Hello all,
Thanks for attending the after school showing of Letters from Iwo Jima. I hope that it gave you a sense of the mindset/psyche of the Japanese during World War II especially since you had the background to this mindset beforehand. The ideas of State Shinto, Bushido, Kokutai, etc. all were demonstrated beautifully in this film.
Some ideas that you could reflect on might be:
A. We generalized in class about the "Japanese" as a collective unit. Not as individuals. What did you see when the soldiers in Saigo's unit were told to commit suicide in the cave after Suribachi had fallen? Did all the individuals embrace death? Was it "light as a feather"?
B. What parallels did you observe between this film and Freedom Writers and Joyeux Noel? Were there similar messages in all three films?
C. What did you observe regarding specific examples of ultra-nationalism?
D. Was the idea or way of life regarding honor embedded thoughout this film?
This is just some help in starting your reflection. Feel free to write beyond my small list of ideas.
Yosh
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Amazing movie!
ReplyDeleteThere is soooo much I'd love to write about--but i think i'll stick with the one thing that really struck me. And that was the suicide of Saigo's unit.
I was so blow away that they were so willing to kill themselves. I mean, sure, it's in the name and service of their Emperor, but come on!
It's suicide!
I could understand more so if they were perhaps to take out a few American soldiers in their suicide.
But no!
Not one!
They blew their own heads off because they wanted a place in that damn shrine! Don't you think they'd have to do something a bit more traditional/honorable than just take the easy way out? Seppuku being a prime example.
Also, when the two young soldiers [Saigo and the other one, whose name surpasses my memory] escape, & return to H.Q.
And the commander, with his sword raised in the air--ready to slay,
wanted to the two boys killed because they disobeyed his command.
Honestly though, does he not know that one needs soldiers in order to win a war?
And he, ordering multiple units to pull their own triggers, is freely handing them off to Death.
How else does he expect to win the war?
When I first started you class, I had this perfectly clean image of Japan in my head.
You know, the one with cherry blossom trees & snowy mountains, zen gardens and vast fields, whimsical music and beautiful people.
But now, when I think of Japan, all I can think of is ultra-nationalism and all of the atrocities the Japanese have performed on not only the untermensch nations, but also on the people of their own race.
I guess that tells you a lot about their culture and how they are willing to get rid of the "weaker" and "lesser" people of their own race in order to make themselves
look good--look godly--look best.
-Larissa Aulenbach. Block 1
Dear Yosh:
ReplyDeleteLetters From Iwo Jima is a superb movie! I realy enjoyed the change in perspective from the typical Hollywoodized version that glorifies America that you find in so many other war movies.
The thing that struck me most of all though, was the individuals in this movie. in class we learned about the Japanese as a collective,that all the soldiers were willing to die for their Emperor and their nation, but in this movie you could see the fear and apprehension in the men's eyes when they were told to kill themselves,and the willingness of some of the men to surrnder themselves to the Americans, though such a thing was severely frowned upon in their country.
All in all, this movie was definatly not a waste of my Monday night and it was quite an eye-opener.
Yours Truly,
Michaela Holoboff
Block 3
It was a really great movie! But got me the most was how it really didn't seem to follow the Hollywood trend, it really did show the other side of the war.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the entire movie the Japanese way of life regarding honour was indeed embedded. One of the points that really stuck out was when one of the officers was about to kill Saigo and his companion because Saigo had deserted his unit after they had all comitted suicide. It was a very minor and very short scene, but yet it still managed to show that the Japanese generally think very highly of honour and think very lowly of people who have "lost their face" just as Saigo had done after fleeing from the mass suicide that his unit had just committed.
Another point is when the man that almost killed Saigo and his companion for leaving their unit leaves his own unit to die. Just because he cannot bear the loss of face that will overwhelm him after the retreating has been completed. So he slings mines over his shoulders and waits for a tank to run him over, so he can at least die a soldiers death.
Of course there were many more, but those two were the first to come to mind.
It gave me something to think about. To think that in our troops that we consider people almost lucky to be able to retreat from a failing post, but in the Japanese army, retreating from a post makes you less than nothing. Two totally different views.
-Sandra Block 3
I found that the movie really helped show what we talked about in class. It helped me understand a bit more how committed the Japanese were to their way of life and what they believed in and followed. When you watch the films done by Hollywood you get a very different image of what these people were in general.
ReplyDeleteBut watching the scene where Saigo's unit kills themselves in the name of the Emperor was really shocking. I find it hard to believe that he would kill himself and his group because he didn't want to retreat. especially since he had direct orders to fall back... I mean if it were us in there i think we would be glad to receive those orders and get our butts outa there as soon as we could. Though i know it would be a "Loss of Face" if you retreated from your post... Isn't also wrong for them to directly disobey orders? The movie also showed that not all Japanese want to follow that way of life exactly how they should live it, like the two soldiers from Saigo's unit. When he told them all to kill themselves then killed himself those two ended up not doing it. It shows the same sort of things that we would do, a relationship. not everyone from Canada lives the same life and why should we?
Overall i think it was a very good learning experience and it helped show us the difference between reality and Hollywood and the way the Japanese soldiers thought during World War II
Kaitlyn Williams Block 2
I agree with the others that this was not a typical blockbuster Hollywood war film, but a very accurate portrayal of the individual soldier's perspective. First of all, it wasn't an overly-Americanized film. Secondly, it displayed the very prominent role of State Shinto, Kokutai, and other related ideas within the Japanese culture. Lastly, it showed what the real individuals were thinking of, and it almost contradicts what the public opinion of the Japanese was.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that this was a very accurate film from the Japanese perspective was quite refreshing after seeing movie after movie from the American side. Many of the Japanese ideologies that we'd learned about in class were present in the film, and seeing it in context helped me understand the concepts further.
Talking about the Japanese as a whole, one would assume that they were ready to die for their emperor at any given time. However, when you observed the minds of the individual Japanese soldiers, it appeared that they were not quite as fearless towards death as everybody had thought. Even though dying for the emperor was part of their religion, many of the soldiers had an extremely tough time doing it, as hinted by the expressions on their faces. They were scared of death just like everyone else, though they had less of a choice towards it.
All in all, it was a very enriching experience to watch this film, as it revealed the real perspective of the Japanese soldiers, and not glorified war stories.
Brandon Mattice, Block 3
Letters to Iwo Jima was an outstanding movie that really changed my perspective on war. In most Hollywood war movies based on the Americans fighting, I find myself hoping that the American men don’t die and hoping that they will win the battle, but this movie gave me a completely different perspective. One thing that I really liked about this movie is how I got to see the war through the Japanese perspective. It showed how every man in the war is an individual; a prime example of this was when Saigo was drafted for the war near the beginning of the movie. This point in the filmed showed that he was married and had a baby, but he still goes to war because it is an honor to serve ones country.
ReplyDeleteThe movie demonstrated many key topics that we were taught in class. The part where Saigo’s unit committed suicide demonstrated the men’s honor for their emperor. This part practically terrified me because I was not expecting this. Although these men killed themselves in honor of their emperor, I believe they would have been able to die a more honorable death if they had continued to fight for their country and die in battle.
The Bushido code was demonstrated throughout the whole movie. Part of the Kokutai was demonstrated when the soldiers where surrendering and running over to the American soldiers. The other soldiers saw the surrendering men’s actions who as dishonoring their country. This part in the movie clearly demonstrated “loss of face”. All in all, Letters to Iwo Jima was a great movie that helped illustrate the Japanese mindset during WW 2.
Ashley Politylo (Block 3)
I found the movie, Letters to Iwo Jima, to be a good one, and it clearly demonstrated to me what the Japanese mindset was like during the WWII time period. The scene I found most shocking was when the soldiers on Saigo's unit committed suicide by blowing themselves up. This obviously shows how much they were willing to lose in order to die in service of their emperor, and to gain a spot in the Yasakuni Shrine. I see one major parallel between this movie and Freedom Writers/ Joyeux Noel, and that was when the Japanese took the American soldier as prisoner. As the 2 sides started to talk with each other, they realized they really weren't all that different. This is a similar situation to that of the students in Freedom Writers and the soldiers fighting in Joyeux Noel. People can easily be portrayed as crazy, mean, and most common, very different from yourself, but usually in the end you find out they really aren't all that different from you. Although it is unlike many other movies that I have watched before, I found it very interesting and helpful in understanding what the Japanese were like in WWII.
ReplyDeleteDanielle Kohut, Block 1
The message from the movie that left the biggest impression on me would have to be the difference between Japanese collective thinking and individual ideals.
ReplyDeleteAll throughout the Japan and Pacific Theater of Operations unit it had been drilled into our minds how the Japanase (as a whole) worshipped their Empire and the Shinto religion, believing it was what made them superior to everyone else in the world. The concept of Gaizin and the stories of Samuri comitting Sepuku (like in Chushingura "aka" 47 Ronin) as well as the Japanase belief of Kokutai made me expect to see alot of Japanese "heroism", "honor" and suicide in the movie. I also expected to here alot of slogans and quotes promoting these ideas.
The difference of what I expected to see and hear and what I actually saw and heard was that the Japanese soldiers as individuals were not as keen on dying for their country as the whole collective unit. Sure, there were some stereotypical ultranationalist supremesist generals in the movie but the majority of the soldiers we met through the film were either against the war (and suicide) or just following orders out of fear.
Elysia Marchand, Block 3
I thought that the movie depicted the japanese way of thinking very well. When the men were all told to kill themselves most of them didn't even think twice about it because that would be dishonorable, and when it was found out that Saigo had fled and not killed himself he was nearly beheaded. I was really suprised to see how many ships there were bombing and bringing americans to the shores. When you hear a number it doesnt nearly describe the magnatude of how many ships there were until you actually see it.
ReplyDeleteBrandon Lewis, Block 1
i was really impressed with this movie. from what we have learned, it portrayed the japanese way of life, and the beliefs of the people at this time.they were so commited to this way of life, that some would kill themselves or even others. to surrender in the japanese eyes makes you subhuman. even though the new general had ideas that he had learned from the americans, no one listened to him, and they stuck to the old ways. the main character, saigo, a japanese soldier is almost beheaded by an officer because he followed the new generals command to retreat, rather than kill himself like the rest of his group.
ReplyDeleteScott Cheyne, block 3
i felt that this was a great movie to tie up everything we learned in class. The japanese way of life was really shown in this movie when it come to honor of ones country. THe scene when all the soilders kill themselves using gernades shows that they all want to die an honorable death and sacrifice themselver for the emporer. This also showed how much japanese people believe in the loss of face idea. This film is similar to the film joyeux noel in a sense that when an enemy was taken hostage, the soilders began to realize that they aren't different from each other and most times don't know why they are fighting. The movie also brings up what we have been trying to learn all year and that is to what extent should we embrace nationalism? Great movie
ReplyDeleteMarcus Perepelecta Blk 1
Collin Patry....block 2
ReplyDeletewell i thought that the movie was really good other than the fact that i had to read subtitles (i cant read good) but that just added to how much of a good job at being authentic this movie was, compared to such a hollywood movie.
i felt that the movie did a really good job at shoing the japanese wat of life and how they felt about war,my favorite part was when they were told to kill themselvs with granades, because it showed their commitment and their different ways of thinking.
Overall i enjoyed watching the movie and it had many accurate depictions of the differences between us and them.
Collin Patry...Block 2
I thought that Letters from Iwo Jima was not only a good way to bring everything we've learned about Japan, and State Shinto together, but it was also an interesting movie. The scene that stuck out to me the most was when the soldiers were told to commit suicide for they had failed. Almost all of them were able to do so with little to no objections. It was indeed 'as light as a feather.' The parellel i see between this film, Freedom Writers, and Joyeux Noel is when the Japanese treat the American soldier. They get a chance to talk to him, and they come to find that hes not so much different from them. As in Freedom fighters when the kids learn that their differences arent so vast, and that they're dealing with the same problems. Or in Joyeuz Noel, when the soldiers from different regiments come to find that they could even be friends. This movie clearly demonstrated all the course content regarding Japan, and helped to put it all into perspective.
ReplyDeleteMeghan Levay, Block 1
This movie was good and fits in really well with the rest of the course. It shows how intense the Japanese people are compared to our culture. I liked the movie because it made me realize how different our cultures really are. I’ve seen tons of war movies from Hollywood that depicts the Americans to be the good guys and only show from their point of view. It was cool to go into the trenches and behind the lines of the Japanese and see what they do in comparison to the Americans. I found the scene where Seigo’s unit committed suicide by blowing themselves up with grenades pretty mind boggling. Something I liked about the movie was how Seigo always seemed to dodge the bullet and get out of tough situations. This movie was very informal of Japanese ways and cultures, it also gave me insight on how hardcore they believe respect should be thought of. I like how in this movie it shows that everyone has to cope with the same situations even in war time when you are taught the enemy is evil.
ReplyDeleteJames Nicks Block 1
Brandon ST blk 2
ReplyDeleteIt was a really good movie that made me understand Japans prespective alot more. Hollywood shows japan as inhuman, killing machines, but in reality there human just like us. the scene where they give medical care to the american solder, its shows that they have feelings, and again not just killing machines. the movie showed how loyal the japanese were to the emperor, especialy the scene were saigos unit is commiting suicide.
This was quite an eye-opener into the real ways of war. Beyond what we learned in class, it really put an image into my head as to how the Japanese thought and their way of life. Their mind-set about honor was deeply embedded and just the way that they didn't make the movie so "hollywood" helped open my eyes to see what war was really like. It shows the sides of the soilders that they are not just soldiers, but real human beings, like when they helped the US soldier, and then it showed the sides of the ultranationalistic when they killed themselves in their own honour. I really liked how we got to see war though the eyes of a Japanese person, and not just america like in most hollywood movies these days. It paralleled Freedom Writers and Joyeux Noel in the fact that once they got past the us vs. them concept, they came to realize that they are all human being and could potentially have things in common. I'm really glad that I got to see this movie and was definitely worth it!!
ReplyDeleteThanks !! Madi Ashe
Generalization occurs everywhere, and on a daily basis because it is simply to exhausting and confusing to describe every single individual involved in certain situations. So for the Japanese soldiers to be described as a whole and for what the majority did is not surprising. Although it is still a bit of a shocker to see the individuality and passion to live admits all the other suicides, and belief embedded in the system that dying for your emperor is so grand to do so.
ReplyDeleteI found that given the chance the soldiers were able to learn that the other side is human as well, which is what we see in the last scene in this movie, and the movie Joyeux Noel.
Thanks for putting on the movies and for these points!
jared white
ReplyDeletei thoght that the movie was a good eye opener to how brutal war is. the only thing i dident like were having to read the subtitals because it takes way from watching the movie so i missed alot with that but from what i got from the movie was that the japanes truly wanted death then to surender to the united states or anyone elce for example when they were in the caves/tunels and the general had told the solders to kill them selves and it showes how dedecated they were to there country.
but i realy enjoyed the movie
Jared white block 4
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ReplyDeleteThe movie was disturbing. It showed us how loyal and extreme the the Chinese soldiers are to their country. These poor men were sent to win an unwinnable war and when they failed they killed themselves. The honour and strenght portrayed by this is breathtaking an so powerful. No matter what the outcome of this war every single man HAD to die for his country they loved their nation and ruler and if it that would please them it was going to be done. This is the one of the clearest forms of ultranationalism i could ever possibily imagine ! BONZAI!!!!
ReplyDeleteKelsey Seamons~Block Three
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this movie. It showed the loyalty that nationalism can bring to soilders.I noticed that when they did have to
commit suicide some were not happy about it but they did do it. It seems that the Genral in Saigo's deemed it better to die then to try and regroup and fight against the Americans anew.It sucks that when some of the Japanese soilders fled to the Americans for saftey and not to be killed. The Americans ended up shooting them. I really liked how it showed the extremes of pushing nationalism too far.
I really enjoyed the movie as it was heart wrenching and really emphasized the point that both sides of the war were essentially the same - young men who were just doing what they were told was right. That point isn't portrayed in many of the war movies made in English in Hollywood. In addition to that, it was really accurate in its portrayal of what the Japanese were expected to do by their higher ups as well as their upbringing compared to what some of the Japanese people actually did. It showed the different ways that the Japanese beliefs can be interpreted in order to benefit someone other than themselves - such as not committing suicide in order to serve the country better and for longer. However, on the other side of things, it also showed how the Japanese people treat dishonor so strongly that many of them would rather commit suicide than die trying to defend their position. This demonstrates the extreme differences between the way the Americans and others in the war viewed things compared to how the Japanese did as the Americans would rather defend their position to the death. The movie was so well done in accuracy and otherwise that I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely watch it again given the chance.
ReplyDeleteKia Skretteberg Block 1
I felt Letters from Iwo Jima was an excellent complement to our recent study of Japanese Ultra nationalism. The film allowed me to witness the specific ultra nationalist ideas we studied on the Japanese during the Pacific Theatre of Operations in WW2. It showed me how strongly these terms, specifically ‘honour’, loyalty to the emperor, and the ‘loss of face’, were ingrained inside the minds of the Japanese soldiers. Personally, the film really moved me when it showed the defiance of Saigo’s squad. During the attack on Iwo Jima, some of the Japanese soldiers quickly realised they could not win the battle. Upon realising this, almost all of the members of Saigo’s squad committed suicide to avoid capture. To me, this was a brutally chilling depiction of how strongly the Japanese felt about honour and loyalty to the emperor. However, Saigo’s reaction to the suicides showed the individuality in the Japanese war effort, as he refused to kill himself. I thought the film presented a unique perspective in showing the Japanese soldiers to be ordinary men. Although they had been raised to believe it was a great honour to fight and die for their divine emperor, the film showed this does not necessarily reflect the will of every Japanese soldier. I felt the film delivered a message saying that soldiers, regardless of what side they are on, are just people. Certainly, not every man is willing to kill himself in the name of ‘honour’, and to avoid an apparent ‘loss of face’. Overall, I felt the film did an excellent job at portraying a fair and realistic perspective of the Japanese side of the war. Before seeing the film, I never thought about the soldiers’ point of view. Like most people, I simply assumed all Japanese soldiers were just part of a great collective army that literally threw themselves at the enemy, fearless of death. I am glad to have seen this film, as it has certainly given me a new perspective on the Pacific Theatre of Operations in WW2.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis movie, was one that I definitely enjoyed. The different perspective of this movie really made it intriguing for me. To be able to see this side of this war was something that I had never done. From learning about the Japanese lifestyle and the Shinto religion they embrace, it was easy to talk about things like suicide in class. Although, it still came as a surprise when the Japanese soldiers willingly killed themselves, just to be above those who would surrender; something they would never do. I think the film does an excellent job on portraying a realistic view of the Japanese perspective of the war. To connect to the title, "Letters.." was another thing I found interesting. In the movie when a character was reading what he'd like to be sent, another man criticized his choice of words and basically explained it would never go through. With all the emotions of the soldiers, one must still appear strong in the face of war, and demonstrate an attitude that is endurable. Also, when the main character (prior to war) was delivered the message he would be going to war, the woman at the door started her sentence with "Congratulations!" It then occurred to me that not only soldiers, but the majority of the members of the Japanese community would see war as an opportunity, not a burden. I appreciate what I learnt from this movie, and would most definitely watch it again.
ReplyDeleteAlex Loeffelmann
Block 2
Social 20-1
a very good movie... i could never have the courage that these men showed and did in the war! the way they would die for there emperor is just unbelievable ! just shows the faith of the Japanese people! there is similarities to freedom fighter , the german commander from the olympics relized that there all the same and there all humans so he takes the prisoner to hospitality ! as he reads the letter others see the white man is just the same as they are! great vid!
ReplyDelete-hesham elkadri
Letters to Iwo Jima was an outstanding movie that really changed my perspective on war. In most war movies was based on the Americans fighting, I find myself hoping that the American men don’t die and hoping that they will win the battle, but this movie gave me a completely different perspective. One thing that I really liked about this movie is how I got to see the war through the Japanese perspective.the movie showed how loyal the japanese were to the emperor, especialy the scene were saigos unit is commiting suicide.
ReplyDeleteI felt that this movie portrayed the Japanese perspective very well. I didn’t know that the Japanese felt that strongly of following the Bushido code and loss of face. I didn’t expect anyone to be able to commit suicide because they lost the war expecially in those mass numbers that they had in the movie. This was a very good and informative movie and I enjoyed watching it. I think that it followed what we learned in class very well. I wouldn’t be able to kill my self with a grenade or a gun to die an honorable death for the emperor. Nearer to the end of the movie the Japanese people began to realize that they aren’t much different then everyone else which is what everyone should figure out so wars would never happen.
ReplyDeleteAdam Ricketts
Social 20-1 BLK 4
ReplyDeleteThis movie definatly made the ideas discussed in class conrete. Real, tangible. Letters from Iwo Jima accuratly depicted all that we talked about. Kokutai, Enryo, State Shinto, Lain, Mianzi, and definatly Honour according to the Bushido Code. I found myself thinking a few times that what one person or another said fit so well with what we had talked about in class, that it actually shocked me. This movie helped me to realize that these behaviours aren't just something talked about, theories, that they are actually a way of life that people follow. The realization hadn't sunk in until we watched this film.
I espeiclly liked that certain aspects of "being Japanese" weren't applicable to everyone. Not every Japanese person was willing to kill themselves for honour, and not all of them beleived what the emperor said was the only way to do things. I loved that the main character, Saigo [I beleive], was a coward. That he was just as scared as I would have been in said situation, and that he didn't embrace death as eagarly as everyone else did. It shows diversity. That people aren't all the same, that not everyone lived by Shinto and Honour, and Lain, and Mianzi, or at least, did not live completely by them.
The craziest part of this movie to me was definatly when the two Japanese soldiers surrendered and the US soldiers killed them. I couldn't beleive it! How selfish! How rude! What a jerk move! That showed, to me, that both sides had 'good guys' and 'bad guys' so to speak. That not every Japanese was evil, and not every US citizen was good. That even though some people were fighting for the 'right' or the 'wrong' thing those people weren't necessarily right or wrong.
Another awesome part of the movie was when the letter from the Us troop was being read out loud, and the Japanese people started to realize that maybe we aren't so different after all. The message that is made so clear in Freedom Writers and Joyeux Noel is made clear here. We are all human, we all have that in common if nothing else. We can't stress how different we are becuase when we really get down to it, there isn't all that much that is different about us.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this movie, it was shocking though to see the kind of commitment the Japanese people had when honouring the bushido code. Millions were forced to leave their families,and every single solider fought to the death even if it ment committing suicide. I found it was a more personal movie though because it wasn't so cliche and was filmed as if you were really there. It allowed you to feel the true emotions of each of the character and know their inner thoughts. Saigo, for example seemed different then the others because he was afraid of death and wasn't embracing it like his fellow troops by blowing himself up to avoid loss in the war. He wanted to go home to his wife and meet his child that he was designated to father and loved so much. It just proves that bottom line everyone is human and we all have emotions. Overall it was a great film and definitely demonstrated nationalism to it's full extent.
ReplyDeleteRylee Haggerty
Block 2
i had seen this movie before and didn't realy get it. seeing it this time, with the information we got in class let me understand what was going on and allowed me to realy follow it. the movie showed me the extreames the japanese went to so that they would not loose face, like putting a granade to your face and have it explode, it amazed me that you would do that so that you would not loose face.
ReplyDeleteI had previously seen Flags of our Fathers so I thought that I knew what happened there but seeing it from this perspective made it totally different. The Japanese soldiers view war as a completely different experience, they will either come home as winners or not at all. From such a young age they are pumped with the information that their emperor is a god and how bushido code is the way to live, when thrown into these life or death situations it shows who really buys into that ultranationalism. And just like soldiers from all sides of war, some are not willing to make that ultimate sacrifice because of loved ones back home, or the future they could have. There are parallels between this and Joyeux Noel for sure, in the end the characters realize that they arn't so different from one another and that being human is a pretty big similarity! Showing this movie really reinforced the fact that Japanese culture is very different from our own but that doesn't mean we should overlook the similarities.
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