[lit-ideas] Re: Huntington's thesis
- From: Robert Paul <robert.paul@xxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2006 13:56:27 -0800
Eric asked:
Then why didn't MacArthur commit hara-kiri when the Philippines fell?
Because they wouldn't let him have anything sharp. If your point is that
ritual disembowelment is not part of Western culture, it should perhaps
be pointed out that after Japan's surrender, Tojo tried to commit
suicide—not hara-kiri (seppuku)—by shooting himself in the chest. He
failed, and was executed by the Allies. Generals Tomoyuki, and Masaharu
(who was responsible for the 'Bataan Death March,' and other
atrocities), were hanged. Admiral Yamamoto, who had opposed going to war
against the US, was shot down by by the US Air Force, which had learned
of the route his plane would take on an inspection flight in the Solomon
Islands, in 1943.
Robert Paul
Reed College
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