Anyone else interested in this subject? it's almost never talked about- but that's probably due to the information being so scarce and the reluctance of the Japanese sharing information about it. Honestly it baffles me how they kept it hidden from the public for so long, it's some of the most gruesome shit in history. <- unit 731 base
There are quite a few Podcasts about it. I recall, too, it was covered here a few years back... https://podbay.fm/p/history-of-japan/e/1525518000 SHOW NOTES 29 minutes Posted May 5, 2018 This week, we tackle the evils of Unit 731 -- its history, its experiments, and its ultimate escape from any real justice. Episode 238 – Hell is Empty – Isaac Meyer
I must confess, I've never heard of this before. I'm completely speechless. It's made me feel sickened to read about such atrocities in the links above.
I had a book about it some 30 years ago, don't know where it went. Amazon is your friend with planty of more recent titles. https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=unit+731&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
Cynical, Now a couple of years ago I read a comprehensive article on the joint work by China (PRC) and Japan to recover and dispose of the CBW found to this day in China. One 2014 article estimated two million tonnes of weapons were abandoned. From memory Japan pays for all the work. I thought it was called a Joint Commission, may be not. This is an undated Japanese link: Abandoned Chemical Weapons Office - Cabinet Office Home Page and a 2004 PRC statement: Chemical Weapons Abandoned by Japan in China last link from 2017 by the OPCW: OPCW Executive Council and Director-General Review Abandoned Chemical Weapons’ Destruction Progress in China
Another thread on Unit 731: Unit 731 - Biological and Chemical Warfare Slightly different: Japanese spread Plague all over China, used Allied and American POWs The first two posts in: Massacres and Atrocities of WW2 There may be others in this long thread. Using "unit 731" + "abandoned chemical weapons" a Google search yields up more.
The real disturbing fact is that Ishii Shiro bargained his way out of being punished because the US wanted to prevent the Russians from acquiring what amounted to a failed attempt to weaponize a last ditch and uncontrollable option. Some historians in the past , which has been summarily debunked , actually dared to blame MacArthur for a decision that was way above his pay grade.
Some of the latest research on the subject: United States Responses to Japanese Wartime Inhuman Experimentation after World War II: National Security and Wartime Exigency Department of Justice Official Releases Letter Admitting U.S. Amnesty of Unit 731 War Criminals Is the most recent study of the Unit and the aftermath. From the blurb: While not the ultimate decision maker, MacArthur was actively involved in recommending the amnesty for the Japanese involved in Unit 731 as recent documentation shows. All of this was related to the ramping up of tensions between the USSR and the US and the desire to make sure that if anyone had access to Unit 731's output it was the US. Not a proud story for anyone involved except some of the investigators who pushed for prosecution and were overruled.
The fact is that MacArthur had nothing to do with , and was most certainly not "involved in recommending the amnesty for the Japanese involved in Unit 731" , and I could care less about recent bullshit documentation.
I would please ask you to mind your tone and the personal attacks. You and others on this forum are free to read the articles and evidence linked to and draw your own conclusions. Thank you
There was no personal attack other than the attempt to blame MacArthur , and if you have a problem with the word 'bullshit' , I will stop posting here. Department of Justice Official Releases Letter Admitting U.S. Amnesty of Unit 731 War Criminals "The original promise of amnesty for information was made after a discussion some months after the end of World War II between the Ft. Detrick’s Colonel Murray Sanders and General Douglas MacArthur, according to numerous accounts of Unit 731’s history. The finalization of such a deal, however, took a few years, and was not without controversy within government circles." The fact is that Colonel Murray Sanders was sent to brief MacArthur on a decision that had already been made. Maybe you should just remind yourself what Camp Detrick was (it was not Ft. Detrick at the time) and who ordered Col Sanders to approach Ishii Shiro.
Glad to see the original poster has not been seen. not much of a first post So lets wait to see the interest of the new member is or not as the case may be ding ding round two
You may have formed your opinion from extensive reading elsewhere, however, the quote you used here does not evidence or prove your point at all. Indeed, it rather contradicts it. The quote does NOT evidence that a decision had already been made before the Sanders-MacArthur meeting NOR absolve MacArthur in any way from the claims levelled. If you feel so strongly about clearing up this matter, it may help if you used some evidence that supports your opinion.
The original post exhibited the traits of somebody with no knowledge of the subject beyond that the topic existed and by someone too idle to do his/her own research on the subject so decided to chance their arm at getting somebody else to do the work for them. Seems to have worked.