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Jun 29, 2014 01:18
There is a small town called Oura in Gunma prefecture, about two hours drive north from Tokyo. During the WW2 in 1945, the prefecture was bombed by formation of flying fortress B-29 bombers. The one of the bombers was shot by Japanese fighter plane and collided with another B-29 in the air. Both of the bombers crashed down in the town of Oura. Twenty three of the bomber crews were all dead. What did people in this small town do to the enemy’s dead bodies then? They took out from the aircrafts, cremated them, and placed them to the temple with respect. The temple kept them. Eventually Japan lost the war and the land was completely occupied by the U.S. The temple contacted the U.S. authority and asked them to receive the ashes of the crews. Finally they were able to return to the U.S. and were buried in their home. Sixty years later, people in the town built a memorial for the twenty three of B-29 crews. Why did they do it for their enemy? Because they knew the crews were not enemies. That was a war. The crews bombed the land of Japan, not because they hated Japanese. They just did what they had to. They had their family in the U.S. and Oura people knew it, so they treated the Americans with respect. There is no anger and hate. Today, as technology and economy has been developing dramatically and our life became convenience all over the world, this kind of noble spirit seems to be forgotten. No matter how times are changing, we have a lot to learn from the mind of people in Oura.