Customer Reviews

Unjust Enrichment

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I always knew of the atrocities set upon the world by the Nazis in WWll. I knew there were prisoners of war in the Pacific. I did not know that 9 out of every 10 prisoners of war who died in captivity, died due to Japanese hands. I did not know that "white" prisoners of war were sold into slave labor to the major corporations in Japan. I now know that the companies we Americans helped to rebuild after the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, have yet to apologize to us for the treatment the prisoners received. I read. I learned. I learned that until apologies come forth, I will not support Japanese companies in any way. While it is true that the people running the companies now were probably not even born yet, it would honor the memories of their ancestors, if an apology came forth. The honor would come back with honesty, and maybe their grandfathers' souls can rest.

This is a fascinating book about a chapter of our WW II experience that should have been told before now. Our prisoners in the Pacific were inhumanely treated, and we owe it to them to hear how they suffered, and to help them get compensation. German companies are coming forward to pay for the slave labor they used during WW II. It is about time that our men in the Pacific also received compensation for their work and suffering.

Japan should never have been allowed to import their products into the US marketplace after WWII. This has caused nothing but havoc for American manufacturing, and it is a disgrace and betrayal to all those WWII veterans. If our government doesn't start treating its veterans better, they will have no one to fight their wars in the future. These soldiers give their lives to be betrayed over and over again after the war is over. It's completely unjust and disgusting!

The events of this book were some of the most horrific from World War II and to wait this long to tell me them was a crime in itself. How could this nation have let this happen, I pray these men will forgive their peers and superiors for this unjust act. We should boycott this industries as a nation and show our soladarity with those brave men who endure almost 3 years of brutality at the hands of our enemy at the time.

A book such as this undoubtedly angers some and disturbs others but educates all that are willing to look at what can be for many, an uncomfortable truth. This is not simply the story of POWs being used by the host nation as a labor source, as all nations essentially did that in WWII. And this is not simply an issue of the cruelty of the Japanese military in dealing with Allied POWs and civilians, that too is well documented and accepted. This book stands out because it addresses the comprehensive and systemic system of Japanese abuse of Allied POWs for the direct benefit of Japanese companies, benefits that carried neatly and powerfully into Post-War Japan. Author Holmes does an excellent job of telling individual stories in the greater criminal context of the plans and execution of both Japanese industry and the Japanese government. This is a powerful and disturbing book, as well-written books addressing the truth often are, but is also an engaging and incredibly informative work that explains, educates and even begins to heal those involved. A must read for serious historians and those interested in WWII.
Steven Bustin, Author: Humble Heroes, How The USS Nashville CL43 Fought WWII Humble Heroes: How the USS Nashville Fought WWII

This is a good book in journalistic research on how Japan in WW II used American POWs to enrich themselves. The Imperial Army took their blood, tears and dignity. Only a few brave endured the torture and hardship and survived to come back to share their horror. The Bataan Death March of "no papa, no mama and no Uncle Sam" was the beginning of a long dark chapter. Shockingly, they kept their mouth closed until Linda shared the story of atrocities.

This fall will be 60th anniversary of San Francisco Peace Treaty and our WWII Greatest Generation is fading at a rate 1500 a day. Linda did a good job in pointing out the faults of this Peace Treaty. We owe our peace and freedom to them for their sacrifice. We need to carry the torch for humanity and justice to demand from Japan government for the apology and dignity of the team of GI Joe.

Linda did a good job in supporting our veterans with a good documentary in history.

The idea behind Unjust Enrichment was a triumph from a non-fictional literary standpoint.
Sadly, I found that author Linda Goetz Holmes had something of an axe to grind with Japan or at least its post-war successes.
I imagine Holmes's considerable experience as a journalist interviewing Japan's victims made objectivity difficult for her and this is clearly visible in her writing. I also found Holmes's writing style to be archaic and annoying at times.
The information, as well as Holmes's advanced experience in collecting data was compiled well and the book is an excellent resource for researchers.
That being said, the information this book reveals comes far too late for the collective American conscience to be effected.
While you will certainly never find a Mitsubishi appliance or Kawasaki product in my home, I wish the story could bring justice to the handful of surviving victims of Japan's wartime aggressions.
Hopefully this work will act as a resource in future historical scholarship.
PLEASE REVIEW EVERY BOOK YOU READ, GOOD FAIR REVIEWS MAKE FOR BETTER WRITERS AND BETTER BOOKS!

This book proves to be a great case study for these POWs who suffered in Japan during World War II. While there is no question that they did, the question lies in what does this book mean?
In a time of war, unjust and unfair things happens. Its the dirty, dishonorable and unglorious part of any war. These POWs were warriors who took their chances and paid the penalty for their country. They were also unfortunate that the Pacific War was a race war where both sides reduces each other to sub-human levels. Racial hatred is the lowest mean of human emotion and outlook. Are we surprised that they were treated like sub-humans?
Our nation also did many things during that war which we were not so proud. We fire bombed cities and people like barbeue. This meant schools, hospitals and civilian homes were cooked up like Sunday picnic (with women and children, of course). But this too, is part of war and it will always be that way.
If we fought a honorable war and they did not, then there is just cause. But if both sides fought dirty, using POWs as slaves was one way to the means for the Japanese trying to win that war.
Only way the author and her cause can win - will be by changing or rebuking the peace treaty with Japan - who just happened to be our most strongest ally and trading partner in the Pacific. This is a nice way to win trust and maintain friendship. Americans seem to forget that they have a nasty history of breaking or foregoing treaties with non-white people as the American Indians can understand. Are treaty with the Japanese just as expendable??
Author also point out with certain racist overtone that American government was justified in rounding up American citizens of Japanese descent because the Japanese army rounded out American citizens in their areas of conquest. Can anyone tell me the slight difference in concept here?
Were American POWs abused and mistreated. Yes. So were all POWs captured by the Japanese during that war and for history, Japanese have always done that, even to their people during their civil wars. To be fair to Japanese way of war, they had the lowest amount of POWs taken during the war then any major combatants - so they do practice what they preach - that anyone who surrender during the time of war - is lower then a cockroach in their eyes.
It should be mentioned that Japanese probably enslaved whites as one of their major goals of the war - the one they actually achieved even if they lost the war. This goal was to destoryed the concept of white supremacy and colonialism. White folks as slaves does that very nicely to Asian eyes all over the Pacific.
The author's cause also may open up a can of worms we may not want to - for if the POWs were able to collect, then that may open up the door for all these blacks whose forefathers were enslaved by whites to get some form of compensation. Fair is fair is it not? Maybe, Japanese and German survivors may sued Boeing and other American companies who built the bombers which was used to firebombed their schools and hospitals for compensation. (I mention this because the author seem to be very fond of quoting the Genvea Convention in her book. I think fire bombing schools and hospitals is also against the Genvea Convention...isn't it?) Where will it end?
In war as I understand in history, there is NO RULES. Its not a game, if one is captured by an enemy, he can shoot you, enslaved you or torture you. Its part of being a soldier, isn't it?
While I feel bad for these POWs who suffered for our nation, I cannot in good conscience, support their claims - no more then I support the claims of blacks who want compensation for slavery or our former enemies (and we have many) who want compensation for wrongs done in the past by our military and industry.