When learning about and analyzing acts of mass atrocity during World War II, hundreds if not thousands of questions can be asked trying to gain a deeper understanding for their actions. Probably one of the most intriguing thoughts to ponder is what leads individuals and societies as a whole to descend to such a level of cruelty. According to the author of Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand, one reason may be, “Few societies treasured dignity, and feared humiliation, as did the Japanese, for whom a loss of honor could merit suicide. This is likely one of the reasons why Japanese soldiers in World War II debased their prisoners with such zeal, seeking to take from them that which was most painful and destructive to lose” (189). To elaborate, the Japanese …show more content…
Similarly, another possible explanation for these atrocious acts is the fact that in Japan’s militaristic society, the Japanese felt that they were racially and morally superior to all other races, and, due to government propaganda, carried an unbelievable amount of racism and prejudice for their enemies (Hillenbrand 201). Clearly, beliefs and a quest of necessity and destiny also fueled the inhumane, violent acts of World War II. If one takes a closer look at the individuals who carried out these atrocious acts, specifically POW camp guards like the Bird, another common question is what motivated specific people to carry out these crimes. For the Bird, the justifications for his behavior include, “...madness...raw brutality gave him sway over men that his rank did not...satisfying his sexual desire by hurting them” (Hillenbrand 242). These three reasons along with the two social reasons all provide clues and a begin to create an explanation for some of history’s the worst acts of atrocity and cruelty. However, personally, I don’t believe that everybody on carries the capacity for