And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
This brings back memories. You don't see women wearing them as often in Japan these days. They are as impractical as they are beautiful (and expensive.) My wife still has hers, unworn for decades. I doubt we can even find the tabi (split toed socks) or geta (sandals.)
Eh, nothing special or at all attractive to me; neither the women nor the kimonos. I have to agree with my late cousin, who spent time right after WWII in Japan, and went on to fight in both Korea and Vietnam before retiring from the USMC circa 1964. He flew Dauntlesses during the retaking of Luzon, and told me that he could never tell the difference between a Japanese fighting position and a Filipino civilian structure. Must have done something right; 3 DFCs for Luzon, and 1 for Korea, along with a lot of other awards.
Going through his correspondence after he died, it became apparent that he stayed on base when he was overseas, taking on extra assignments as a way to relieve the boredom, and not-so-incidentally getting promoted ahead of his peers.
About two years ago I finally went through his several volumes of photos, from his enlistment in 1942 to his retirement, and I was struck by the (profane)contempt he had for non-European women, as written on the backs of the photos he took. "Whore" was the politest word he used to describe them, and there were several photos of dead Asian women, with funny(but profane) remarks on each. I've donated the collection to an air museum, but I doubt that many people will see the photos.
It's hard to judge any population after their country has been devastated by war, and just eating every day is a struggle.
I'd take that assessment with a grain of salt, as it's easy to be respectable when one's country is fat and happy. The reverse is also true, as millions in this country will someday find out.
unwrapping a present like no other
ReplyDeleteThere's a lovely demure aspect of a pretty woman in a kimono.
ReplyDeleteThis brings back memories. You don't see women wearing them as often in Japan these days. They are as impractical as they are beautiful (and expensive.) My wife still has hers, unworn for decades. I doubt we can even find the tabi (split toed socks) or geta (sandals.)
ReplyDeleteAmazon has them.
ReplyDeleteIt's just wrapping paper for the gift inside.
ReplyDeleteEh, nothing special or at all attractive to me; neither the women nor the kimonos. I have to agree with my late cousin, who spent time right after WWII in Japan, and went on to fight in both Korea and Vietnam before retiring from the USMC circa 1964. He flew Dauntlesses during the retaking of Luzon, and told me that he could never tell the difference between a Japanese fighting position and a Filipino civilian structure. Must have done something right; 3 DFCs for Luzon, and 1 for Korea, along with a lot of other awards.
ReplyDeleteGoing through his correspondence after he died, it became apparent that he stayed on base when he was overseas, taking on extra assignments as a way to relieve the boredom, and not-so-incidentally getting promoted ahead of his peers.
About two years ago I finally went through his several volumes of photos, from his enlistment in 1942 to his retirement, and I was struck by the (profane)contempt he had for non-European women, as written on the backs of the photos he took. "Whore" was the politest word he used to describe them, and there were several photos of dead Asian women, with funny(but profane) remarks on each. I've donated the collection to an air museum, but I doubt that many people will see the photos.
It's hard to judge any population after their country has been devastated by war, and just eating every day is a struggle.
DeleteI'd take that assessment with a grain of salt, as it's easy to be respectable when one's country is fat and happy.
The reverse is also true, as millions in this country will someday find out.