplyDeletethe Japanese. This side of the war is not known to all, but Hillenbrand did a
fabulous job portraying it by showing all of Louie and his crews hardships they
faced. As Tommy Haracz said, "Louie may have been singled out while he was in
the POW camps but his experience was not one of a kind". There were hundreds of
thousands of POW going through all the hardships that Louie had faced. I agree
with Haley what she said "Hillenbrand reintroduces the horrors but she does not
only focus on the historically significant detail. She individualized the
stories and focused on the pain of the prisoners and their struggles to deal
with half portion rations and forced labor".
- Lauren Lyman
Throughout WWII the Geneva Convention called for fair treatment of prisoners of war. As Laura Hillenbrand stated a Japanese prisoner of war held by Americans felt so indebted to his kind captors that he couldn’t resist building a memorial for his not so lucky counterparts. The fact Americans couldn’t bring themselves to severely punish their hated enemies further supports the ongoing occurrence of Americans today to underestimate horrors perpetrated by the Japanese. Unbroken reiterates the truth of the unbearable conditions for POW’s through the powerful diction and repetition of events. Laura Hillenbrand does an incredible job of powerfully conveying the events of WWII by using comprehendible sayings and vivid imagery to relate to people of all levels. Louis Zamperini was an athlete just like most students at Loyola. This relation really hit home for me because the descriptions of every beating, the lack of food, and the immense weight and muscle loss showed the reader that Louis was loosing his dream of competing again with every passing day. Maintaining a healthy diet and progressive workout routine is essential to all athletes’ lives. The fact Louis’s captors were stripping him of his athletic ability and dream is unbearable to me and fully inflicts the atrocities of war. I agree with Lucy when she asserts that the Japanese were just as concerned with mentally harassing their prisoners as they were physically. The downward spiral of alcoholism Louis falls to in order to deal with the war shows that the physical obstacles were not nearly as severe as the mental damage, which is incredible since people died from the unsanitary conditions. Tom states that Louis story is one among a million. This drastically increases the horrors because if Laura Hillenbrand spent 400 pages describing the events of one persons experience we do not even know a fraction of the total consequences of the war.
ReplyDelete-Elle Zadina
The atrocities of World War Two are largely remembered by Hitler and his cruel death camps, such as Auschwitz and Dachau. But the monstrous war crimes committed by Japan seem to be lost to the sands of time. Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand, puts a face to the barbarism committed by the Japanese in the form of Louis Zamperini. The book highlights his epic struggles, from the dangers of being a bomber in the pacific theatre of war to surviving in a tiny raft for weeks at a time. But his Herculean effort of survival came in the shape of the Japanese POW camps he was interned in and his cruel overlord Mutsuhiro Watanabe, also known as The Bird. Watanabe beat, tortured, and starved Zamperini to the very limits of physical human capacity. Yet Zamperini never gave in, truly giving testament to the book's title. But many POWS did not have the same internal fortitude to persevere as Louis did. As a result, tens of millions of POWS died of inhumane treatment at the hands of their Japanese captors , more than any of Hitler's death camps. Grotesque medical experiments were conducted on a large scale similar to those of Dr. Joseph Mengele, Hitler's "Angel of Death". I agree with John Ray that it is most unfortunate that these horrific events appear to have faded from pages of history due to Japan's forced alliance to the Western World during the Cold War. Without Zamperini and Hillenbrand, many people would remain ignorant of the war crimes committed by Japan during WW2.
ReplyDeleteRyan Chestnut
This novel vividly shows the struggles of Louie Zamperini and other POW's during WWII. After interviewing Louie, Hillenbrand was able show the extreme brutality of the Japanese towards the POW's. Many of the punishments that Louie faced are so extreme that they are almost impossible to believe. Hillenbrand is able to portary a side of war that many people have not seen or heard of before. I agree with Will when he says that the main reason the Japanese were able to forget and move on is when they became allies with the United States and began to build a strong relationship. I also agree with Colin when he says that many of these Japanese war crimes were overshadowed by Hitler and the Holocaust. It is important to know what the Japanese did to the POW's so that we are able to learn from it in the future.
ReplyDelete-Michael Brien
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ReplyDeleteIn history classes throughout our lives, World War II has been discussed in great depth. However, the primary focus is always the Holocaust and terrible atrocities committed by Nazi Germany. The vicious, nationalistic mindset of the Japanese often goes understated or forgotten in the midst of all the WWII drama. This can be accounted for because of America's close connection with Europe in comparison to Japan. The stories of the Europeans, many of whom were family, hit closer to home. Hillenbrand found an opportunity to shed some light on the Pacific side of the war in the astounding story of Louis Zamperini. The things that the Japanese POWs had to go through were incredible. It was shocking and painful to read of the beatings, starvation, and torture the men endured.The main difference between the concentration camps and POW camps were the mental and emotional strain. The Nazi camps were dehumanizing and physically harsh, but at the POW camps the main focus was to drain the men of all willpower and strength to live slowly. This type of torture is worse than all else and led to helplessness. Japan was able to reinvent themselves after these atrocities because their culture and nationalism justified their actions and the media gave it less focus. However, Zamperinis story was an amazing way to honor all the Japanese POW and truly show their strength that was undermined before this. I agree with Ryan Chestnut that without this book, ignorance would prevail on the subject of Japanese war crimes. I also agree with Marisa that the "Kill all" policy was heart-breaking and showed the indifference in which the Japanese address the POWs.
ReplyDelete--Katherine Cienkus
Unbroken clearly illustrates the horrors perpetrated by the Japanese in many ways. Although the story focuses on Louie Zamperini and the cruel treatment towards him, I agree with Tom Haracs when he says that, “Louie may have been singled out while he was in the POW camps but his experience was not one of a kind.” Thousands of men were beaten, starved, and tortured, many of them were even murdered. This novel does an excellent job of displaying the horrific events in Japan, which are so often overlooked. I also agree with Emma W’s opinion on the chemical testing done on Louie. This scene was extremely unsettling and horrifying to read. That was the first time I had heard of chemical tests being done on POW’s during the war. Once again this demonstrates the fact that there were many horrible things being done during WWII that most people never knew about.
ReplyDeletejohn buck
Unbroken reintroduces the reader to the horrors perpetrated by the Japanese during WWII by following the grim journey of Louie Zamperini as he was tortured at every POW camp he went to. This book exposes the harsh treatment of the Japanese towards the POWs. In Zamperini's case, he and the other POWs had to endure unjust beatings and starvation at every camp they came to. This book sheds a light on the horrific events that occurred at POW camps by retelling the experience that Zamperini had in the camp. I agree with Katherine Cienkus when she compared the Nazi camps to the POW camps by saying that "at the POW camps the main focus was to drain the men of all willpower and strength to live slowly." This is a good point because often in the book it was brought up that the men lost all of their self-respect and dignity after spending time in these camps. I also agree with Julia when she said "it is easy to assume that the Bird, Quack, and other ruthless guards existed in many other forms in many different camps." This shows Zamperini wasn't the only prisoner to experience unjust treatment.
ReplyDeleteAlmost everyone is aware of the atrocities preformed by Hitler and his death camps. Germany has never been able to avoid it's cruel past. Japan on the other hand is very often looked past, but the horrors of the Japanese during World War II are reintroduced in the book Unbroken as the reader follows Louis Zamperini's inspirational story. Louis made it through cruelty on his physical state and his mental state. He explains in great detail the many hardships he endured. His story reminds us that Japanese in this war was relentless with prisoners of war. Louis was whipped, kicked, starved, but some of the most traumatic experiences he faced were when the Japanese stripped him of his dignity. The Japanese were equally as terrifying as the Germans in this war and this book is a reminder of what many have suffered through. I agree with Ryan Chestnut when he says "The book highlights his epic struggles, from the dangers of being a bomber in the pacific theatre of war to surviving in a tiny raft for weeks at a time. But his Herculean effort of survival came in the shape of the Japanese POW camps." It is mortifying that his career as a bomber pilot and his experience lost at sea do not even come close to matching the terrors he experienced at the POW camp. I also agree with Katherine Cienkus when she says "In history classes throughout our lives, World War II has been discussed in great depth. However, the primary focus is always the Holocaust and terrible atrocities committed by Nazi Germany." The monstrosity of the Japanesse army is never fully discussed in any history class I have been in and it should be mentioned more.
ReplyDeleteWhen most people think of World War II they think of the European part of the conflict which involved the Nazis and concentration camps and all of the atrocities that were committed in that part of the world. However, when the conflict in the Pacific Ocean with Japan is mentioned, it is common to think of the atomic bomb and the destruction that the Americans caused. Hillenbrand’s “Unbroken” shows the other side of that conflict, including the destruction and hostility shown by the Japanese. Before I read the book, I had no idea the kind of dehumanization that occurred in POW camps all over Japan, and I couldn’t help but make small comparisons to the things I had learned about the camps in Germany. I agree with John that the prisoners, especially Louie Zamperini, were not only abused physically, but mentally and emotionally. For instance, when the Bird, a character so cruel it’s hard to believe that he actually existed, made Louie clean the pig’s living space with his bare hands. Not only a tedious task, since Louie was emaciated by that point, but it also took away his dignity and dehumanized him. Unbroken is filled with horrible accounts of what Louie had to endure during the war, and when he gets home, he realizes that he was not the only one who had to go through that. POW’s all over Japan had to suffer like he did and I agree with Frankie that it’s sad that they hardly get any recognition for their bravery after the war and that not many people know about what was happening during that time.
ReplyDeleteThough Japan’s actions during WWII were undoubtedly horrendous and though they committed innumerable crimes against humanity, the wrath of Adolf Hitler, the Nazi Party, and the complete treachery of the Holocaust somehow overshadowed Japanese evildoings. The story of Louis Zamperini and what he experienced in Japanese POW camps completely astounded me. It is hard to believe that the Japanese did recover from such a low point in their history and gained a new reputation, while Germany never seemed to shake its bad reputation. While most people think of World War II as a primarily European war, it is important to remember that the Americans fought two fronts: one in Europe against Germany and Italy and the other in the South Pacific against Japan. Unbroken proves invaluable in educating readers about the atrocities committed by Japan during the war. Hillenbrand helped me understand Louis Zamperini’s life in hell as a Japanese POW. I was astounded by the individual cruelty of certain Japanese officers, such as the Quack and the Bird. The painful diseases, such as beriberi and dysentery, that spread all over POW camps appalled me as well. The way the Japanese beat and starved the poor POWs, completely degrading these brave men and virtually destroying their dignity, not only shocked me, but it angered me. Another thing that Unbroken introduced me to was the kill-all policy of the POWs. Throughout all my years of education, I have never heard of this policy that the Japanese implemented. To say the least, I was completely disgusted by Japanese policy toward POWs. I absolutely agree with Lucy Melbinger when she says, “Throughout the book, it was as if the Japanese were trying not only to physically damage their prisoners, but also to mentally break them.” However astonishing it may be that Japan has seemed to forgotten their past, along with the rest of the world, there is a good explanation of why and how their nation recovered its reputation. For one, Japan was an Eastern nation without democracy, but rather an emperor, while Germany was a Western democracy without any monarch until Hitler came to power. Therefor even though Japan’s actions were appalling, they were justified more than Germany’s. Also, with the coming of the Cold War and the spread of Communism, Hillenbrand points out, that an alliance with Japan was critical to national security.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think about World War 2, I think about the sacrifices millions of young men all around the world made to save and protect their country. Along with these sacrifices comes consequences, an obvious one being death. The death of Americans at Pearl Harbor, the death of Jews at the concentration camps, and the death of prisoners of war at the camps in Japan. I didn’t fully understand the horrors perpetrated by the Japanese during WWII until I read this book. A major distinction that makes the Japanese stand out to me was that they focused on torturing “the enemy” at these camps. I agree with Tommy Borah as he says “it reminds us that the Japanese were relentless with the prisoners of war.” They had no limits as they physically abused their enemies by whipping them, starving them, and beating them. However, the effect of the mental abuse the victims were forced to endure was far worse. They stripped them of their identity, forced them to separate from loved ones, and challenged their will to survive each and everyday. I agree with Sierra K, as an example of this is when Bird forces Louie to clean the pig’s cage with his bare hands. “It took away his dignity and dehumanized him.” This book was an eye-opener as it showed the many hardships and cruelties a POW must face to survive.
ReplyDelete-Maggie Nick
Germany has never been able to escape the horrors it committed in WWII, but Japan has been able to reinvent itself. This book introduced the horrors perpetrated by the Japanese during WWII by going through the journey of Zamperini and his struggle through the Japanese POW camps. The camps are described as extremely harsh places where POW agreements were not followed because most of the camps were kept secret. POW agreements were supposed to allow the captives to be in contact with the Red Cross and also communicate with their families. At the camps, prisoners were given no rights and the Japanese generals frequently beat them with no explanation. The prisoners were also forced to do strenuous labor that left them extremely weak and tired. For example, they were forced to tow tons of coal. The prisoners were also given extremely small rations of food. The food was also infested with maggots and not fit to eat. By going through the journey of one man, this book gave a look at the horrors that the Japanese committed during the war. I agree with Sierra that the world focuses mainly on the European side of the war and the horrors associated with the Nazis, but the acts committed by the Japanese were close to as bad. I also agree with Maggie that the Japanese focused on the prisoners as enemies and used this to justify their actions.
ReplyDeleteLaura Hillenbrand’s vivid illustrations and captivating descriptions of the experiences of young Louis Zamperini in the novel Unbroken reintroduce the horrors and atrocities committed by the Japenese in many ways. I agree with Tommy Haracz in that Louie went through what many others did as well during WWII. Americans interned as Japanese POW’s were forced to endure inhumane scientific testing, starvation, torture, and merciless beatings. The specific story of Louis Zamperini creates a very real and horrifying image of how brutal the Japanese really were during WWII. I agree with Katherine Cienkus that “Japan was able to reinvent themselves after these atrocities because their culture and nationalism justified their actions and the media gave it less focus.” The Japanese believed it was their divine right to rule and it is understood how they were able to commit such horrifying acts. However, Unbroken recalls these horrifying acts and puts them into the perspective of the people that actually suffered from them, reintroducing the horrors of the Japanese, but in a different way than a textbook might.
ReplyDeleteIn the novel Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, it displays what life was like for Louie Zamperini and many other POWs in Japanese camps during World War II. Unbroken opened my eyes to the horrors that the POWs taken by the Japanese had to face. I never truly understood or focused on the Pacific side of World War II because my attention had always been brought to the horrors created by the Germans. It was horrible how the Japanese beat their POWs and also broke many rules when it came to the treatment of the POWs as stated in the Geneva Convention. The awful treatment of the men by the Bird and other guards at the camps made me realize the horrors of war. They did horrible things to the POWS, like Tommy Haracz said, “they were beaten unconscious and then beaten again.” They weren’t only beaten but starved only living on half a bowl of seaweed and only a full bowl if they worked all day. Some who needed the nutrients and replenishment of food because they were sick only received a small amount. As Sarah Young said, “There was a drastic weight loss for many of the POWs because they were starved.” The starvation, beating, medical “treatments”, and kill all policies made me see that there were two sides to World War II. It wasn’t only the concentration camps in Germany and the stories of Anne Frank but the life of the POWs like Phil and Louie. Even though these awful things were done many years ago, Japan has learned from their mistakes and grown as a country to be a better place.
ReplyDelete-Katie Boesen
During World War II, terrible atrocities were committed by both the Germans and Japanese. This is not the first time in history crimes such as these have been committed and not the last. The book introduced me to the horrors of the POW camps in Japan. This is an issue that is very undermined in modern times and one that I was not aware before this book. Louis Zamperini went through incredible hardships. Although the physical aspect was grueling and amazingly difficult, the most horrible thing about the camps was the emotional strain. I agree with Katherine Cienkus when she says that the Japanese drained the POW by slow dehumanizing and their willpower to live. The Germans found it harder to reinvent themselves after the war because their horrors were highly publicized and the death toll was higher. Hillenbrand did an amazing job showing the world the horrors executed by the Japanese through the story of Louis Zamperini.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I didn’t know much about WW2 in the Pacific before reading this book. We hear so much about Hitler and his infamous Holocaust that it is easy to overlook what was happening on the opposite side of the globe at exactly the same time. Of course, we remember what started it—Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941—and what ended it—the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. But, to me, at least, what happened in between remained a mystery, until I read Unbroken. I knew that we, Americans, out of fear, herded many of our Japanese citizens living on the west coast into internment camps, in a case of unwarranted racial profiling that is unfortunately being mirrored in the wake of 9/11. In Japan, it turns out, the living conditions in POW camps were horrendous. Hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers like Louis Zamperini were starved, beaten, and forced to do strenuous labor under extremely dangerous conditions; some were tortured to death. Apparently, the Japanese held no regard for the law because they believed it was shameful to allow oneself to be captured rather than die for one’s country; a shocking statistic from Laura Hillenbrand’s story: for every one Japanese soldier that was captured, some 20 Americans were, likewise. It was hard to fight the Japanese—they were ruthless and willing, even eager, to fight to the death, often crashing their Zeros head on into American planes. From my understanding, WW2 began as a result of Hitler and the Japanese emperor having the same idea at the same time: both believed their race was superior to all others and sought to conquer the world. For Germany, that was Europe; for Japan, it was Asia and the Pacific. Caught in the middle of two major conflicts, the US and its Allies joined the battles raging on both sides of the world. Eventually, Germany and Japan teamed up, along with Italy, at the time ruled by Benito Mussolini, to form the Axis powers, which opposed the Allies, making it a two-sided war. I think it is very insightful of Jake, Sarah, and Caroline to point out the role that the onset of the Cold War, as well as America’s fear of the spread of communism, may have played in it ultimately pardoning some of Japan’s worst atrocities. Also, I agree with Haley, who points out that, in personalizing the story and relating individual tales of hardship, distress, and salvation, Hillenbrand paints a comprehensive picture of life in the Japanese POW camps. -Karina de Hueck
ReplyDeleteIn America where freedom of religion is a right we hold near and dear to our hearts it is no wonder we find the Holocaust particularly horrific. Our country has it's own history of struggles with diversity. Such a discrimination against African Americans, Native Americans, Japanese, Arabs and many other races. However the violence and hatred Hitler had against the Jews was a level of discrimination we had yet to be exposed to. Perhaps the reason Hitler's abuse of the Jews is so notorious is because of the shockingly massive number of people he murdered and tortured. It could also be that there seems to be no true reason for the Jews' persecution other than the insanity of one man. As Jimmy Moriarity mentioned this is not the first time in history something like this has happened. However, as Grace Parker mentioned we live in a day and age where facts about the true atrocities of the Holocaust can be easily accessed. With this information we can now better understand the victim's suffering.
ReplyDeleteThe great mystery is why the suffering of the POWs, which was equally as awful as the holocaust victims', is not as well known. I must admit that before reading this book I had never really thought about prisoners of war or their treatment once captured. I was shocked to discover how many POWs had been captured by the Japanese during WWII and how poorly American's conducted search and rescue parties. I also was amazed by how little I knew about prisoners of war in general. I even began to question what is being done to our men captured in the war on terror? I also noticed that on TV there are far more stories told of the men who died in combat than the ones captured, and after reading "Unbroken" I understand why. As Jimmy also mentioned these men suffered great emotional turmoil, which would make sharing their story difficult. In fact, based on Louie's behavior prior to his religious revival he was not a person anyone would want to talk to. the sad truth is that most POWs probably became social outcasts and left alone in their internal struggle to let go of the war. I feel as if in America we are also under this impression that military men are strong both mentally and physically from war. However, no one can be trained to endure the kind torture Louie and the other POWs faced. While it might be easier to forget about the sacrifice soldiers make for their country and call what they do merely a job, Hillenbrand illustrates a personal record of what war truly meant for men such as Louie, Phil, and Pete. She reveals the truth about the Japanese hushed up treat of POWs through the inspirational story of Louie's strong unbreakable spirit. For me "Unbroken" was about more than the facts of what went on in these camps, I felt connected to these men through their stories. Hillenbrand was able to help readers feel these men's pain, if only a fraction of it.
"Unbroken" reintroduced me to the horrors committed by the Axis powers during WWII. Until I read this book, I never truly realized the brutality of the Japanese POW camps. This book brought their actions to the surface. I believe that their actions are underscored by the brutality of the German Nazi party in WWII. I agree with Jimmy when he says that the Germans have been unable to shake their past and truly re-build because of the publicity their actions had. This was probably more publicized because we defeated the Germans first in the war. I believe that if Japan was stopped first, there would be much more publicity towards the terrible conditions of the POW camps: maybe as much as the Nazi concentration camps. When we think of the terrors of WWII, we usually think about the concentration camps set up by the Nazis, and not the POW camps run by the Japanese. Because of this lack of POW camp publicity, Japan has been able to re-build much faster than Germany. Reading this book helped me realize that the terrors of the war weren't limited to Germany. I also agree with Sierra when she says that the dehumanization and torture the Japanese camps dealt out could be compared with the awful conditions of the Nazi concentration camps.
ReplyDeleteIn all of history, each country has to live up to their actions. Whether they are acts of heroism or of cruelty, countries have to live through the consequences of what they have done. Unbroken completely lives up to this idea.When World War II crosses peoples mind, most people, including me, automatically turn theirs thoughts to the horrors they know of the concentration camps. I agree with Caroline in finding the the crimes commited by the Japanese during World War II are often hidden in the shadow of the well remembered history of the concentration camps. Because of this, as Emma stated earlier, Japan was able to quitely rebuild from their mistakes without suffering quite the same amount as the Germans did, though we do know they still suffered. However after reading this book, the horrors of the POW camps seem to have become much more revelant to me and all other Dumbachs. No matter how large or how small, countries will always pays for their crimes in some shape or form.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest "Unbroken" didn't reintroduce me to the horrors of Japan during World War II at all. I had little knowledge of much of anything that Japan was doing during this time period other than their involvement in naval battles in the Pacific. This book definitely was an eye-opener for me because I had no idea that people were treated so horrifically in their POW camps. I would definitely agree with Clarice that countries are always remembered for their actions and that the worse or better they are they will be remembered for their actions in a similar way. It definitely seems that Japan is almost recognized for the crimes they committed during World War II. I find it strange though,much like Emma stated Japan seemed able to rebuild without discrimination whereas Germany endures massive amounts of it. When you look at the crimes committed by Japan and compare them two Germany you can find two major differences, the amount of people and the fact that they were crimes committed against a certain group of people. The thought process was no different though, all of these people were being killed because the Japanese believed they were better than them. How is this any different than what occurred in Germany? It was still an act of racism, it was just more universal, how is that any less awful? The only thing that makes it worse is the amount of people killed but even those numbers aren't to far apart.
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