This is coolbert: Here is another quote from war that is often uttered: "in war, truth is the first casualty." Well, I am not going to testify as to the truthfulness of that statement. What I have in mind is some graphic images of war that become established in peoples minds. Images that carry sometimes great weight in the minds of people. And images that while not being lies or distortions, can be misleading.

One such image is from World War Two.

A cartoon of a stereotypical [at least to western minds] Japanese soldier. This cartoon is very well done and contains reams of biting sarcasm. What it shows is a little-itty-bitty Japanese soldier, big grin on his face, with big buck teeth protruding, wearing thick glasses with slitted, slanted eyes showing through the glasses. This Jap soldier has boots on that go up to his hips, and in his hand is a samurai sword that is longer than the Jap is tall, and the sword is dripping blood. In the background is a pile of human heads. And the caption under the cartoon says, "so solly". Illustrates the basic contradiction in Japanese nature that was apparent to westerners. The oh-so-polite Japanese on one hand, and the bestial and sadistic Jap soldier on the other.

And this is based in fact, not on silly and unfounded propaganda [the Rape of Nanking is just one example of such behavior on the part of the World War Two Jap].

Now, during the Malayan campaign in 1941, when a Jap force successfully defeated a much larger British force, one British officer, upon surveying a battlefield and examining the Jap dead, reported to his superiors, "not one under six foot [these were probably Japanese Imperial Marines, chosen for their stature], and no eyeglasses or buck teeth". Well, images, wrong ones, create an impression in the mind that is hard to overcome. Impressions in war can lead to disaster.

The second image that was sensational in it's time and created a very unfavorable impression in people's minds was from the Vietnam War.

A very famous photo was taken of a South Vietnamese General, General Loan [head of the South Vietnamese National Police] executing a captured VC. This VC was shot in the head at point blank range, after being captured and tied. This extremely graphic photo [it appears that the bullet is just entering the VC's head as the photo is being taken], turned many Americans to lose any support they already had for the South Vietnamese. Portrayed the South Vietnamese, and especially General Loan, as being brutal and cruel bad guys themselves. "This is the people we are supporting?", was the common response.



However, when one hears the entire story behind this incident, one's perspective changes.

General Loan, stumbling upon the VC prisoner being led away, immediately asked, "where was this man captured?". Upon being told, "at the National Police Headquarters", General Loan then gestured to the soldiers guarding the VC prisoner to step aside, where upon the General executed the VC.

Now, what is the significance of this prisoner being captured at the National Police Headquarters? Well, General Loan had just come from the Headquarters, where he had found the bodies of one of his senior officers, the officers wife, and their four children, who Loan was godfather to. These unfortunates had all been murdered, by having their throats slit, and this after being tied. So, who ever killed these people at the Headquarters were cold blooded murderers.

The identity of the captured VC was later established, he being a VC with the rank of Captain, and being either present or actually leading the VC attackers at the National Police Headquarters. Even more significant is the fact that this VC was caught dressed in civilian clothes, meaning that by this action he had placed himself in the category of terrorist and spy, and was not due the normal courtesies due a combatant. At least by my reckoning, what General Loan did, while being not acceptable, is within understanding by the norms of how most people behave in war. But please don't consider this VC to be an unfortunate by any means!!

coolbert.