re: WWII history buffs - Pacific theater island hopping

The Bushido code. Those guys were completely indoctrinated and didn't want to bring any shame upon their families.

At one point during the Korean War, my father's squadron was flying out of an airbase in Japan. There were Japanese sentries providing security along the flight line and tarmac. My dad said that when they'd go out to do their pre-flight aircraft inspection, the sentries were (technically) required to check the crews IDs. It was typically predawn hours and cold, so being a nice guy (or trying to expedite the process) my dad said he'd bring hot coffee to the sentries.

He said after one or two cups of coffee, any American would stop checking his ID. The Japanese sentries never did. He said he even went as far as fricking with them - "I'm the tall round eye who brings you coffee every time I fly!" - but they still always checked his ID.

He said the only plausible explanation that he could offer was that "either they're well trained and diligent military men, or maybe we all just look alike to them."