war on terror = longer than WW2

Originally posted by Harlequin
yes


`give up now and forever or we will glass you from one side to the other`

is a way of totally surrendering.

I agree with that. But does that mean that if China invades the Japanese for what they did in WWII, then it's a new war? Or is it an extenuation (sp?) since it's on the reasons of WWII. Kind of like how Germany wanted to return to Versailles (sp?). Wait a minute....Actually, I guess I just answered my own question. It is a different war. Ok, you're right.

Wow, I just realized that people fight multiple wars on the same crap, go figure.

Originally posted by Thomas Crowne
Not really; it seems to be senseless pseudo-flaming with barely on topic jabs.

Help

I'm done with this conversation. It has cost me ATS points.

Great way to stiffle the topic.

en.wikipedia.org...

The Japanese surrendered on 15 August 1945, signing official surrender papers on 2 September 1945, aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. Japan's surrender to the United States did not fully end the war, however, because Japan and the Soviet Union never signed a peace agreement. In the last days of the armed conflict, the Soviet Union occupied the southern Kuril Islands, an area previously held by Japan and claimed by the Soviets. Multiple efforts to bring to a peace agreement, and officially end the war, have as yet not succeeded.

Japan formally surrenders aboard USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay

I think it's safe to say Japan surrendered, no?

Some people say the Cold War was just WW2 continued. I agree with this in most ways. The end of the war saw 2 superpowers emerge. After the horrors and huge loss of life, it was obvious nobody wanted to go through that again. If you think about it, it was like a 'lazy' war where nobody wanted to actually have a full-on war so they turned to technology races (Space etc.).




[edit on 8-12-2005 by Kasra]

Originally posted by crisko
Are you that naive?

I dunno, are yours and mine tax dollars doing it's job at teaching us kids what went on in our very recent history. I blame my crappy florida school system. That's why I'm here at ATS. To learn what I couldn't have otherwise.

Originally posted by FallenOne

Originally posted by crisko
Are you that naive?

To learn what I couldn't have otherwise.

Becareful on what you absorb, like T.V. some is good, a lot isn't.

You can even compare WW2 to the war on terror. The war on terror may span many life times under differnt guises. One must bear in mind that the western world is figting a number of groups who use reglion to press there adgenda.
The war on terror gose beyond Bin ladin and any other group or person.

Originally posted by crisko
Not only did it end, we dismantled their military. Are you that naive? Japan has no military; the U.S. protects them.
FFS.

JSDF

Japan's Self Defense Forces (JSDF) are primarily responsible for external defense and less concerned with internal issues such as domestic insurgencies or ethnic conflicts. Capable of defending home islands against all existing and foreseeable military threats. Capable of limited protection of sea lanes out to 1,000 miles against existing and foreseeable naval threats. JSDF generally maintain a low profile, but with the world's second largest defense budget, they have built an impressive arsenal of state-of-the-art weapons and platforms. These include more than 1,000 main battle tanks, 16 Harpoon equipped SSK submarines, a substantial surface fleet including new improved destroyers,80 P-3C anti-submarine maritime reconnaissance aircraft and some 330 combat aircraft including F-15s and F-4s. Japan also has a sizeable defense industry with sophisticated capabilities in areas such as radar and air-to-air missiles.

Talking about naive ...

Yeah I find it constantly suprising that people still think Japan "has no military."

Japan may call it's military a "Self Defense Force", but it is a large, thorughly modern, very well drilled force.

The JMSDF in particular is one of the most powerful navies on the planet, led by four (soon to be six) Aegis destroyers, with dozens of smaller (but very well armed) destroyers and frigates, and some of the best diesel subs around.

Japan not only has a military, but probably the most capable and modern in the Pacific region, with the exception of the US. They could also develop a strategic nuclear force in a very short time if they wanted to, about 1/3 of Japan's electricity comes from nuclear plants, and one of their space program's launchers (the M-5) is actually pretty much a direct copy of the Peacekeeper MX ICBM.

Fortunately Japan since WW2 has chosen to become an economic rather than a military superpower, with their military primarily geared to provide an (extremely) effective defense rather than power projection. IMHO we'd do well to follow their example.

[edit on 12/9/05 by xmotex]

I guess we can blame you Europeans no?

Why not? Everyone else does...

WWII had a fronts, rears, flanks and a tangeble enemy... War on terror has none of those things... cant kill what you cant see.

Same thing with the "War on drugs" I dont see a end date insight unless we stop poking our noses where it doesnt belong.

Originally posted by crisko

Originally posted by FallenOne
Can a nation really 'surrender'? I mean, isn't that really saying..."ok, we'll take a break..."

Dunno, drop two atomic bombs on your cities and get back to me.

Not only did it end, we dismantled their military. Are you that naive? Japan has no military; the U.S. protects them.

FFS.

Actually, are you so ignorant to beleive that the U.S. is the only country that protects Japanese soldiers? Infact i beleive thers a whole lot of Aussie soldiers out there protecting them cause they still cant carry many guns or are allowed to defend themselves very well while they are doing rebuilding work in Iraq.

On the topic at hand, i think the War On Terrorism will last for many more years to come. It really depends on how you look at WWII beginning (and ending) but i think yes, it is a longer war. Dirtier? I don't think so, just played up to be. Unless you count the US torturing prisoners as dirty..

[edit on 9-12-2005 by ekul08]

Originally posted by xmotex
Fortunately Japan since WW2 has chosen to become an economic rather than a military superpower

I dont think they really had a choice after WW2. Nobody was going let Japan or Germany have a huge military build up after WW2.

Decades later things changed new enemies etc..

Originally posted by Harlequin
there wasn`t an awlful lot of open fighting during the cold war was there - hence why my cvomment about WW2 stands.

That was a joke, right?

Did you miss Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan et al?

Originally posted by American Mad Man

That was a joke, right?

Did you miss Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan et al?

Afghanistan - russia invaded as agrab for oil (remind anyone of anything) didn`t work because the us supplied thousands of stinger missiles to teh taliban - which kinda sucks now since the same missiles are shooting down us helicopters.

and korea? that was north korea invading south korea and china getting involved when the us troops invaded them.

[edit on 10-12-2005 by Harlequin]

Originally posted by Harlequin
and korea? that was north korea invading south korea and china getting involved when the us troops invaded them.

Check you history. China decided to join the fight and the American forces have yet to step on their soil during the war. I guess we were too close for comfort for the Communist China.