IF THEN WAS NOW, imagine how we
Guadalcanal, August 1942: Today, Adm. William F. (Bull) Halsey issued a retraction of his controversial statement, "Kill Japs, kill Japs, kill more Japs." Despite the fact that the Japanese have never signed onto the Geneva Convention; are routinely torturing, starving, and beheading American prisoners; and were involved in countless suicide attacks, Adm. Halsey said he was misquoted and that he would never be insensitive to the Japanese, who have such a rich and venerable culture.
A spokesman for the admiral later said that someone had written down what the admiral said in shorthand and had gotten it wrong. What Adm. Halsey actually said was: "Gentlemen, we must do everything possible to expedite the mortality of our noble foes."
Monaco, French Riviera, July 15, 1944: A U.S. Army spokesman here at the European Command Detention Center vigorously denied that copies of "Mein Kampf" had been abused while interrogating members of the SS Death's Head Division. Maj. Solomon Rosenberg, a former German officer now serving the United States, said that he and his men made sure that every SS man had his own copy of "Mein Kampf," and that reports that U.S. personnel had blown their noses on the book were entirely unfounded.
"Some of the Jewish soldiers here may have given the book a dirty look or two," the major said, "and we discourage that, but I assure you that all of our prisoners are served sauerkraut and beer every day and that we treat Mr. Hitler's book with all the respect due such a fine piece of literature."
Okinawa, April 19, 1945: The Greater East Asia Historical Foundation has called a halt to the American advance on the Shuri Line to limit damage to the historic Shuri Castle. The castle, which dates to the 1400s, has been fortified and occupied by the Japanese army, which has dug caves underneath the structure and is using it as a command center.
Despite this, and a total number of American casualties that is rising rapidly toward 12,000 killed with no end in sight, Gen. Simon Buckner ordered his troops to avoid doing any further damage to Shuri Castle.
"We have to respect this important local cultural icon, even if it means more casualties," said the general.
Bastogne, Belgium, April 20, 1963: Today, Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara defended his doctrine of "limited warfare," stating that with just a few more weeks of "surgical" air strikes, German forces in northern Belgium "would be on the ropes." Despite a promise of increased Allied attacks to stem the latest Nazi advance toward Bastogne, McNamara ordered Americans to observe a truce in honor of Adolf Hitler's birthday.
McNamara added that bombings would occur only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 2 to 4 p.m., so long as that was convenient for the Germans.
The Defense secretary further said that we would respect German territorial integrity by not crossing the Rhine River, because that might bring Romania into the war. McNamara said that mines on the Danube River were going to be removed because they spoiled the scenery and threatened the habitat of the speckled snail biter, an endangered species.
Repeating his earlier pledge, McNamara said he would have the troops home by Christmas, although he refused to specify a year.
BOB SARGEANT, a defense expert, lives in Spotsylvania County.