Loot - A documentary (1 Viewer)

[MCKENNA77]

Hey dudes:

I checked this film out on HBO the other night. Was certainly a unique story of a "raninbow chaser" looking for lost WWII treasure. The stories of the two elderly inviduals involved in the Pacific and Atlantic fronts was pretty amazing. At one point in the film, the individual who served in the Pacific - the Philippines to be exact - starting talking about how when the war ended they rounded up the remaining or surrendering Japanese soldiers, put them on Higgins boats and then dropped them off in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I had never heard of something like this happening especially after the conflict had ended. I tried to research it a bit on the internet - though not for very long. Has anybody heard of event like this taking place before or know anywhere where it has been historically documented? I'm not saying that it didnt happen was just taken aback by the shock value of the whole thing. War is really hell I guess.


Take Care

 

[Rob]

I have never heard of this before,as you say mate War is indeed hell.Hatred for the average Japenese soldier was probably stronger than for the German version,their treatment of Allied prisoners and the civilians they came across was repulsive in the extreme.I have read of Japenese sailors rescuing downed Allied pilots only to tie them to oil drums and throw them over the side-i don't know if this is true but would not be surprised if it was.

The event you describe is shocking,but i wonder what that guy went through or perhaps what he saw from the Japenese.I too would like to hear more about this.

Rob

 

[Njja]

It really wouldn't suprise me, and after Peral Harbor and the Batan Death

March why not? Every now and then one of these guys comes down out of

the hills in the Philippines still thinking the war is going on. I could easily see

someone dropping a bunch of them off in the middle of the Pacific. If I were

there I would have suggested they provide them a map toss them over the

side and provide them an anvil to paddle back to Japan.

 

[MCKENNA77]

The thing that suprised me the most was that it happened after the War had ended. I can understand that when people are put into the "He or Me" situation that it can bring the worst out in people and spiral out of control. I cant imagine being the boat captain or the person in charge and dropping the gate and trying to overcome the language barrier of telling your passengers that its time to get off the ship. Yes, lets be honest, its not like the Japanese had a great rep on how they treated their prisoners of war. It does seem strange to me, in my opinion, how the level of inhumanity of WWII in general was equal to that of Vietnam. Yet those two conflicts do not carry the same PR back here in the States at least. In the big picture, I hope it helps the world in some way to find a better solution to solving its problems than armed conflict.

 

[Rob]

Whilst not on excactly the same subject here is a link that demonstrates the hatred and desire for revenge upon the Japenese;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_mutilation_of_Japanese_war_dead

Rob

 

[Njja]

In my opinion all you would need is a person that had witnessed the other

side of the coin. If the Captain of the ship had witnessed Pearl Harbor, or

participated in the Batan Death march he would drop the gate by hand if

necessary. If men fight with honor thats one thing, its horrible, but it

happens. The Japanese believed in death before surrender, which meant that

they had no respect for their prisoners. If you read the accounts of what

they did in China......you will not believe it.

The fellow that dropped the gate, should get a medal. Personally I would

have had them over the side so none of my crew got their feet wet.....but

then again I'm from Jersey.

 

[Njja]

Whilst not on excactly the same subject here is a link that demonstrates the hatred and desire for revenge upon the Japenese;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_mutilation_of_Japanese_war_dead

Rob

War is horrible, there is no question. Both sides are going to have individuals

that do things that should not be done which is why we have "Rules for War".

Even in our own Civil War things were done that were unspeakable.

To point out atrocities against the Japanese by either the British, American,

Chinese, or any other nation invaded by them makes no more sense then to

discuss those done to the Germans by the Russians.

They set the standards for brutality, if they suffered some in return so be

it.

 

[Rob]

In my opinion all you would need is a person that had witnessed the other

side of the coin. If the Captain of the ship had witnessed Pearl Harbor, or

participated in the Batan Death march he would drop the gate by hand if

necessary. If men fight with honor thats one thing, its horrible, but it

happens. The Japanese believed in death before surrender, which meant that

they had no respect for their prisoners. If you read the accounts of what

they did in China......you will not believe it.

The fellow that dropped the gate, should get a medal. Personally I would

have had them over the side so none of my crew got their feet wet.....but

then again I'm from Jersey.

Very similar to the Blitz thread,we have no right to try and tell those whose families were killed from above by the Nazi's that the bombing of Germany was a war crime,they wanted it and who can blame them?.

Sorry Chris not trying to change the thread mate

Also we sometimes forget the human experience of the Pacific war,can we possibly imagine the stress,trauma and horrifying experience that these young men went through,and then expect them to act like saints.Not realistic is it.

Rob

 

[Njja]

Very similar to the Blitz thread,we have no right to try and tell those whose families were killed from above by the Nazi's that the bombing of Germany was a war crime,they wanted it and who can blame them?.

Sorry Chris not trying to change the thread mate

Also we sometimes forget the human experience of the Pacific war,can we possibly imagine the stress,trauma and horrifying experience that these young men went through,and then expect them to act like saints.Not realistic is it.

Rob

......................................................................................................

Rob, an excellent comment, who could possibly understand the actions of

those that have seen such horror.

We should probably get back to the topic of whether or not this actually

happened!

 

[Rob]

......................................................................................................

Rob, an excellent comment, who could possibly understand the actions of

those that have seen such horror.

We should probably get back to the topic of whether or not this actually

happened!

Yes we probably should!

 

[gk5717]

I watched Loot last night. I have to say I wasted an hour and a half of my time waiting for something to happen, and nothing did.
How did this thing make it to tv?
HBO wouldn,t be in business very long if something like this was all they offered.
Gary

 

[Njja]

Gary:

I agree, I canceled my HBO after that horrible ending of "The Sopranos" and I have never looked back!

 

[MCKENNA77]

Well everyone is entitled to their own opinion but the movie is certainly a documentary and not an action flick. I thought the stories that were told were certainly excellent. I think the film hits on the fact that when youre looking for something you never find it. You open Pandoras box a little bit and find something else. Kind of like when you travel sometimes the best things you find are when you get lost or do something random/spontaneous. Just my thoughts.

Take Care

 

[gk5717]

Gary:

I agree, I canceled my HBO after that horrible ending of "The Sopranos" and I have never looked back!

NJJA, In retrospect, I think the Sopranos last episode ending was brilliant!
I had to work the night it was on so I had the wife record it. Got home watched it and almost screamed when the screen went blank thinking the wife turned the recorderer off too early.
At the time I was disappointed with the ending, but over time is when I thought it great.
In my mind it leaves things open for either a movie or more Sopranos tv.
About time to watch the entire series again, never get tired of it.
Gary

 

[Warrior]

Not trying to hijack this thread, but I think the entire planet had the same reaction to the ending at first; what just happened, did my tv crap out on me?

I keep going back to the conversation Tony and Bobby had about what happens when you die, Tony said "I think everything just goes black", which in reality is what happens.

The ending left the door open for 9,000 different versions of what people think happened; IMO, Tony bought it right at the end..............

 

[lancer]

At the very least, Tony deserved to buy it. But as Clint once said, "Deserves got nothing to do with it, kid." -- lancer

 

[gk5717]

Tony Soprano, my all time anti hero!
I think my wife is the only person on the planet who has never watched at least a single episode of the Sopranos.
It never failed, I would be watching it down stairs and the wife would come down for something and there on the screen were either strippers at The Bing or Tony doing it with one of his many women friends.
Gary