讀 “Killing the Rising Sun” 雜記

 

因爲今年美國總統大選，特別關注了一下Fox News 的 Bill O’Reilly 節目。剛好看到 Bill O’Reilly 打廣告說由他所著的 “Killing the Rising Sun” 一書即將出版。以前一直對 Bill O’Reilly 沒有啥好感，幾年前讀“An Atheist in the FOXHOLE” 的時候覺得這書把 Fox News 罵得很解氣。而今年關注 Bill O’Reilly 節目是因爲對 Hillary 的極其厭惡。

Bill O’Reilly 近些年出了不少起名為 “Killing”的書，“Killing Jesus”, “Killing Kennedy”, “Killing Reagan”, “Killing Patton” 等等。今年最新的一本書是 “Killing the Rising Sun”，是關於美國在第二次世界大戰時太平洋戰爭中一些爲常人所不知的真實“小”故事。“Killing the Rising Sun” 九月初發行，俺九月18日在Costco買下一本以此紀念中國的抗日戰爭。

比較有意思的是，九月九日 Hillary 剛剛用了deplorable 一詞來羞辱 Trump 的支持者，在這本書中又剛好有用到這個詞來描述美軍戰俘在菲律賓的慘境，不禁感慨，就像從書中得知美軍居然在廣島投原子彈之前還要事先派B-29飛機撒傳單通知日本人撤離平民一樣。

“Killing the Rising Sun”一書著墨較多的有帕勞島（Peleliu）和硫磺島(Iwo Jima)之戰，麥克阿瑟在太平洋戰爭及統治日本時的表現，杜魯門其人以及決定使用原子彈的過程，試驗和投擲原子彈的過程。衆多精彩故事中的一個是杜魯門在接任羅斯福總統大位之前在 National Press Club 和 Lauren Bacall 的彈唱表演。看到麥克阿瑟在統治日本時和日本人打交道的過程，聯想到後來李奇微接替麥克阿瑟駐日職位同本人打交道的自述，覺得日本人真的很會同洋人打交道，中國人實在是差太遠了。

 

此書讀來覺得很有趣，拉雜記錄下一些印象較深的在這裡：

1.美軍的“王傑”們

1944，Assault on Peleliu。 A Japanese soldier throw a grenade to the American marines, Corporal Bausell, the apprentice bookbinder from Washington D.C.,threw his body onto the grenade to protect his fellow marines, and his torso rose off the ground as the grenade exploded, smothering the blast. Bausell was awarded America’s highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor. Right after Bausell’s death, four more marines did the same thing to save the lives of their brothers.

2. 麥克阿瑟兒子的保姆

1942, MacArthur was approved by Roosevelt to flee out of Philippines. The Navy spirited his family and twenty of his staff, along with his son’s nanny. Some people suggested that an army nurse should replace the nanny, but MacArthur insisted to have the nanny to go with them.

3.日本天皇關於日軍攻佔南京的言論

Even though 日本天皇 Hirohito publicly preferred to let his military leaders conduct the war, he played a pivotal role. When Nanking was taken, Hirothito pronounced himself “deeply satisfied”.

4. 731部隊

日本天皇 Hirohito himself approved the built-up of Unit 731. It was through Unit 731 that many Japanese battlefield doctors prepared for wars.  All approved by the divine emperor. Unit 731 commander General Shiro Ishii and many of his people got away from the war crime by the personally approval offered by MacArthur.

5. 東條英機的假牙

東條英機自殺未遂。在監獄裏要求美軍提供一套新的假牙。美軍在假牙上用摩斯密碼刻上了“Remember Pearl Harbor”， 讓東條英機在晚上睡覺的時候也要為假牙上“Remember Pearl Harbor”的密碼刻痕所困擾。

6. 戰敗了的日本人成了讓美軍驚訝的順民

The runway near Hiroshima needed to upgrade to handle large aircrafts.  The Americans were touched by the friendliness of the working Japanese, struggling to understand the new behavior with the “frenzied mobs that had been known to attack and kill downed American fliers”.

7. 甲級戰犯們的骨灰

December 22, 1948. Seven Class A Japanese war criminals were hanged by the neck until dead. The bodies were removed and cremated, the ashes dispersed so that no memorial shrine might ever honor the evils’ lives. However, 東條英機的骨灰 were split between a Tokyo cemetery and 靖國神社。Very suspicious move by the U.S. highest commander in Japan.

The last words by Bill O’Reilly: Had the A-bombs not been used, you would very likely not be reading this book.

Well said Bill, my sincere salute to you.