I believe that regardless of Rutherford's actions, German Witnesses would be persecuted by the Nazis. JWs rarely mention all the groups that were victims. I believe communists were executed in higher numbers. I was doing research in the law library when my eye saw a listing for a separation of church and state journal. The article's title announced an article with persecution of Japanese Witnesses. I could not recall any discussion of Japanese Witnesses growing up. My guess is that Hitler was friendly to the Witnesses compared to the Japanese government. Germans are typically Christians while Japanese practice Shinto.I stopped my work to read the article.
The author, a female Bethelite lawyer, never mentioned one Japanese martyr. The entire article was a worshipful piece about brave Judge Rutherford, ruling from Brooklyn with its Manhattan skyline view. It shocked me because I was not on this forum yet. I wrote the author a short note on Crane's stationary, asking why she was allowed to be a lawyer with her female parts. Other women clean rooms or do laundry. What made her so elite? I then highlighted my legal background and remarked how cult like the article was. Two or three short stories of Japanese humans confronted by cultural difference during difficult times. This is the essence of the cult. No human, save the GB members, are worthy of mention. She blew her chance at fame. I also wrote a note to the journal expressing my views. Her article was not journal worthy.