Comments on: Japanese called the war stimulants “drug to inspire the fighting spirits”

By: W. Geibel

W. Geibel — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 16:44:51 +0000

Have you ever encountered a meth addict who hasn’t slept for five days? The “sadistic rage” that was the Japanese army had unlimited supply. Seeing demons, talking to God, hearing the voices , twitching , unspeakable sadistic violence, all in the package.

By: Isegoria

Isegoria — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 03:19:45 +0000

PBS’s World War Speed looks at amphetamine use by the Germans and the Allies:

In 1942, commanding officer Bernard Montgomery is brought in to Northern Africa to boost the morale of British troops fighting in the region. In the film, Holland discovers a document from Montgomery’s medical officer, Q.V. Wallace, revealing that troops involved in the opening stages of the battle of El Alamein were given Benzedrine, providing evidence that orders for the drug came straight from the top of British command. The memo also makes clear that the British 24th Armored Tank Brigade soldiers were prescribed 20 milligrams of Benzedrine per day — twice the amount recommended to RAF pilots — prior to the second battle of El Alamein in Egypt.

By: Bruce Purcell

Bruce Purcell — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 18:42:59 +0000

When I read Ethan Watters Crazy Like Us, I felt bad about innocent Japanese being addicted to opioids by US Big Pharma who already caused the US fentanyl epidemic. Then Scott Alexander, an actual psychologist, reviewed the book, and he was impressed, but not totally convinced. And I started to wonder, how are these Japanese so innocent about drug use that US Big Pharma can sucker them? The fellows I've met from Japan have not been naive.

By: Adar

Adar — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 15:43:10 +0000

“the country’s Yakuza crime syndicate took over much of the distribution, and the drug trade would eventually become its most important source of revenue.”

Prostitution as catering to the American GI also a large source of income for the Yakuza post-war. Seed money for other ventures sort of like prohibition alcohol was for the American mafia.