Honoring Japan's War Dead

Seen here is PM Shinzo Abe as he honors Japan's war dead at Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery by laying a wreath in a ceremony of remembrance. Built in 1959, Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery is where thousands of unidentified Japanese soldiers and a small number of Japanese nationals that were killed overseas during WWII are interred. This Tokyo memorial maintains the remains of some 358,260 souls lost during the war. While some remain focused on controversial visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, it is good to see Mr. Abe pay his respects at this lesser known memorial. With both reverence and respect we appreciate that this story has received media attention.

China's Dangerous Game

Earlier this week, the Chinese Navy of the People's Republic of China delivered stern warnings to U.S. Navy P8 Poseidon Surveillance planes flying over the South China Sea with calls to 'Go now!" The hostile tone of the Chinese Navy has many scratching their heads as to what are they really up to in the South China Sea. What's obvious is this build up of military forces on the part of the Chinese is escalating tensions and creating a hostile new cold war in the South China Sea that could easily get out of hand. This new dangerous game occurred as American planes flew over disputed waters which the PRC claims as their own based on historical claims. Really? Let's talk about that.

In recent months has been engaging in island building throughout the South China Sea in what has been international waters. They have brought a fleet of dredges to turn submerged atolls into sizable islands which they claim is for civilian use yet is heavily protected with early warning radar, military sized landing strips, and a small flotilla of warships enough to have made the Imperial Japanese Navy of WWII jealous that they hadn't thought of this first. What's really crazy is that the PRC which up until now could be counted on to contain it's influence to the Asian continent is now expanding deep into international waters hundreds of miles from mainland China. This of course is not sitting well with the governments of Japan, the, Philippines, or Vietnam. The deliberate construction of operational military bases in international waters has also posed a navigational hazard for both commercial sea and air traffic as the Chinese Navy now regards these waters to be the military zones of the PRC which poses not only a problem for the JMSDF, but the U.S. Navy who is entrusted to keep the international shipping lanes and air corridors open. Reminiscent of China's clash with our P-3 Orion in the early 2000's, China seems eager to flex it's muscle. Hence another reason why the Japanese Diet needs to scrap Article 9 so the JMSDF can further bolster it's forces as a key ally of the United States. With the U.S. Navy stretched so thin, we need s stronger JMSDF. We hope that PM Shinzo Abe will continue to rearm Japan to meet this growing threat to peace. Until then, we will write about this as time goes on because we are certain this will not be the last hostile incident between the U.S. Navy and the PRC.

New Edition Released

We are pleased to announce that our biographical Vietnam War book MY FATHER'S WAR IN VIETNAM AND THE LONG SHADOW OF THE HON CONG MOUNTAIN has been re-released on paperback and Kindle editions. We have also released a Spanish language edition La Guerra de mi Padre en Vietnam. This book is about the real life of my late father Luis Eduardo Rosas during his tour in the Central Highlands of Vietnam as a member of the 1st Air Cavalry Division 1965-1966. This book also details the lives of those who served with him and how the Vietnam War changed him and his family for years to come. These new editions contains new updates and new stories that were not in the original hardcover edition. Available worldwide.

一日の画像 - Picture of the Day

Seen here is the His Magesty Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko outside the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.