this post was submitted on 29 May 2025
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the US struck a secret agreement with Ishii. In a memo to General Douglas MacArthur (1880 – 1964), commander of Allied forces in Japan, Washington recognized that although war crimes had been committed, the experiments led by Ishii and his colleagues were "almost incalculable and incredibly valuable to the United States."

In exchange for the records of Unit 731's experiments, the US granted Ishii and his assistants immunity. Ishii died, and his collaborators went on to have careers in prestigious universities and private laboratories.

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[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 86 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (3 children)

The US government made several deals with some inhuman characters after the war. Yes, the science was (potentially) valuable, because there is no way that a moral human would perform the experiments, but granting immunity may have been too much. It’s past time that these people are recognized for what they are.

[–] mriswith@lemmy.world 53 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

Ishii Shiro is a prime example.

He was the head of Unit 731 and did things like live and unanesthetized vivisections on people, bioloogical weapons testing on children, etc.. Which is among the milder things. The US made a deal for all his data, and he lived his last years in peace and anonymity as a free man. He actually worked for free as a local doctor for a period.

If you look up information about him in Japanese sources, most of it is apparently all about how was such a nice man who helped people, and basically that he did a little oopsie in the 40s.


Yes, the science was valuable,

That's one of the worse parts, they didn't really gain any of the knowledge they hoped for:

However, the information obtained was not of significant value, as the U.S. biological warfare program had surpassed the capabilities of Unit 731 by 1943.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_731

[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 21 points 5 days ago (1 children)

From what I've gathered, the experiments of unit 731 were more like shengele, more focussed on cruelly than actual science

[–] Mustakrakish@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago

Not to mention there was often no method or recorded data, so even calling them "science" of any kind is doubious.

[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 1 points 5 days ago

At least he repaid some of his debt to society.

[–] pulsewidth@lemmy.world 21 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

I don't see how grant immunity, sign documents, transfer them to US - take all documentation and knowledge, higher court later declares the immunity invalid, execute them for war crimes was off the table. It would likely be legal. It would surely be less immoral than letting them free.

What, did the US generals not want to have a bad rep with future war criminals??

'Gosh no we can't do that - we made a pinky swear to some of the worst people who ever lived'.

[–] Deconceptualist@lemm.ee 22 points 5 days ago

I mean, that would work once or twice, but after that I don't think remaining war criminals would agree to the deal, knowing their predecessors were executed.

[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 5 points 5 days ago

Right? They figured that out a decade or so later.

[–] Goretantath@lemm.ee 4 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Heck Project Paperclip is why the USA fell, brought over all the nazi scientists and used Witness Protection to dissapear them into the populace, growing a bu ch of nazi families.

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 8 points 5 days ago (1 children)
[–] medgremlin@midwest.social 3 points 4 days ago

Given how many Nazis are kicking around these days, I'm starting to think that might have been the case. The 3rd reich just played the long game.

[–] MTK@lemmy.world 26 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I get making deals to acquire useful information, but immunity? The deals should have been life in prison instead of execution.

[–] FunnyUsername@lemmy.world 6 points 5 days ago (3 children)

they didn't really have the cards. usa doesn't wanna give immunity? no experiment results. what are they gunna do? have another genocide just for science? it was literally the only chance for this information, and they had to give the worst humans that ever existed immunity to get it. it sure is a fucked situation and really makes you think. what god?

[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 9 points 5 days ago

The US was in possession of the data but likely wanted the scientists to provide context in the same way they wanted the experience of the nazi rocket scientists. But lifetime immunity and a cover up is a horrible way to deal with the problem.

[–] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 6 points 5 days ago

I’m pretty ok with reneging on a deal with war criminals, although I do acknowledge that erodes trust in future dealmaking with the US government.

[–] MTK@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I guess it's easy to say behind a keyboard, but still feels fucked up, was that really the lesser evil?

[–] FunnyUsername@lemmy.world 0 points 5 days ago (2 children)

if we didn't get that information, more people would have died. "justice" may have missed out, but justice doesn't save any lives in this scenario. it's a super fucked up situation, but i do believe getting that information was the best possible outcome. at least some good came from the suffering of the victims this way. it's a hard pill to swallow, but nature is a bitch, we're all only animals, and there is no god.

[–] farting_gorilla@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago (1 children)

if we didn't get that information, more people would have died.

Can you cite a source for this ?

[–] FunnyUsername@lemmy.world -2 points 5 days ago

it is not direct lives, so there is no source. we learned information such as the exact temperature a human body dies when frozen, and things that advanced organ sciences and transplants. there's simply no way to calculate the lives we've saved or improved from obtaining the information because it is so far reaching.

[–] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Don't kid yourself. They gave him immunity because they didn't care. It's not like US never experimented on people. Or enslaved them. Or committed genocides. Or you know, dropped couple of atomic bombs on civilians just to see what will happen.

"- This guy says he has some info but want's immunity.

  • Sure, why not? It's not like he did anything we wouldn't do."
[–] FunnyUsername@lemmy.world -1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I'm not kidding anyone, I'm specifically saying the information was valuable enough to give them what they wanted. that's all

[–] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

Was the information valuable enough to torture people in order to obtain it? Do you think value of this information justifies what the Japanese did to these people?

[–] FunnyUsername@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

now you're just going in outlandish directions. if you don't have the nuance to distinguish between not letting lives go to waste and murder, then have a good day.

[–] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 0 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Oh, so you actually went straight for "not letting lives go to waste". Nice.

For me using data obtained by murdering people is 100% morally wrong. It means that as long as you can distance yourself from the murdering itself you're free to benefit from it. Which is a disgusting take.

And US not only used this data, they actually made an exchange for it. They didn't just find it somewhere ans said "well, since we already have it...". They made a deal with the murderers. Even more disgusting.

[–] FunnyUsername@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

so everyone who is alive now BECAUSE of all that information doesn't deserve their life because of your ethical standards? we can agree to disagree.

i am a carnivore. i eat flesh. i have zero disillusionment about what life and it's atrocities actually are. enjoy your high horse, I won't be responding to you anymore.

edit: did you know particle board was invented by the nazis? ever buy any build it yourself furniture? better throw it out. ever drink a fanta soda?

[–] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net 1 points 3 days ago

so everyone who is alive now BECAUSE of all that information doesn’t deserve their life because of your ethical standards?

Where did you take this from? There's zero logic here.

What I'm saying is that if I would find a paper describing cure for cancer but I knew the author brutally murdered thousands of people in order to create it I wouldn't use it. I think using it would validate his methods and would be immoral.

Imagine someone would torture and murder your family in order to create covid vaccine. Would you still take it? Would you let the murder go free in exchange for his research?

edit: did you know particle board was invented by the nazis? ever buy any build it yourself furniture? better throw it out. ever drink a fanta soda?

Did they murder people to create it? If not what the fuck are you talking about?

[–] Steamymoomilk@sh.itjust.works 10 points 5 days ago (2 children)

That article was appalling to read. But the history was pretty neat, im glad to see more japan ww2 stuff. Ive read alot about America making a deal with japan to take down germany. And i roughly kinda knew japan was doing there own Nuremberg esq warcrimes. But man, those poor people who were subjugated to that...

Honestly a pretty interesting and informative article. Thanks for sharing OP

[–] Madison420@lemmy.world 11 points 5 days ago (1 children)

They were doing that shit to Chinese and Koreans forever. If you like Japan don't dig too much into why any particular shrine is any m in any particular place because chances are it's built on some horrible shit. I know of several that were built on piles of random trophy body parts (noses tongues ears).

[–] witchybitchy@lemm.ee 4 points 5 days ago

on second thought, let's not go to Japan, tis a silly place

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Ive read alot about America making a deal with japan to take down germany.

Must've been a real shit deal since it ended up getting hit with two nukes.

[–] King3d@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago

Not to mention, Japan surrendered 3-4 months after Germany did.

[–] Auntievenim@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago

Weird way to end the article honestly

[–] gibmiser@lemmy.world 3 points 5 days ago

Deal with the devil...

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 1 points 1 day ago

The USA always rewarded & protected the worst of humanity.

[–] Goretantath@lemm.ee -2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

New? I've heard all this on the Chilluminati podcast.

[–] Zenith@lemm.ee 3 points 5 days ago

The records were released May 15th