Why aren't official symbols of vanquished enemy militaries a violation of the surrender treaty?

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 21:58:42 -0400

(I.e., Nazi swastika, Imperial Japanese "rising sun," Confederate war flag, etc. I'd say the U.K. flag is an exception, as it's a current national flag, and the British did not unconditionally surrender.) I pondered this as I reflected on the days when we used to kill Nazis with a smile on our face. Seems we've lost that spirit…

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 15 at 2017 10:38 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 22:38:49 -0400

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member The simple answer may be that it wasn't the focus when the treaties were drawn up. But then again, why are you saying they weren't?

BTW, The Japanese "rising sun" flag is still used as the Naval Ensign of the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force and the 8-ray version is the flag of the Ground SDF. So it's still an official flag. It's also used in various insignia of Japan based American units.

Response by PVT Raymond Lopez made Aug 15 at 2017 11:06 PM

PVT Raymond Lopez — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 23:06:29 -0400

REALLY?

Response by 1SG Dennis Hicks made Aug 16 at 2017 7:22 AM

1SG Dennis Hicks — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 07:22:30 -0400

Because they are history and when you attempt to squash, erase and remove what they meant and the reasons why they came to power you fail to learn from history. What happened to Imperial Germany after world war I lead to the rise of Nazi Germany. Winning isn't all there is you have to bring those who lost into the discussion and not grind them into the ground or you create a future enemy.

Response by CPT Lawrence Cable made Aug 16 at 2017 11:21 AM

CPT Lawrence Cable — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 11:21:20 -0400

Where do you draw the line? We have been at war with a number of countries that still fly the same national flag, Japan, Italy, Spain, Mexico as examples. Change the name of Fort Bragg? I think flying a confederate battle flag at your house is moronic, but it doesn't bother me in contest of a war memorial or historical display. Why not accept that there are some unpleasant things in our history and learn from those experiences. The fact that Teddy Roosevelt believed in Eugenics should note take from the fact he was one of the outstanding leaders in this country's history, especially if one tries to understand history from the perspective at the time.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 16 at 2017 1:06 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 13:06:24 -0400

Surely we all know that the whole reason that fringe groups use symbols such as these is to garner the kind of attention they crave. Attention allows them a platform to get their reprehensible views out in the public, and further an agenda.
Supremicist groups have been withering and dying for years, and continue to do so. Recent events were actually a sequel to a similar one they did back in May, but didn't get the attention they wanted. This time they decided to put out where and when they would be holding their rally on student websites at the nearby University of Virginia, with predictable results. Counter-protesters show up, spoiling for a fight, and they get it. Viola! News coverage and interviews follow.
Don't give them attention, and they go back to their holes in the backwoods and post conspiracy theories with their handful of like-minded friends.
The sonsofbitches have a right to speak, but I have an equal right to not listen. Or speak against.
As for killing Nazis with a smile on my face, that never goes out of style.

Response by SP5 Peter Keane made Aug 16 at 2017 1:13 PM

SP5 Peter Keane — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 13:13:08 -0400

Even if it was established in the Treaty, other than Japan, those Governments no longer exist

Response by LTJG Edward Bangor Jr made Aug 16 at 2017 1:32 PM

LTJG Edward Bangor Jr — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 13:32:35 -0400

Contrary to what some may say, it has little-to-nothing to do with "protecting history". Symbols associated with a beaten opponent are often left in place for the same reason that every senior officer in the Confederacy wasn't charged with treason. Ultimately, cultural symbols are left intact as a way to help pacify the defeated population. Although many southern politicians and military leaders did levy war against the United States while still being citizens thereof (and thus fulfilled the Constitutional requirement for treason), it was reasoned that allowing them to simply fade into background civilian life would make it easier for the South to accept their defeat. To an extant, it worked. The same logic was used when allowing Japan to keep their Emperor. We could have removed him from the equation altogether, but the loss of cultural identity tied up in the royal family would have made the US occupation of Japan much more difficult.

The comparison with Germany and Nazi symbology others have made isn't entirely accurate here. Germans themselves elected to get rid of the swastikas, eagles, and other remnants of Hitler's regime. That's not a case of a loser being made to get rid of their symbols, but of a culture realizing that the symbol is too representative of an evil to be allowed to exist, even if it is part of their history.

Response by SGT Tony Clifford made Aug 16 at 2017 4:55 PM

SGT Tony Clifford — Wed, 16 Aug 2017 16:55:26 -0400

This is due to the messiness of freedom. The same freedom that allows for civil rights protesters to cry out against an injustice allows for vile people to spit venomous words out. Are these people despicable? Yes, but we must allow them their voice. If we don't allow them to showcase their ignorance their ideas are never going to be seen for what they are. If we suppress their speech, we do injury to our side. We make it seem that our ideas aren't capable of standing up to theirs. If let them speak they make our case for us.