Midway Pilots - Prisoners of the Japanese

NOTE: Though I'm British, I use the American pronunciation of 'Lieutenant' in this video due to the nationality of the men involved.
What happened to US Navy aviators shot down during the Battle of Midway? Find out the shocking full story here.
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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of War Stories with Mark Felton. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. War Stories with Mark Felton does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
Music: "Pursuit" licenced to iMovie by Apple, Inc.

[@Ye4rZero]

Ironic the Imperial Japanese held honour in such high esteem without knowing how to have any of it.

[@edwardhewer8530]

@wargent99 - rubbish.

[@edwardhewer8530]

Australians would do well to learn how well the Australian delegation treated Japan’s proposals at the Treaty of Versailles.

[@MrTheWaterbear]

Japanese honour was based on service to the emperor. This meant that anything done with the blessing of one’s Japanese superiors was honourable. The Japanese didn’t have the chivalric code of the West, and any notion that they did is purely post-war propaganda. Even the samurai had a similar code of honour.

[@MrTheWaterbear]

@wargent99Sorry, but that’s just plain wrong. I was just pointing out how erroneous it is to say that the Japanese held honour in any esteem at all. Because they didn’t give a shit about what we think of as honour. That’s not making an excuse, that’s damning criticism of the awful Japanese military and their war crimes. If you want a longer discussion, my spouse is Korean, and I can tell you a really fucking hilarious weeaboo story about how she came to be a quarter Japanese if you’d like. Although maybe not if you’re triggered by the R word and a lot of profanities aimed at the Japanese military boys who occupied Seoul.

[@edwardhewer8530]

@wargent99 - who is defending them? I am just annoyed the implication put forward by other posters that they were the only ones. Heaps of soldiers were killed in similar circumstances on all sides. We have seen it on video two weeks ago in Nagorno Karabakh. Knowing what we know about the lead up to Nazi Germany, why do morons still think it’s ok to keep rubbing peoples noses in it?

[@markwhitton8785]

My grandfather was an Australian POW in Java, beheaded by Japanese for trying to escape a few times. As you can imagine, my Nanna hated the Japanese to her death, and my Dad and his brother weren't great fans either. I struggle at times myself, just bothers me that these types of events were never addressed as war crimes. You can understand why atomic bombs had to be utilized to get the Japanese to submit, they were so arrogant thry didn't even care about their own people.

[@uffa00001]

@Mark Whitton Japan did not adhere to the Geneva convention on POW, but even if they had done it, I think it is legal now, and it was then, under the Geneva convention to punish a POW, who attempts to escape, for "espionage" which can entail a death penalty.

[@markwhitton8785]

@@uffa00001You've missed the point Neville.

[@johnhardin4358]

I try to think in terms of organized criminals carrying away a largely helpless population. As I look around, I see a lot of people whose only real loyalty is to the winning side. God rules in heaven, money rules on Earth.

[@havennewbowtow8835]

I worked with an old lad in Edinburgh in the 70s, i 17. He was a prisoner of the Japanese from the Hong Kong surrender. He told me loads of stories about his time in their care. Its no surprise to me that many of his generation went to their graves despising their captors. RIP Tam.

[@Brucev7]

@Aaron T Just Read, 'Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption ', then Watch the Movie. Veteran Louis Zamperini, former Olympic track star, who survived a plane crash in the Pacific Theater, spent 47 days drifting on a raft, and then survived more than 2/12 yrs as a POW in 3 Japanese POW camps.

[@timcampbell4338]

At this point I’m convinced there is an office building with somewhere between 10-20 Mark Felton clones putting out all this content,

[@bsolutions525]

@Carlton B those clone troopers go back in time to historic events and then report back to Mark with new material for every video

[@m.w.6526]

He's a MAD LAD, pumping out history like nobodys business! I for one, accept this reality that Dr. Felton is truly an anomaly.

[@God-kt3ec]

Ya

[@roscoewhite3793]

I have an alternative hypothesis; there is an office building housing a supercomputer that has been programmed to compile a full record of modern military history. The one we know as Dr. Mark Felton is actually the computer's protocol droid, who is conversant with over eight million accounts of military actions.

[@comradekenobi6908]

@@roscoewhite3793 SCP-1945 Object class: Safe Name: Mark Felton Productions

[@at6686]

Not only were many Japanese atrocities during the war never called to account, the Japanese are still largely portrayed in their own country as victims especially due to the atomic bombs. As dr Felton has shown us, even after the first attack the leaders of Japan didn’t care in the least for their own civilian casualties. This is in contrast to the Germans who have been reminded regularly of their crimes during ww2.

[@user-do1kg1py1d]

with can be argued it is over done to such a extent that they do not want to stand for something, dont get me wrong it is good we remember that stuff but if nation does it all time hit will wither and die.. as the current situations sees in western europe

[@MrTheWaterbear]

@@user-do1kg1py1d That is not at all what is currently seen in Western Europe. Don’t know what you’re on about.

[@user-do1kg1py1d]

@@MrTheWaterbear was refering to germans that rember ww2 what they did so throughly and become unhealty as a state/nation and in "smaller" amounts holland does that as well

[@user-do1kg1py1d]

@@MrTheWaterbear the way we treat or own culture and history to say everything sorry about will this generation has the change (just as afther the war) to improve and humanaas it. not blame you ar not in any way shape or form countibale on you grand parents or even there parents wrong doings. today germany has no real confidence in its self (large part of the population). so you (the state) will wither and die becouse they dont defend there culture anymore. that is what i see in western europe. attack on the heratige (yes we did a awfull lot off stuff but in that day and age it was hardly uncommon) you can not compare that to this time. you need to make it debatebale not destroy it becouse if you destroy it you ar doomed to reapeet it. that was my comment about and i find both ways of dealing with realy wrong. but i am also i guy that believes more in dialoog then in subvert things becouse it will destroy trust.

[@MrTheWaterbear]

@@user-do1kg1py1d The way I experienced it, growing up in Northern Europe, was that we criticize the actions of our our nation in earlier times, make an effort to know what went wrong and try our hardest never to become like that again. It’s not about destroying or hating our own cultures, at all. It’s about making sure our politics and culture are friendly and cooperative. Don’t be fascist, don’t be exclusionary, don’t be aggressive, don’t be populist. These are the lessons we keep in mind :) And of course we feel sorry about what happened, even if we’re not the same people living in the same society as when it took place. Obviously we ourselves carry no sin for that. Japan has no hindsight, they don’t feel sorry, and they try their best to hide it because they’re fucked up in some ways.

[@oceanhome2023]

Let us not forget Ensign Gay who was shot down in the middle of the carriers and survived. Floating in his May West he saw all the carriers get destroyed . He was picked up a couple days later . He had a hell of a story to tell as you can imagine

[@trifidos39]

Incredible sight floating in the water and seeing your enemy carriers going up in 🔥

[@comradekenobi6908]

@@trifidos39 then again he's probably also hoping to not be captured by the Japanese

[@RCAvhstape]

I met him once when I was about 10 years old. He was at an airshow signing his book.

[@brianwong7285]

Out of all the TBD crewmen, Lloyd Childers was the only backseater to survive Midway.

[@AcesWild5049]

The OG "Lone Survivor"

[@TakeDeadAim]

My grandfather was in the Pacific as a pilot and they knew full well that if they were captured that they'd likely be tortured and killed. He HATED the Japanese to his death for what they had done to some of our POW's. He forbid anything "Made in Japan" in his house. Trust me, he wasn't the only one of his generation who took that hatred to their grave....

[@curtismes]

my grandfather did too...he was in China...

[@phantomship3935]

anything what it says "Made in Japan" was made by civilians, not soldiers

[@mtsenskmtsensk5113]

@@phantomship3935 In total war, is there a distinction between civilians and armies, and post war is only post (i.e. history) for the next generation, but for the ones that lived through it, the nightmare goes with them to the grave.

[@stevewhite3424]

@@phantomship3935 spoken by someone who wasn't there. Your point is pointless.

[@curtismes]

@@phantomship3935 same civilians that made guns, bombs, ammunition...and oh btw the samurai swords they used to behead millions of chinese "civilians"...once again spoken like a true keyboard warrior that wasnt there.

[@PennsyPappas]

Hardly ever hear about those executed at sea. Very tragic what happened to those men. Cant imagine the terror that must've gone through their minds in their final moments. Rest In Peace they sure as heck earned it. Edit Thanks for all of the likes. I do appreciate it.

[@211212112]

Especially the brutal way this pilot was killed. Can u imagine being chopped with an ax and it mess u up horribly but not kill you. You have no chance of living but you still grab on and fight for every second of terrible mangled horror and agony that is your existence.

[@PennsyPappas]

@@211212112 its painful to even think of. Whts sd is throughout histoey there are plenty examples of this form of execution going badly and just causing more pain and agony. Its just hard to imagine what it mustve felt like.

[@StuSaville]

Always infuriates me when Weeaboo apologists try to claim that the Imperial Japanese Navy behaved honorably during the war and that it was only the Japanese army that committed atrocities. Australian soldiers learned just how 'honorable' the IJN was after Japanese Marines (Special Naval Landing Forces) humiliated by their defeat at Milne Bay not only tortured to death all of their Australian prisoners but also massacred local villagers.

[@speedzero7478]

Never a good situation when even the Nazis think their ally is too mental (in the case of Imperial Japan). Would rather be dead than taken alive by the Japanese Army back then.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

Nobody made any such a defense.

[@MrTheWaterbear]

Never heard anyone claim this, but it is important to realize that Japanese service code was very brutal and not at all honourable. The notion that Japan though the Western chivalric code of honour was desirable is massively erroneous. It’s important to call out their atrocities :)

[@curtismes]

@El Guapo mas macho yes we did...but not even close to the scale of what they did...Germany sanctioned it...Japanese military culture caused it...and btw the US tried to stay out of it, and when attacked once again finished it...destroying 2 cultures built on propoganda...does that stick in your craw?

[@curtismes]

@El Guapo mas macho lol not even close bruh...

[@TheToolnut]

The armed forces of Imperial Japan were and remain the greatest gang of murderers and rapists that ever besmirched a battle.

[@jeanhunter3538]

While the American dive bombers were ultimately the ones to deliver the knock out punch to the Japanese carriers, let us not forget the majority of the crews of the torpedo bombers who gave their lives in attacks which were bound to fail due to their aircraft being obsolete and the armament they used inneffective (mk 14 torpedo). While none of those 42 torpedo bombers shot down scored any hits, they delayed the launching and refitting of the Japanese strike groups and also crucially baited the Japanese interceptors away from the dive bombers right before the deathblow. Of the 42 torpedo bombers shot down, 35 of them were from the carriers, only 6 ever made it back. And only 3 of the 99 crewmen of those 42 planes survived the battle.

[@Chris-Theodore]

It was actually the mk13 torpedo

[@jaystreet46]

The dauntlesses did the entirety of the damage, no?

[@jaystreet46]

@Jeffro 2000 yes, without the torpedo bombers drawing the fighter cover down low the dive bombers would have had a much hellacious time hitting the carriers

[@jeanhunter3538]

@@jaystreet46 Wildcats were the fighters, the dive bombers who are the ones who did the damage were SBD Dauntless'.

[@jaystreet46]

@@jeanhunter3538 ya I know I just got it mixed up for a min. After them were the hellcats. Did we have a replacement for the dauntless? Dive bombers weren’t used for very long comparatively

[@M167A1]

My dad was in the Pacific and helped repatriate some Japanese pow camp survivors. Wasn't till I was older and a veteran myself I understood just why he disliked all things Japanese so much.

[@johnbeckman492]

Dr. Felton has an excellent, thorough examination of the culture which led Japanese leadership to condone cruelty to POWs and motivated their soldiers to be cruel. Still, I can understand why someone who experienced or witnessed the cruelty could not help but abhor the Japanese. Another tragic result of war.

[@stevew6138]

WOW, being a WWII buff for almost 50 years this is the first time I've heard/read the Japanese took US Airmen prisoner during the Midway battle. We all know about the sole survivor ensign Gay, but this is new. Goes to show ya there's always something new to learn. Thanx Mark

[@RW4X4X3006]

Right. Much of this information was withheld from the public for decades, due to the horrific nature of the murders. I think most came to light in the 90's - When the veterans began talking loudly, and much classified information was declassified.

[@steveb6103]

Battle 360 USS Enterprise episode 2 the battle of Midway. It's still on YT.

[@Doonie310]

I need the intro music as my ring tone

[@thomasmusso1147]

Yep .. a Culture so enamoured with, amongst other, their own Sense of Pride and Honour was found, when put to the Test, to be absolutely bereft thereof.

[@thedriszen8350]

No one should in any way take my comment as excusing IJN behavior, but the great Dr. Felton himself made another video trying to explain why Japanese had a completely different concept/application of 'honor' than westerners had. They believed their emperor was God and they were divinely entitled in their actions against the evil barbarian allies. They thought mercy was a weakness and wanted us to fear them. Their beliefs are why they never signed the Geneva Convention, so were not bound to follow its 'rules of war'. Not to excuse them, but it was just a difference in cultures. People think Nazis were cruel, but they had nothing on the Japanese. Also, in both world wars, the west had home campaigns portraying Evil Huns as barbarians, and remember what we did to all Japanese in America, putting civilians in concentration camps. War is seldom honorable, but we all keep doing it over and over.

[@consul6262]

@@thedriszen8350 I take the point your making, but their seem to be devoid of any empathy, even down at an individual level. I have read of many cases, where in battle many combatants, will help and treat the enemy because ones natural instincts prevail. This trait seems to be completely missing in the Japanese. I suppose we cannot understand this from our perspective, how people can act in this way, and even after the war there didn't seem any remorse, and took many victims many decades to get any form of apology.

[@thedriszen8350]

@@consul6262 Most of 'us' didn't get the Japanese because its alien to our beliefs; you're judging it from our perspective... not theirs. The imperial family were considered Gods, and could do no wrong. They felt insulted by our attitudes of them, and being totally shunned by Westerners in world affairs/politics. They considered mercy a weakness, and our fear of their ruthlessness an advantage. That's why they'd commit suicide rather than surrender. Mark Felton explained all this much better than I... go watch his video on this. History is full of cruelty, especially in war. As I said... I certainly don't condone it, I just understand how it happened. Different culture... different mindset... different behavior.

[@markwhitton8785]

@@thedriszen8350 I suspect that the Allied servicemen who suffered horrendously at the hands of the Japanese during WW2, including my grandfather who was beheaded by the Japanese in Java for escaping, might struggle with your level of armchair objectivity. Tojo knew exactly what he was doing, he was ultimately proven to be a coward in Japanese culture because he failed to commit suicide for his "failure", and instead was deservedly executed by the Allies at end of WW2. And the poor Japanese masses had to suffer through Tojo's arrogance with 2 atomic bombs.

[@rg20322]

@@thedriszen8350 Are you seriously trying to defend this based on a belief system? This is about human compassion and the lack of it. You mention Germany and that was simply a system of death that was designed in a way to get rig of people that were different. I agree that the Japanese were more cruel though.

[@icecoffee1361]

Such a sad loss war is war but point blank murder is a total disgrace especially when you’re meant to be at honourable people ty for bringing this to light Dr Felton

[@dr.barrycohn5461]

Remember, the bible doesn't instruct thou should not kill, as that's a mistranslation of the Hebrew. What it does say is thou shall not murder. Japanese were guilty of murder.

[@charlesdexterward7781]

I've posted Mark's "Japanese Military Brutality Explained" about a dozen times to other (I believe all non-military focused) empty-headed videos discussing "America Bad, Japan Good" for whatever reason. In every case, and I literally mean EVERY case without exception, the channel has deleted my comment rather than engaging or simply allowing it to stand for others to see. Seeing this reaction, I encourage others to do the same.

[@alexdemoya2119]

I was blown up at on a discord server for posting that video. The weebs did not like the truth.

[@mikepjersey]

Welcome to 2020

[@charlesdexterward7781]

Update: Deleted from the (not particularly leftist) World War Two channel within minutes of posting. Disappointed to see that from them. kzbin.info/www/bejne/javPoKCPaax8nZI

[@V0YAG3R]

Charles Dexter Ward A brownshirt with the flag of China as avatar talking about censorship. Hahaha... oh, wow! Tras de ladrón, bufón.

[@raypurchase801]

Well done, sir. You were probably expelled 'cos of waycism n slavery n BLM n sheet. Ironic.

[@warrenrudkin5277]

The Battle of the Coral Sea in May, 1942, was the first naval battle in which the opposing surface ships did not see each other or engage each other.

[@dentonator96]

We ended the war the way it needed to be ended.

[@MarzoVarea]

@CHIGGS 58TH "the collective we" as opposed to "the plural we", which you attributed to the original poster by asking him about his own part in that victory. So LOL yourself.

[@javierstaffanell3519]

Actually, I have come to disagree with this conclusion that I too was taught in school and never questioned. You see, the decision to drop the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki seems to have been made by Truman and his close circle. Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945 and the first bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945. That is less than four months. And that happens to be the amount of time that Truman was the president. Historians note that Roosevelt did not include Truman in anything. Not the war planning or much of anything else. So, Truman made his decision to drop the bombs after only 4 months in command. Another important point is that none of the Pacific commanders (Nimitz, Halsey, MacArthur) agreed with using the bomb. It does not appear that they were consulted. By August, the Japanese could not defend themselves, our planes ruled the skies for the most part. We had blockaded them so no food or fuel was going into the main islands. It was over. The Pacific commanders knew this and realized that to bomb the cities (Atomic or otherwise) was to bomb women and children. And there was no honor in that. I now realize that we have been propagandized about the end of the Pacific War. By continuing this lie we only make excuses for Truman who was not a "true man" at all.

[@arnoldmosk494]

Javier Staffanell It saved uncountable American lives , so it was a good thing to do honourable or not !!!

[@javierstaffanell3519]

@@arnoldmosk494 The point is an invasion was not necessary and thus the loss of life could be avoided altogether. I guess Nimitz, MacArthur, and Halsey were a different breed. If you accept my arguments, then the options are to defend Truman or argue for continuing the white washing of history at schools.

[@demef758]

@@javierstaffanell3519 "The point is an invasion was not necessary and thus the loss of life could be avoided altogether." Spoken by someone whose father was spared the "honor" of being killed during the ground invasion of Japan, for which a million purple hearts were stamped out prior to this dreaded event ....

[@stormthrush37]

Japan, claiming to be obsessed with "honor," refuses to surrender resulting in untold deaths both civilian and otherwise, uses civilians as bayonet practice, honors its own suicide bombers, tortures and executes enemy attacker for acting suicidal to stop them. Seems legit.

[@loganb7059]

I think part of the problem was that the Japanese military structure and more importantly, their disciplinary structure, could be summed up as “Shit rolls downhill.” Not the primary cause, far from it, but definitely a notable factor. Higher ups abuse their underlings, who in turn abuse their underlings, and so on until you get to some poor prisoner or civilian.

[@TOO_TALL305]

thank you for this video Mr Felton. I read your book Slaughter at Sea and this was one story that truly stuck out with me. I only wonder how many more crimes we do not know about

[@sovietpotato6252]

God I love this guys voice

[@whiteonggoy7009]

Clear and easy to understand

[@Aviationlord7742]

Mark could be my GPS voice and tell me to drive around in circles for hours and I’d do it

[@whiteonggoy7009]

@@Aviationlord7742 better then that women on my GPS that gets me lost...

[@cj.tj.8201]

@@Aviationlord7742 I wish I could like your comment a dozen times...

[@model-man7802]

Coral Sea a few weeks earlier was the first fight where they didnt see each other.Dad was there on the Yorktown CV5.

[@johnemerson1363]

O'Flarity's gunner was Bruno Guido (hard G) and the Captain who ordered them thrown into the water was tried, convicted and hanged after the war.

[@curtismes]

on another note...the humane treatment of Japanese POWs in the US was one of the things that prompted Naval pilot and leader of the attack on Pearl Harbor Mitsuo Fuchida to investigate American Christianity further and eventually become an evangelical Christian as documented in his biography God's Samurai.

[@cactuslietuva]

Cause Japanese realised how brainwashed they were by their emperor propoganda

[@curtismes]

@@cactuslietuva nope for him it was the miracle of surviving the sinking of his carrier, being shot down, being at Hiroshima a day before the bombings and Nagasaki 2 days after ....he began to hear stories of Christian missionaries traveling to Japan to forgive, and his old friend was taken prisoner and treated well by the US and missionaries...he took 4 or 5 yrs after the war to contemplate these things...and started to become a believer

[@kronk420]

During the "troubles" in Northern Ireland , convicted murderers from either side of the divide would often "find god" as a source of redemption (as faux as it was)., I'm probably too cynical to think that this mans efforts were anything more!

[@curtismes]

@@kronk420 read the book...Gods Samurai...and no it wasnt a prison conversion...he was a national hero...and went on to preach and testify in dozens of countries with US pilots about the forgiveness and redemption of Christ...Billy Graham and the story of Louis Zamperini also coincide...soldiers are not convicts...

[@jameshickok2349]

@@curtismes Was this Japanese guy interviewed on US tv years later?? The story sounds very familiar. The one I'm remembering was during B&W tv maybe early 60's or thereabouts and it was on a talk show maybe Tonight Show or similar type of show. Thanks for mentioning it.

[@modelrailwaynoob]

The Japanese talked about honour in WWII but didn't conduct themselves in an honourable way. They got their reward by losing and they realised their emperor was nothing more than a feeble man.

[@Rustygiz]

Mark Felton, this is by far the best way to deliver history on youtube. I salute you!

[@Martmns]

Another excellent (as usual!) presentation of an important but little known and virtually forgotten war story! Thank you Dr. Felton!

[@weschaffin]

Mark you continue to amaze us with new content. Great stuff!!!

[@kampfgruppepeiper501]

Thank you for bringing these accounts to life and giving the men who went through these things a chance to be remembered. Excellent video Dr. Felton!

[@scottanderson9656]

After visiting Nanjing (Nanking) in the early 2000s it's no wonder that the Chinese still despise the Japanese. If the Japanese would ever admit to what they did it would probably go a long way toward healing these wounds. If you want to test you test the strength of your stomach read about what happened in Nanjing and about Unit 731. After you do remember that there has never been a real acknowledgement of what happened much less an apology.

[@jjtimmins1203]

The weird thing is, I was in Japan for two years. The people were among the nicest people I've ever met anywhere in the world.

[@Purvis-dw4qf]

Thanks for telling the sad story of some great heroes.

[@maxsmodels]

I thought Coral Sea was the first battle where the surface combatants never saw each other making it an air vs ship battle.

[@buba03]

get the good snacks out. History Class is in session.

[@jamesonnewhouse1298]

U can only eat them if u have enuff to go around lmao

[@levipierson4946]

@@jamesonnewhouse1298 could you picture all of us mark fans in one lecture hall with just one bag or pretzels going around

[@jamesonnewhouse1298]

@@levipierson4946 that would b quite the lecture hall, may have to be lectyre stadium

[@levipierson4946]

@@jamesonnewhouse1298 thats the only way I'd ever pay super bowl prices to get into a stadium!

[@jamesonnewhouse1298]

@@levipierson4946 bro id pay a years salary

[@CA999]

Yeah I wondered about that, particularly after seeing the movie recently.

[@trumpstinyhands]

Which movie mate ?

[@AleRees]

@@trumpstinyhands Midway, from last year.

[@tufftraveller4784]

Not really a film lol

[@trumpstinyhands]

@@AleRees ahh cool, i watched it the other day too, really enjoyed it

[@trumpstinyhands]

@@AleRees i only asked because i thought i was missing out lol

[@1MahaDas]

The battle of Coral Sea was the first engagement between aircraft carrier to aircraft carrier to take place before the battle of Midway. So Dr. Mark Felton let this one "slip by!" Regardless, Felton's productions are still informative as they always have been!

[@ColinH1973]

Unbelievable barbarism. It makes my blood boil even now. Thanks for the feature Dr Mark.

[@ghostarmy1106]

Wait the 1st carrier battle where none of the ships of the opposing sides saw each other? Doesnt that title go to the battle of the coral sea???

[@ferv1]

I read that there was an exchange of prisoners (only one) between Germany and UK in WWII. Can you tell us about it? Thank you.

[@CA999]

I seen photo graphs of it occurring in Spain. Mostly middle aged soldiers. There are videos of Americans and Germans doing the same thing where they besieged U-Boat bases along the French coastline of the.Atlantic Ocean.

[@CA999]

@Julian Palmer prisoner exchanges.

[@oceanhome2023]

@@CA999 There was some thing like that I think it was close to the Cherbourg area . I saw a short clip of some thing like that only Felton would know about it !

[@benwilson6145]

@Julian Palmer Feel good to be a fascist?

[@benwilson6145]

There was a prison swap through the Red Cross where prisoner who were deemed ill or injured and unlikely to be a combatant were returned home.

[@UncleBoratagain]

Colossal output of narrative history: very much valued.

[@milangovedarica6952]

Now this was some true drama and the more realistic picture of what war really looks like. It is a noble thing to help keep the memory of the brave men who died in such remote corners of Pacific without ever making the headlines.

[@robertross7666]

I often find when I can't fall asleep late at night, I put on the sweet soothing voice of Mark Felton, and I am out by the time the video is half over.

[@briannicholas2757]

It is still gauling that the Japanese military was never seriously brought to justice for the war crimes they committed. In the cases recorded here, at least Kharma intervened and showed the same mercy that the Japanese showed to their prisoners.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

Not true. Many faced trial in the Tokyo War trials.

[@bloodybones63]

@@WALTERBROADDUS Only a few, & then were released early.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

@@bloodybones63 More than 5,700 lower-ranking personnel were charged with conventional war crimes in separate trials convened by Australia, China, France, the Netherlands Indies, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The charges covered a wide range of crimes including prisoner abuse, rape, sexual slavery, torture, ill-treatment of labourers, execution without trial, and inhumane medical experiments. The trials took place in around fifty locations in Asia and the Pacific. Most trials were completed by 1949, but Australia held some trials in 1951.[17] China held 13 tribunals, resulting in 504 convictions and 149 executions. Of the 5,700 Japanese individuals indicted for Class B war crimes, 984 were sentenced to death; 475 received life sentences; 2,944 were given more limited prison terms; 1,018 were acquitted; and 279 were never brought to trial or not sentenced. The number of death sentences by country is as follows: the Netherlands 236, United Kingdom 223, Australia 153, China 149, United States 140, France 26, and Philippines 17.[18] The Soviet Union and Chinese Communist forces also held trials of Japanese war criminals. The Khabarovsk War Crime Trials held by the Soviets tried and found guilty some members of Japan's bacteriological and chemical warfare unit, also known as Unit 731. However, those who surrendered to the Americans were never brought to trial. As Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, MacArthur gave immunity to Shiro Ishii and all members of the bacteriological research units in exchange for germ warfare data based on human experimentation. On May 6, 1947, he wrote to Washington that "additional data, possibly some statements from Ishii probably can be obtained by informing Japanese involved that information will be retained in intelligence channels and will not be employed as 'War Crimes' evidence."[19] The deal was concluded in 1948.[20]

[@bloodybones63]

@@WALTERBROADDUS Lots of these never were put to death, & most of those imprisoned had their sentences reduced. But thanks for the cut & paste. Good info.

[@ardshielcomplex8917]

One being the Emperor Hirohito, he actively supported the Japanese Army invasion of China well before WW2 broke out; and Generalissimo Hideki Tojos military dominance of government and policies.

[@timmass4635]

Another Fantastic story! Thank you!

[@moonstriders]

I am a simple man. He uploads I click. In between I watch in repeat

[@Michaelcaba]

Mark: Love your channel, but I think the Battle of the Coral Sea, not Midway, was the first battle in which the ships did not see each other. Just saying.

[@raypurchase801]

Taranto.

[@oncall21]

Sadly how many never lived to tell their tale? Thanks for sharing Mark.

[@LTPottenger]

Not many since there were hardly any to begin with.

[@phrayzar]

There's an amazing story of Stanley "Swede" Vejtasa who defeated 7 x zero's flying his Dauntless dive-bomber in a dogfight. Even though the zero's were faster he gained an advantage by pulling extreme turns that would have broken up the zero's.

[@jameshickok2349]

I still find it amazing that the Wildcat was as successful as it became, thanks to open minded pilots using what little edge they had to it utmost advantage. The Wildcat was awesome 1931 technology but was well behind the curve by 1942. Years ago an old pilot told me to watch Wildcats taking off from carriers. Often the planes would dip or wobble and that's because the pilot was preoccupied turning the gear crank. I don't recall if it was Joe Foss (MoH) or another vet that mentioned it. Foss was from my hometown so I know a fair amount about him. For those who don't know this, the Wildcat's main gear was manually retracted/extended by a crank. The crank was connected to bicycle chains which hoisted the gear up.

[@ivanthemadvandal8435]

@@jameshickok2349 nice try, the Wildcat didnt fly until well after 31

[@jameshickok2349]

@@ivanthemadvandal8435 You missed the point. I referred to the level of tech not the model of plane itself.

[@anthonycilladi3962]

Best videos on KZbin. The goat mark felton does it again

[@Rusty_Gold85]

As it was found later the Mark 13 Torpedo would shear its rear stabilising fin brackets when it hit the water . That made them stear out of alignment or just sink to the bottom .

[@Thor_Odinson]

Too bad they didn't you know.....TEST THE BLOODY THINGS!!!!

[@PUAlum]

Thank you, Mr. Felton. I'm overcome with sorrow hearing these stories of devotion and courage. We need to make more of Memorial Day!! All year round. your videos help so much. It's humbling to think how many "regular guys" gave their all that we might enjoy the freedom we enjoy today.

[@josephstevens9888]

I thought the Battle of the Coral Sea (May 4 - 8, 1942) was the first naval engagement in history in which surface ship of both sides never saw one another?

[@blueboats7530]

Yes, Battle of the Coral Sea was the first, and is thoroughly presented in the history, this is a surprising lapse on Felton's part. Added irony is that Coral Sea stopped the Japanese advance toward Australia (for good as it turned out) so an Australian should know.

[@demonprinces17]

Somehow Midway got this

[@LTPottenger]

I think he was talking about coral sea in the beginning but not 100% sure.

[@memphoonthemississippi642]

Thank you, sir. Yet another magnificent video!

[@bjs301]

Another excellent video, even without the video. This is certainly a Midway account that we don't hear about.

[@stevewhite3424]

You think they are not isolationist anymore? Tell you what go look at the stats of refugees taken in by the Japanese and also go check what it takes to immigrate to Japan. I live there for 2 years in the '70s. Japan is one of the most racist countries it was ever my misfortune to experience. Every time you start feeling comfortable in that country and despite its incredible beauty and history you are then reminded by some event that highlights the racists they are. They are not one of the most racially homogeneous countries on the planet by accident, it is precisely how they want it.

[@bjs301]

@@stevewhite3424 You replied to the wrong comment, Bud. All I said was that the video was good.

[@mcrdl76]

Well done, as per usual Dr. Felton!

[@bobstreet8840]

Makes me so angry when it is said that the atomic bombs should not have been dropped ...if they saved ONE Allied life then we are justified .

[@QuizmasterLaw]

still justified even if saving 0 allied lives.

[@markwhitton8785]

Agree, its hard to tolerate the ignorance of people flapping their gums on how atomic bombs shouldn't have been dropped. There was even some twat on here that reckoned the Allies didn't actually need to invade Japan to get them to surrender. After Iwo Jima and all of the other many battles with the Japanese where they fought to the absolute bitter end, and where tens of thousands of Allied servicemen died, it was clear General Tojo and his circle of psychopaths were never going to surrender. Tojo was executed for war crimes, a deserving end for that POS.

[@LTPottenger]

Some guy in uniform was mean to another guy so you have to kill women and children. Makes perfect sense.

[@QuizmasterLaw]

@@LTPottenger Oh, you mean "Japan raped and murdered its way through China and Indochina but then decided to level up after it got an oil and steel embargo as a response to that by attacking the US Britain and Netherlands by surprise. ALlow me to ignore hell ships the bataan death march human experimentation and it all adds up tto pottingers human is a horrible virtue signalling ignorant fool. thankfully lies fail.

[@LTPottenger]

US GIs routinely murdered POWs in both theaters so I guess US should be nuked. US also starved millions of POWs to death in concentration camps, then starved millions of civilians to death for years after the war, while even in soviet occupied territory the outcome was much better for the locals.

[@garymckee8857]

Thanks Mark another piece of history that isn't in common WW2 history books. Excellent narration as always.

[@C63Bez]

Can't believe what that poor bloke must have gone through. Brave man

[@rabbit251]

Felton should really do a story about the Tokyo war crimes trial compared to Germany. In Germany we executed so many Nazis, but almost no one in Japan, even those who we knew were clearly guilty.

[@mktgriffon6293]

Read about MacArthur. Mark wrote about this.

[@Zyworski]

All they accomplished with their brutal murders was to provide further justification for Hiroshima.

[@randomuser5443]

@Elias Bauer You get no right to complain when the rules fold on you

[@kevindavis5966]

@Elias Bauer You might want to look into civilian deaths committed by the Japanese in China. It may number into the millions.

[@Zyworski]

@Elias Bauer The keeping civilians out of it line was crossed when the Axis blitzed London so what comes around goes around.

[@Zyworski]

@Elias Bauer You plaintiff cries are music to our ears

[@Zyworski]

@@kevindavis5966 And those were murders committed at the individual legal showing that the whole country was engulfed in a vicious suicidal cult that had to be caused at all cost.

[@joshmccoy1522]

I just finished "Never Call me a Hero" by Dusty Kleiss. Bruno Gaido, O'Flaherty's gunner, actually shot down an attacking Japanese plane earlier *from a parked Dauntless.* He was quite a gunner.

[@robinl4975]

I don’t get it, how is this possible? How are you able to release video after video, and every single one is amazing, interesting and i always learn something new 😃😃

[@FlexBeanbag]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eJ7GaoF8m82rbZY

[@envitech02]

Oh mannnnn... This is so sad. That the IJN was so dishonorable to mistreat and murder their POWs against the Geneva Conventions. Added to the Rape of Nanking, Rape of Hong Kong, "comfort" women, Unit 731, Sook Ching of Malaya, Death Railway, Death March of Bataan, Japan should hang its head in shame for the next 1000 years. Thank you Dr. Felton for your insightful research and compelling storytelling.

[@nickpeloquin5594]

This is why ill never feel bad for dropping the bombs

[@squirrele.1266]

And the civilians?

[@zoconnor68]

@@squirrele.1266 you think the Japanese military of world wars two differentiated civilians from military targets? Ask Nanjing and the hundreds of thousands of dead Chinese civilians how that worked for them.

[@persee2475]

@@squirrele.1266 I would say out of context : what about the civilians? In ww2 and having to defeat Japan with a total surrender and invasion at hand you have to calculate with the amount of dead to accomplish that and their families. With the japanese treatment of civilians and pow I think it is decitions far more understanable in 1945 than your question 2020.

[@Western_1]

I feel bad that the Japanese command forced the US to take such an action despite repeated warnings and opportunities to surrender. Despite full knowledge they were going to lose. I feel bad for the innocent children in Japan who had to face collective punishment due to the greed of Japanese military commanders. Do i feel *responsible*? No. But the nuclear bombings of Japan were an avoidable tragedy. Old military commanders in the Japanese military had to inflict their death cult on everyone. And everyone from Nanjing to Hiroshima had to suffer because of pride.

[@persee2475]

@Dev0205 to end the war it was justified to keep the war going and sacrifice your population was not. An attack on japan without bombing would probably have seen more civilians dead and probably more soldiers than those dying in the bombings. I think they had very high calculations of lost lifes if they had to attack.

[@douglasruss2889]

Always informative !

[@jtoddjb]

another brilliant video. Great job keep it up. You're one of the true highlights of youtube. Thanks

[@DoyleHargraves]

American dive bomber and torpedo bomber crews in WW2 were real stalwart guys. It took a lot of balls to pull that off.

[@derekrayment8092]

The best as always, Mark.

[@TheUltimateTroll9]

Apparently the IJN had played war games where there was a junior officer who expected the IJN at Midway and sunk all IJN carriers

[@bashirmuhammad8181]

So Savage. So merciless. It's only proper that the world doesn't forget imperial Japan. I understand that even at the present day they remain immune to the devastation and murderous deeds of their forbears.

[@theprofiler8531]

Once again I have been educated by Dr. Felton. I thought all downed airmen in that battle were killed save one. I eagerly await each new report to learn more about to learn more about these and other historical events. Thank you sir. I hold you in the greatest esteem.

[@mikewest5529]

You gotta be brave when all those before you don’t come back! Wow It was a amazing if you landed back on that aircraft carrier!!

[@od1452]

I have wondered about the crews that didn't make back. They knew the Danger. Their valor is amazing. Thank you Doc for the courage to tell the truth.

[@747boy8]

Fresh upload, fresh viewers!

[@unnamedchannel1237]

Fresh fish, fresh meat

[@davidstewart3337]

Info at 2.15 is wrong, the Battle of the Corral Sea in the Solomans earlier in 1942 was the first battle where opposing force's ships never physically saw one another. That was the first carrier to carrier battle as well.

[@hanzup4117]

Another exactly video. I enjoy listening to these when I'm at the gym or on a long walk :)

[@OjiOtaku]

The Battle of the Coral Sea, a month earlier, is first naval battle where the ships had no visual.

[@daveweiss3839]

Who woke us up on sunday morning while we slept. All noble samurai woke up their enemy prior to fight. So the Japanese broke their own code of conduct. They got what they wanted. The sleeping giant crushed them. Now they are our best partner in asia do not forget that. Mahalo to our USA vets.

[@josephphoenix1376]

Excellent Episode 👍

[@ALRIGHTYTHEN.]

2:00 It didn't decide who would eventually win the war. It decided how long it would be before Japan eventually lost the war.

[@danam0228]

I read the same thing that Mark said in At Dawn We Slept which is a book that was very thorough and explains how Japan had no way of winning the war after not destroying any American carriers at Pearl Harbor as prioritized for that attack, losing so many of it's own aircraft carriers early on and having no way to replace them. The United States on the other hand was clearly capable of producing more.

[@moss8448]

That Pacific Campaign was one vicious fight...ran across vets from that thing in the `60s & `70s, that wouldn't even buy a Japanese car because of the things they endured.

[@billythehillbilly7542]

Only Dr Felton video I have listened to and cringed at over pronunciation. But I'll get over it. I don't and can't understand how you are SO prolific! This video should be REQUIRED LISTENING in all American Junior and Senior High Schools. Amend that. World wide! Lest we forget

[@benwilson6145]

If you read one book this year buy "Flyboys: A True Story of Courage" is a nonfiction book written by James Bradley, it tell of the rise of Japan and of US Naval Avaition. It tells of the horror inflicted on so many prisoners of the Japanese, of nine captured and one rescued.

[@jaybee9269]

“Ensign” in Americanese is usually pronounced “Inn-Sin”. Thanks for the wonderful content.

[@georgebethos7890]

The torpedo Pilots were the unsung heroes of that battle. They should give them some acknowledgment today

[@GunnyKeith]

Thanks for sharing these little known stories

[@davidhimmelsbach557]

Correction: The Battle of the Coral Sea was the FIRST time the fleets did not see each other -- eyeball to eyeball -- not Midway.

[@CaptainZachAim7]

Gotta say the intro pic with the boys in white is spot on!

[@kristinarain9098]

I woulsve looked them right in the eyes as they were tryna kill me and say: go ahead and get your revenge, it'll never bring your carriers or sailers or country back

[@leemichael2154]

I'd like to think the same? But in reality........

[@teamrecon2685]

Just knowing our B29s were incinerating their families, children, homes, and future generations of culture would be enough.

[@leemichael2154]

@@teamrecon2685 very brave stance you have and I respect your will , I like to think it's this type of bravery that got us through all struggles that we have come up against

[@williampoppell5189]

Kristina. You'd just crap yourself and vainly beg for mercy like me.

[@paladinsix9285]

Ensign Gay was the "Only Survivor" from Torpedo Squadron 8 who Launched from the Carrier Hornet that day. 6 other aircraft from Torpedo Squadron 8 launched from Midway Island! They had just been equipped with the New "Avenger" Torpedo Bombers to replace the "Devastators" and flew from Pearl Harbor to Midway a day or so before the climatic battle. @ of the Avengers returned to Midway Island, so badly damaged they could only be Studied for "Lessons Learned" on how to improve aircraft. The other Four Survivors were sent along on the same War Bond Drives with Ensign Gay. Though it would be mentioned in the presentation who they were, nearly everyone would, during the after speech "glad handing" ask them, "Who are you?" They would reply, "We are the Other SOLE SUVIVORS of Torpedo Squadron 8!" Read the Book: "A Dawn Like Thunder" (the History of Torpedo Squadron 8). The other "Sole Survivors" said that Ensign Gay was a great guy, never let it get to his head, and the Five of them were just Doing Their Duty raising morale; the story of his near miraculous Survival was, and Is Compelling! The Five of them Knew and Felt Deeply the Sacrifices of their fellow naval aviators who died during the Battle of Midway, those from the Carriers, and from Midway Island!

[@markwhitton8785]

Unbelievably horrific for that pilot attacked with the axe, for Christ's sake the Japanese as a race were an absolute disgrace in WW2. As Australians, we owe a lot to the Americans who came to the Pacific in force and pushed back the Japanese in the Battle of Coral Sea and also at Midway. My Dad attends an annual service with US Navy representatives in Perth to commemorate Battle of Coral Sea, I am so pleased that we still maintain this strong connection with the US after all of these years.

[@14GT5.0]

Japanese violated the Bushido code yet they wanted to be Samurai caliber. Perhaps in WW2 they made their own code of honor called Bullshito instead

[@markhubanks3715]

Coral sea was the first battle where ships never sighted each other.

[@oveidasinclair982]

I never felt sorry, or had any remorse for the Yanks dropping the atomic bomb on Japan, the Japanese military treated POW's, along with captive civilians horribly. They murdered captured Canadian, Indian and UK troops who surrendered in the fight for Hong Kong, Singapore and what they did in Bataan and Wake island shows the real brutality the Imperial armed forces brought to this war.

[@bloodybones63]

Colonel Paul Tibbets, who flew the mission, never had any regrets, either. Til his dying day, in 2007, he said he slept very well about it, knowing it ended the war.

[@jreg2007]

Holy crap. Dr Felton i just watched you on Netflix. very well done 👏

[@vet-7174]

What a way to go ;( RIP The Greatest Generation

[@covertops19Z]

Actually, The Battle of The Coral Sea was the first carrier vs carrier battle. Midway was the second.

[@dougdenhamlouie]

I drive a 4runner now. They were lucky all they got was fatman and littleboy in light of how they treated us.

[@speedzero7478]

Those guys gave everything so we could have our peace. Imagine being so brave. I'm grateful

[@dougdenhamlouie]

@wargent99 I guess ya caught my quote by Shoe on head? Best since Olivia Munns it's not cheating if it's in the ass?

[@wkdravenna]

Thank you Mark 🇬🇧🇺🇲

[@kmc7355]

Rest in peace to the victims of those horrible war crimes 😔

[@bjs301]

And just in time to pat yourself on the back for your imagined superiority.

[@dobypilgrim6160]

Idiot