PROMETHEAN VISIONS: August 2009

Photo of Damage -- the City was Literally Leveled -- to Nagaoka, Japan at the end of World War II

(The exhibit of war damage in Nagaoka, Japan is not longer on display on Nagaoka's main street but remains on display in a war-damage museum in the downtown area -- Nov. 30, 2009)

Places throughout the world saw massive death and damage in what became "total war." This is -- and will be -- the result of appeasing authoritarian states. The easy analysis is to point to the U.S. for bombing innocent civilians in the instance depicted here. A more sober appraisal will ask why we continue to appease dictatorships and authoritarian governments in the assumption that we are "preventing" things such as this from happening when in fact this is the natural result of letting thugs have their way with their own people and free societies around them.

(see August 2009 archive to continue this photo topic)

Graphic Well-rendered Painting Depicting the Horrors of World War II (in Nagaoka, Japan)

The Horrors of War

Nagaoka, Japan, as depicted in a painting on a poster displayed in downtown Nagaoka. Nagaoka was bombed by the United States at the beginning of August just before the end of World War II. Like many places throughout the world at the time, thousands of civilians were killed. The killers were all parties involved but the war began due to the rise and consolidation of power by authoritarian cliques in Japan, Germany, and Italy...just so ya know (!).

Poster / Painting of the Horrors Inflicted on Nagaoka, Japan

...on display on the main street of Nagaoka -- a few blocks away from a memorial to Admiral Yamamoto who led the raid on Pearl Harbor.

Nagaoka War Damage Exhibit Hall

...Again, blocks away from a memorial and museum to Admiral Yamamoto who (reluctently) led the raid on Pearl Harbor which began the war between Japan and the U.S. in World War II.

(This post is a continuation of others in the August Archives. Please see the full August 2009 Archives -- left side, scroll down -- to view other photos related to this issue.).

Admiral Yamamoto

"Peace Now!...But, Initiating War Back then, well...okay...

Admiral Yamamoto

Bust / Memorial to Admiral Yamamoto

The man who led the attack on Pearl Harbor is given a place of honor in his home town of Nagaoka, Japan...go figure.

Admiral Yamamoto's Birthplace / Museum in Nagaoka, Japan

Flyer for Exhibit of Admiral Yamamoto's Writings

It should be noted that Admiral Yamamoto was personally opposed to the attack on Pearl Harbor (he had earlier attended Harvard University), yet obediently carried out his orders. As Nagaoka, Japan's most famous son he his honored, but locals don't seem to get the irony of mourning the civilians killed in their city while similtaneously honoring a major player in the events of the time. Like most people, they are opposed to war like a vegetarian who doesn't eat meat between meals (I forgot who said that).