Idea of WWII **Moved**

[Charuzu]

Has anyone encounted family oppisition to kendo becuse of Japanese actions during WWII?? My father is against my love for japanese culture becuse of WWII.

*******Moved into the Flames section**********

PS - No It's not a *fad*.... come on now don't be a bozo (J/K)

[Hyaku]

Well, my father was the youngest enlisted soldier in WWII. He served in Africa and Asia. Then in the last years. He tells me of people on both sides in the ranks in Thailand that died of disease. Officers got the medicine!

He worked for the the newly founded UN helping repatriate allied soldiers who were stranded in Thailand Vietnam etc. They had terrible problems getting everyone out of Vietnam who liked neither side. Just after the war a Japanese force working for the allies under General Paget went in and got them out.

My fathers wish had always been to visit Japan. To meet someone his own age and embrace him. It's countries that start the wars. Ordinary soldiers just do as they are told. So he came over for three months and spent a lot of time with a Japanese man his own age who had been in Thailand doing similar work getting Japanese back home.

His thoughts on this are, "From wars good things do happen". Its because of the war I am here in Japan today. With a good life, married to a Japanese national. She is 'not' the enemy. Some others who post here have kids from such a marriage.

As I mentioned before it was people like Irene's father, Gordon Warner that Kendo was reintroduced as a sportlike tradition. It never did have anything to do with the war.

I think the biggest problem is these countries are so far apart. Most only get information from grandad or the media. They never will come to japan and never really know normal Japanese people.