IGX

I'm not one to jump on the band wagon with these best seller lists but I can't put this fucker down. I was ordering some crap on amazon and had to get something else for free shipping so I picked it up.

Since I'm not a 12 year old girl, I didn't read Seabiscuit but Hillenbrand is a great writer. It's an amazing read so far and I recommend y'all check out.

From Laura Hillenbrand, the bestselling author of Seabiscuit, comes Unbroken, the inspiring true story of a man who lived through a series of catastrophes almost too incredible to be believed. In evocative, immediate descriptions, Hillenbrand unfurls the story of Louie Zamperini--a juvenile delinquent-turned-Olympic runner-turned-Army hero. During a routine search mission over the Pacific, Louie’s plane crashed into the ocean, and what happened to him over the next three years of his life is a story that will keep you glued to the pages, eagerly awaiting the next turn in the story and fearing it at the same time. You’ll cheer for the man who somehow maintained his selfhood and humanity despite the monumental degradations he suffered, and you’ll want to share this book with everyone you know.

Cool. One thing that strikes me whenever I read about WWII is how many absolutely amazing stories came out of it.

Just finished this. Insane. One of the greatest non-fiction books I've read.

These guys fly multiple combat missions, get shot down in the middle of the Pacific, float on a leaky, sinking life raft, dodge sharks and survive by snaring birds and drinking their blood. Come close to starving. And then shit really starts to go downhill.

If you have an interest in WWII (particularly the Pacific theater) or survival stories, pick this up.

Yes that was a great book. Not sure if the Germans had any edge on the Japanese when
it comes to cruelty.

Bob Wildes wrote:Yes that was a great book. Not sure if the Germans had any edge on the Japanese when
it comes to cruelty.

On average (with some notable exceptions) Allied POWs were well treated by the Germans for much of the war, there were shortages of food and medicine and lower quality as the war went on but that was true for the Germans themselves.

The Japanese on the other hand as a matter of policy were brutal, sadistic and enslaving of Allied POWs, another reason the deserved those firebombings and 2 Atomic bombs.

One misconception we had though was that when they just outright executed by beheading, they were actually in their minds giving the victim an honourable death and sparing them the shame of being a prisoner.

Still did not help them with that during war crime trials.

We were not navel gazing cunts, more concerned with how the enemy feels back then. We told savages to go fuck themselves and killed them on an industrial scale.

The movie is coming out just in time for Christmas this year. I'm sure Hollywood will make Zamperini Jewish and move the prison camp to Nazi Germany.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unbroken_(film)

I don't think so Vern. Louis is pretty open about being a Christian. In fact I thought
that the movie would never get made because he is so outspoken about that.

I don't want to hijack this thread, but would like to mention that John Gilmour, Australian
POW of the Japanese in WWII, authored a book, "Lasting The Distance", that described
the brutality of some of his Jap guards. John is legally blind due to his POW stint.

Darth I am aware that the Germans were humane to most allied prisoners compared to the
Japanese. Of course that situation was probably reversed if you were Jewish.

Not that humane against soviet prisoners though.

Bobby wrote:Not that humane against soviet prisoners though.

Yes Bobby. I should have written US POWs.

The soviets weren`t that kind to the jerries either.

I was just funnin' Bob, actually it looks like it's going to be good.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M48tvsfpIew[/youtube]

I used to date a chick whose mom was British. The mom's dad had been a POW in the Japanese theater. He didn't talk about it, but some stuff triggered him even decades later. If anyone put a bowl of rice down in front of him he'd freak out and launch it across the room. Apparently when they were even allowed to eat all they got was fetid rice.

One of my dad`s relatives who had been to Burma (during the war) refused to buy anything he suspected had anything to do with Japan.

Bobby wrote:One of my dad`s relatives who had been to Burma (during the war) refused to buy anything he suspected had anything to do with Japan.

My father was a Seabee in the Philippines and was the same way. He hated "Jap Bastards" until the day he died.

John Gilmour was an Aussie Infantryman who was captured by the Nips in the very early part of WWII. He brought a bit about it in his book, "Lasting The Distance". He became legally blind while a prisoner, among other things.

He was in his nineties in 2011 and still living. Not sure if he is still around now.

I always knew that I preferred death to being a POW.