# The Allies POWs - Testimonies by IJA Soldiers



## Shinpachi (Mar 2, 2010)

In my recent research of the Battle of Bataan and Corregidor, I have come across a couple of tesimonies writen by IJA soldiers in 1942 concerning the allies POWs in the Philippines and the Malay Peninsula.

Stories were introduced in the old weekly magazine "Photo Weekly (issue nos. 236, 237, 239, 240 and 243)" and I am going to translate them to introduce details here as soon as possible but my first impression that may be called a 'discovery' for me will be -

1. Meal for the prisones was typical Japanese one which is called "Ichi-ju issai - a combination of a bowl of rice with Umeboshi (Pickled sour plum) and a cup of soup (miso-shiru)" - a very simple and basic one for the ordinary Japanese at the time. It was originally invented by some Buddhism training monks in the 14th century. Calorie is never enough even for the present Japanese. It is now regarded a sort of diet meal.

2. IJA soldiers show their surprise and embarrassment to have encountered another totally different life style. For example, a British POW requests "cards" to play but an IJA soldier cannot understand why. 

I would like to continue this thread to the end anyhow.

Attached image shows the "Ichi-ju issai" meal as an example.
Umeboshi would have been one, not two. It was one when I was a child, at least.
Thanks.


----------



## vikingBerserker (Mar 2, 2010)

Thanks Spinpachi! I've always been really interested in the IJA Point of View.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Mar 2, 2010)

Wow! More very interesting material Shinpachi. Thank you.


----------



## Shinpachi (Mar 2, 2010)

Thanks vB and Aaron. I always appreciate your favorable comments.
To introuduce what it was in IJA/IJN is what I can contribute to the members here.
Please enjoy.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Mar 2, 2010)




----------



## beaupower32 (Mar 2, 2010)

Very Intresting!


----------



## proton45 (Mar 2, 2010)

Shinpachi said:


> "Ichi-ju issai - a combination of a bowl of rice with Umeboshi (Pickled sour plum) and a cup of soup (miso-shiru)"




I'm very familiar with this meal (lol)...a typical dish my father might serve. I, myself, prefer takuan to umeboshi, but perhaps it was not the custom in those days...

Thanks very much for this information...I look forward to anything you might discover. This is a good thread for "instant email notification"!!!


----------



## Shinpachi (Mar 3, 2010)

proton45 said:


> I'm very familiar with this meal (lol)



That meal was my last way to survive when I had no money!

Thanks for the comment, Aaron and beaupower32.


----------



## wheelsup_cavu (Mar 3, 2010)

Cool read Shinpachi.
I am going to be subscribing too this thread too.


Wheels


----------



## Shinpachi (Mar 3, 2010)

Wow, thanks, wheelsup_cavu.
I have to hurry up.


----------



## Shinpachi (Mar 3, 2010)

Title: Two American Soldiers
=================
Author: Mr. Yoshiro Saito
of the 1023rd Unit of IJA
introduced in Photo Weekly 243rd issue dated Oct 21, 1942.


The time for attacking the Corregidor Fortress had come about twenty days later since the Bataan Peninsula fell. Our unit withdrew the position located on the 900th highlands near the Mariveles naval port, where we were tormented badly by febrile disease and storms, to spread our new position on a small rice field of the valley located in the west of Cabcaben Airfield . It was May 2nd.

Observation station was decided atop the high ground of about 500 meters right front from the battery.
The high ground was in the bush but exposed its gentle front slope to the Corregidor, so we had to pay more attention to camouflaging the station.

A clean river was flowing in the skirts of the high ground. My platoon built a cookhouse in the river side.
Devided into two groups, we took charge of cooking every other day by shift.

The Corregidor Fortress showed the decline of their fighting spirit rapidly then.
Samely as the Battle of Bataan, their morning greeting had been always thirty minutes earlier than ours with fire. Aiming at our position, the Cheney battery of the right end of the island used to send their 30 centimeters cannonballs almost every morning. But recently, there was no greeting and no response to our greeting either.

"No more shells." we whispered.
So were the batteries of Grubbs and Wheeler on the island. They were silent and the silence seemed telling us their serious decline of the fighting spirit rather than the fact of lack of the shells itself.

One day, two American soldiers visited our cookhouse. They asked us any job for them as they were going to do their best.

Our 1st Class Private Okuno who was good at English asked them why. They said that they had been belonging to their unit at Limay Airfield as groundcrew but been evacuating in the outback of Mt. Mariveles since April 3 when the all-out attack of Japanese Army began. They were awfully emaciated and their blue eyes were staring at us uneasily. 

"Why did not you surrender much earlier?"
They answered calmly that they had never thought the Corregidor would fall.
"Then, you are coming out now because you think it would fall, aren't you?"
"Yes..." the two nodded.

They were bringing two sets of rolled blankets and a set of tableware hanging on the waist but no arms with them. We gave them meals. They ate them surprisingly a lot.
We decided to hire them as cook assistants.


(..... this story continues)

Caption of the photo on the original page image attached: "Our unit soldiers during attack Corregidor"


----------



## FLYBOYJ (Mar 3, 2010)

Great info Shinpachi!

I've mentioned a few times that my wife's grandfather was on MacArthur's staff and was captured on Bataan. Here's a link for his book.

He was pulled off the death march because one of his fellow prisoners identified him as a cryptographer and his captors may of thought they could get some intelligence from him. Although betrayed, this action might have saved his life.

Anyway, here a link for his book - keep the story coming!

Surviving the day: an American POW ... - Google Books


----------



## Gnomey (Mar 3, 2010)

Great stuff Shinpachi, really looking forward to what else you turn up in your research.


----------



## buffnut453 (Mar 3, 2010)

Hi Shinpachi,

This looks like being a most interesting thread. I, for one, am really interested in anything that comes up regarding Malaya and Singapore. Keep up the great work!!

Regards,
Mark


----------



## Shinpachi (Mar 4, 2010)

Thanks for the comments, FLYBOYJ, Gnomey and buffnut453.

I had better tell - the story ending was never tragic...Being asked, one of the American soldiers drove Japanese vehicle!

I have known that there were few who could drive a car at the time...SHAME!

I would be going into the Malaya story soon.
Thanks again for your interest, buffnut453.


----------



## Shinpachi (Mar 4, 2010)

FLYBOYJ said:


> Great info Shinpachi!
> 
> I've mentioned a few times that my wife's grandfather was on MacArthur's staff and was captured on Bataan. Here's a link for his book.
> 
> ...



Thanks for your introduction of the book writen by your grandfather-in-low, FLYBOYJ.
I'm reading chapter by chapter with not only much interest but my deep sympathy for his agony.
Please let me tell you that IJA testimonies about the death march and its surrounding situation are also in my research. Sorry for our fathers did...


----------



## FLYBOYJ (Mar 4, 2010)

Your thoughts are appreciated Shinpachi. I shall pass your message to my mother in law. She still has some items from him and his wife (she was a POW as well) from their captivity. I'll try to get photos of these things and post them.


----------



## evangilder (Mar 4, 2010)

Very interesting info, Shinpachi. It isn't often we get stories from the Japanese side. The Pacific was particularly brutal for both sides.


----------



## vikingBerserker (Mar 4, 2010)

I agree, this is some great education.


----------



## Shinpachi (Mar 5, 2010)

Thanks for your care, FLYBOYJ and also thanks for your generous words, evangilder and vB again.

This is a strange story I haven't ever heard before but now I know how many stories or testimonies were hidden or modified in the postwar. 
Now, it continues -

**************************************************************
..... We decided to hire them as cook assistants.

"Damn guys. Why are they so conceited as to say they didn't think Corregidor would fall?"
glaring at the two, 1st Class Private Tsujimoto said.

After meal, we decided their nicknames. Taro for the taller one and Jiro for the shorter one.
"We will call you two Taro and Jiro from now on. Answer 'Hai(*Yes)' loudly and clearly when you are called. Do you understand?"
"Yes, we understand. Our nicknames are Taro and Jiro."

They worked well diligently.
Taro was 26, three years older than Jiro. His face looked nervous showing any weakness of his character.
Jiro was about 5feet and 4inch in his height. There were red pimples on his face. Down half of his face was covered with his wild beard and mustache. They were busy with collecting firewoods to break them finely or washing tablewares or drawing water. They took little rest. They wore no shirts, so sweats shone glaringly on their skin. Jiro sometimes casually scooped the sweat that flowed to his nose head by the hairy back of his hand. 

On completed their job, they came to 1st Class Private Okuno to request more job to continue.
"I'm afraid you are tired. Take rest wherever it is cool. You will be busy again in the evening."
"Taro(*meaning 'I') is not tired yet. I am fine enough to break the firewoods. I can do anything."

They requested job. The two looked hard not to keep working at any moment. Their eager eyes staring at 1st Class Private Okuno were showing their uneasiness for no job. They knew their lives were not in their hands anymore but would have been too old to take the form of a straightforward entreaty for life.

"OK. Then, make your own beds. You stay here with us together from this evening."
1st Class Private Okuno ordered.
After they stared at Okuno's face for a while, their faces were filled with joyful looks suddenly.
"Grateful. We will try to finish it by 4 o'clock." Taro replied.
They started the ground leveling in the side of our beds immediately. They were so cheeful as to exchange a small quarrel about their new space. 

I understood instantly what they had felt from the words of 1st Class Private Okuno. The sharp sensitivity of POWs must have felt "We are saved" at the moment. Without hiding the joy, they kept making their beds in a hurry. I thought them very honest guys and, at the same time, was sorry for their simple honesty under their circumstances.

Other not a few unarmed American soldiers were wandering around our cookhouse everyday. Their uniforms were all stained. Samely as Taro and Jiro, they would also have been hiding in the mountains believing the Corregidor would not fall and their reinforcements would come soon for more than twenty days. They dared to appear where many Japanese soldiers were but were only beating the green mangos to drop and collect. It was strange to collect mangos in front of their enemy. They would have been thinking to surrender.

..... to be continued.


----------



## Shinpachi (Mar 6, 2010)

Story continues...

**********************************
..... They would have been thinking to surrender.


By the way, the time of our all-out attack against the Corregidor was coming close. Ahead of this battle that would be our final one in the Philippines, I felt my intense uplift of morale and was so excited with my strong heart throbs that I was unable to sleep at night. All of our passion and concern were concentrated toward the Corregidor attack only then.

We did not care those wandering unarmed American soldiers around us. No matter how many there would be, we knew that they had made up their minds to surrender and were no harmful anymore.

It would be the winner's morals to protect the surrenderers but the morals should be the means to save them from the state of brave self-determination. I wondered if they had such bravery to be a surrenderer. Even if we did not protect them to leave them in the mountains, they would neither fight nor commit suicide but keep surviving by eating grasses or nuts to the end of war. So would be Taro and Jiro. What we had found in them was a human weakness that anybody can be servile under a situation.

Found out Taro or Jiro, those wandering American soldiers sometimes visited our cookhouse.
Most of them were hungry. We gave them meal and advised to go to our POW camp in Limay, saying they would be able to take hot meal three times a day. They left obediently. They would have known that they were not regarded as a surrenderer any longer.

One day, three American soldiers appeared in our cookhouse to ask for meal. They were all big men of 6 feet height. Judging from their age over thirty and calm manner, I thought their rank would be the noncommissioned officer.

They opened their mouth and placed the hand on the stomach to show they were hungry.
After meal, one of them asked us to hire them. We said "Go to Limay" but they shook their heads and kept sitting. We said the same thing again. One of them said
"Take us three to Limay by car."
"You can reach there on foot by the evening. We have no permission to use our car for you. It is impossible." I answered.

They were clearly perplexed and silent for a while. Before long, one of them, showing his extraordinary efforts on the face, said
"We three are a surrenderer. We are unarmed. We request you to treat us generously."
I felt a slight resistance in his words. His American style thought that a surrenderer has the right to request his protection would have let him say such words.

"Hey. What did you say now?"
Got angry, 1st Class Private Tsujimoto was just going to almost knock him off.


..... to be continued.


----------



## ccheese (Mar 6, 2010)

This is all quite interesting, Shinpachi. Somehow, I have a feeling the story does not have a happy ending. Please
continue with your translations,....... and thanks for taking the time to do it.

Charles


----------



## GrauGeist (Mar 6, 2010)

Shinpachi, thank you for your translations!

I know they are alot of work, but much appreciated!


----------



## Shinpachi (Mar 6, 2010)

Thanks ccheese and GG for your comments.
Ending was not so bad. There was a human to human communication.
I guarantee.

I have clearly known that IJA policy was "Fight or Die!"
I am frankly glad I was born in the postwar!!!


----------



## Shinpachi (Mar 8, 2010)

Story continues.

******************************************

....."Hey. What did you say now?"
Got angry, 1st Class Private Tsujimoto was just going to almost knock him off.


At midnight of May 5, the last bombardment by our gunners to the Corregidor was performed. Just after that, our infantry units carried out landing in the face of enemy. The landing succeeded excellently. 

Leaving only a few soldiers in the cookhouse, we all others thronged in the observation station on the hill. The severe offensive and defensive battle was held all through the night. 

It was noon of the following day of 6th that a white flag of surrender was raised in the Corregidor island. White flags also rose on the islands of Caballo and El Fraile one after another. Hanging on to the binoculars, we all cried out of deep emotion.

We heard later that enemy's General Wainright came to our landing force to offer his surrender but our force assumed no admission if it was not complete surrender and evicted him. I imagined the appearance of his agony when he returned dejectedly. The result of the severe fate which those who overestimated themselves to the last had to receive naturally had appeared as our refusal of their surrender. 

Their optimistic thought to the war that they always had a choice of surrender in the fights was splendidly revenged by the absolute strictness of war. I thought I had seen their symbol of loneliness of those who were wandering around our cookhouse.

At night of 6th, the second landing was carried out on schedule. The tanks and cannons also landed. Corregidor fell. All of us gathered in the cookhouse that night to celebrate. Beer was served. We made the Korokke (*croquette) and Zenzai (*sweet red-bean soup with rice cakes) which might be our last field cooking from all the materials we had. We ate and drank exchanging beer.

Noticed suddenly, I asked 1st Class Private Tsujimoto who had been staying in the cookhouse during our absence
"By the way, do Taro and Jiro know Corregidor fell?"
"Yes, they do. I told it to them."
"How were they?"
"Right. They looked sad. They were absentminded all day long today."
I called them who were eating Korokkes of their share at the riverside.
I made them sit in front of me and poured beer into the mess-tin caps to the brim for them. 

"Drink."
They sat up straight and drank up obediently. Talking nothing to them, I poured more beer a couple of times. Then, Taro suddenly asked me
"War is over. How are you all going to do?"
"We will be back to Manila in a few days."

Saying "Manila", Taro watched Jiro's face.
In the dim light of the lamp, their faces looked sad and being disappointed.
"How are we, Taro and Jiro, going to be?"
His eyes were obsessed and filled with his brooded feeling.

"We may bring you two to Manila but, in Manila, you will be handed over to the POW camp. You don't have to worry about it because you will be able to meet your friends or senior officers again there."
"Will you bring us with you?"
"Yes, we will."
I found the expression of relief on his face.
"Are you glad?"
They nodded.

I reviewed these two American soldiers of simple honesty again. I had some empty feelings of disappointment. I had just heard they were sad to know Corregidor fell but their sadness had gone somewhere to hear Manila in a moment. This would be all what was ruling their own fate, their entire thoughts and feelings.

1st Class Private Okuyama came to us and asked Taro
"Taro, do you have a girl friend?"
Taro answered Yes. Jiro did not have. Okuyama asked if Taro wanted to meet her. Taro answered he wanted to.

Then, Taro began to sing a song with the hollows of his blue eyes faintly reddening by drunkenness. It was a bright good song without any sound of the desperation. All quitted conversation to listen to it attentively.

He sang three songs one after another and urged Jiro to do his performance next. Jiro responded immediately. He sat down in Japanese style properly again and, searching for something in his pocket, took out a set of cards which wore out.

Jiro began magic with cards. His handling was so good that none of us could understand his trick. He twisted his face which was full of the mustache, beard and pimples oddly and showed it everytime one magic was over. The two kept repeating their innocent performances by turns, getting drunk by joy of their settled fate.

Our unit was to leave for Manila in the early morning of 10th. However, since one of our vehicle drivers had been sent back from malaria, one driver had been shortage. I trially asked Taro and Jiro if they could drive a car. As Jiro answered he could, we asked him to drive our car. He, the jocular guy, was incredibly so happy to be asked that shouted "Hoo!"

In the previous night of the departure, Taro and Jiro suddenly came to our beds, pushed out their faces for the light of the lamp and began to shave their mustache/beard with the razors we lent. Being filled with joy of going to Manila, they were hard to make titivation as if there were no people around them.


*****************************
This story ends here. This was what the author witnessed in the Philippines of May, 1942.
If there should be any inappropriate expressions, please take my own apology as I tried to translate them line by line as precise as possible.

Thanks for reading.
Shinpachi


----------



## Shinpachi (Mar 11, 2010)

A POW camp at University of St.Thomas in Manila in June, 1942 (Photo Weekly 230th issue).
Caption says 'Here are three thousands and a fewl hundreds the allied POWs'.

I'm going to start Malaya story from next week. Thanks.


----------



## GrauGeist (Mar 11, 2010)

Shinpachi said:


> ...If there should be any inappropriate expressions, please take my own apology as I tried to translate them line by line as precise as possible.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> Shinpachi


Your translations are just fine, no worries!

Thanks again for posting these for us!


----------



## vikingBerserker (Mar 11, 2010)

Awesome, thanks!


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Mar 11, 2010)

Shinpachi, as always, your work is much appreciated. This set of translations is just as good as the IJA Secret Intelligence Team at Chofu set was. Excellent work my friend.


----------



## Shinpachi (Mar 12, 2010)

Thanks GG, vB and Aaron. 
I am frankly relieved to receive your friendly comments.

Translating the story, I wished 'Taro' and 'Jiro' survived the war as well as the other American soldiers left in the mountains and the author himself with his comrades.

There was no further description about the 3 noncommissioned officers who requested their protection.
Judging from the flow of the story, I guess they left for Limay on foot. Not killed at least.

Thanks.


----------



## Shinpachi (Mar 21, 2010)

OK. Please let me start the next story "POWs in Malaya".
This story was introduced in the Photo Weekly issue nos. 235 to 240, except 238 during Aug-Sept 1942.
A long story.

Author Mr. Kazuo Takemori had been a writer before he was enlisted again as a 1st Class Private in early 1942 when he was 32 years old. So, this story takes a style of novel and the main character is not 'I' but 'Private Mizoguchi'. 

Expression is so artful being based on classical Japanese expressions that I feel some difficulty to translate but believe it would be getting easier for me to do post by post.

This first post is very short but the second, the third and the fourth will be longer enough to enjoy.
Thank you very much for your reading in advance.


*******************************

POWs in Malaya
==========
Author: Kazuo Takemori
1st Class Private of IJA

Private Mizoguchi was enjoying a good sweat in a bathtub made of a drum under a large palm tree.
He was the last to use it that evening. Everything was calm and dark around him. Only stars were twinkling above his head.
Finished bathing, he wore clothes and walked up the stone stairs singing a song joyfully.

It was also dark in the barracks his unit was staying but the soldiers who were lying down and wriggling on their blankets could be observed faintly under the lamplight control. It was not a short way to reach his bed. Took off the shoes, he stepped over his comrades - Iwayama, Huchida and Yoshimura, and modestly passed by the side of Kubota and Sunakura who were enjoying Shogi(Japanese chess) solemnly to reach his place beside the door that was still open and led to the next room. 

Seeing the twinkling stars through the window, he hung his bathing kit bag on the shelf and placed a towel on his backpack as a pillow. He lay down to sleep with his arms and legs extended comfortably.

..... to be continued.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Mar 21, 2010)




----------



## vikingBerserker (Mar 21, 2010)




----------



## Gnomey (Mar 23, 2010)

Good stuff!


----------



## evangilder (Mar 23, 2010)

Interesting so far, Shinpachi-san.


----------



## Shinpachi (Apr 7, 2010)

Translation of "POWs in Malaya" will be coming up soon as I am struggling with it.

I have known that the modern Japanese language is much westernised making When, Where, Who, What clear.
Old Japanese, especially literature, was not necessarily clear, so I have to read the lines three times to translate...

Please be patient for a while. Thanks.


----------



## Gnomey (Apr 7, 2010)

Very willing to be patient for you translations shinpachi. They are an excellent insight.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Apr 7, 2010)

Take your time Shinpachi, we will wait patiently for the next installment


----------



## GrauGeist (Apr 7, 2010)

Not to worry, Shinpachi...take your time.


----------



## Shinpachi (Apr 12, 2010)

Thanks everyone
Now, the story continues -

*******************************************

....... He lay down to sleep with his arms and legs extended comfortably.


As soldiers were exhausted for their daily duties of frequent shifts such as sentinel, patrol and scout, the moment of rest after bathing was one of their best enjoyments. They were allowed to sleep peacefully till the next morning, except ones who were in charge of the night patrol. However, enemy's bombers were making a raid on our airfield located at five kilometers south almost every night and, sometimes, they dropped bombs on a railroad station nearby. Bombs hit the ground as if a thunder. They destroyed houses to bury many people in the soil. Bombers always came during 3 to 5 o'clock before dawn.

Of course, soldiers never believed they could survive the night well but, frankly, when they had just arrived there, they were honestly afraid of guessing whether they could wake up alive next morning or not. But now, with the fearless calm heart, they were leaving their lives to the fate as things went on. In fact, there was nothing they could cope with the attacks by the airplanes which could fly freely in the sky but only practicing the lamplight control, anti-aircraft watch and antiaircraft fire preparation as trained. What they could do was to find the enemy planes as soon as possible and wait for their friendly fighters coming after all. While leading their lives just like peaceful time there, they were making up their minds each other to die calmly after doing their very bests.

"I hear that our soldiers of the front line has already occupied Kuala Lumpur perfectly and are now heading for Johor Bahru. It is only 300 km to Singapore." Kusumoto said.
He was an elder soldier who was occupying the opposite position head-to-head of Mizoguchi. He appointed himself with a news person in charge. At 17:30 every evening, he commuted to the office where a set of radio was equipped and took memo our overseas news being broadcasted from the homeland earnestly. Then, after the dinner, soldiers spontaneously gathered around his bed to listen to his news referring to the map of Malay Peninsula placed in front of him.

"I believe that our troops will be sure to enter Singapore by our Empire Day of February 11." Corporal Baba said decisively.
"Yeah, I wish Singapore falls immediately. I'm utterly tired of their damn noisy air raids." Iwai agreed.

Lying on the bed, Mizoguchi imagined the map of the Malay Peninsula in his head to chek where he was then. 'Even when we are relaxing like this here, our troops are advancing to destroy the enemy. Sorry.' he thought so. He tried to join the comrades' comversation frankly and naturally but could not find any suitable words to do so again. He was an introvert. 

In the next morning, after the breakfast, Sergeant Oizumi ordered Mizoguchi
"Mizoguchi. Prepare yourself for patrol!"

Patrol with Squad Commander Oizumi was one of his enjoyments.
Receiving the sunlight, the silk trees on the roadside shone vividly with the extended leaves and the blossoms of lovely flower like a maiden's lips of light purplish red color. Orchids grew thick in the trunk. When the two came to the front of a logistics branch, they witnessed the surrendered Indian soldiers of the British army coming out, in ranks orderly, from their cream color barracks one after another.

They wore an open collar jacket of yellowish-brown with short pants and a pair of shoes. Tilting a little, they also wore a straw hat with wide edge or a fez with a red bunch or a yellow garrison cap. Among them, some soldiers wrapped their bundled long hairs overhead with the turban. Since skin was brown by sunburn, only large eyes looked remarkable. The palm was yellow. Those Indian soldiers who came out by the rank of three rows stopped on the road according to the command of the conductor who wore green trousers. And when they faced the lawn in a logistics square by the command "For the left", they raised the right legs altogether simultaneously and, as if kicking the left leg, they returned the right legs to take the immovable posture. Tung! Shoes sounded delightfully. Then, by the command "Rest", they opened legs and turned hands around the waist to unite them in the back. Furthermore, by the command "Sit" they sat down under the silk trees.

The Nepalese soldiers of a crew cut, leaving only five or six hairs on the head, were short and thick. They resembled a Japanese closely. The soldiers who rolled the turban around the head wore beard and mustache. Most of them had the sturdy physique. The other soldiers had yellowish-brown skin but their frame and eyes were of Caucasians.

When Sergeant Oizumi and Mizoguchi stood side by side, Oizumi said to Mizoguchi gently and frankly
"That man who wears a velvet rimless cap is an Indian captain. He is said to have brought all his squadron with him to surrender." and continued
"He is also said thought why he and his men had to fight against the Japanese for the whites. They are undertaking a business as a soldier but would not be going to make a war fron the beginning. For this great racial war, the British military was doing a big miscalculation to have placed them in the front. I heard that the Indian captain surrendered spontaneously when the British squadron for supervision was dauntless to the end."
Oizumi concluded his talk with a big laughter.

"It was better for the Indian soldiers, wasn't it?"
Mizoguchi said watching and celebrating their peaceful figures.

..... to be continued


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Apr 12, 2010)

Shinpachi, you have outdone yourself sir. Excellent work my friend.


----------



## GrauGeist (Apr 12, 2010)

Fascinating reading, Shinpachi...this is one aspect of the war I haven't seen before...many thanks for your efforts!


----------



## Shinpachi (Apr 12, 2010)

I am translating the classical expression of old Japanese as if I were cooking a stone

I can feel it well that the author was enjoying his rhetorical technique very much.
According to my research, he survived the war and returned to a writer.
Kazuo Takemori - a writer 1910-1979.

Thanks for encouragements, Aaron and GG.
This will be a good experience for me.
Please look forward to the next.


----------



## beben4512 (Apr 13, 2010)

Shinpachi said:


> Translation of "POWs in Malaya" will be coming up soon as I am struggling with it.
> 
> I have known that the modern Japanese language is much westernised making When, Where, Who, What clear.
> Old Japanese, especially literature, was not necessarily clear, so I have to read the lines three times to translate...
> ...



yep, i think the result 'll be so great ! We are waiting for U. Thanks a lot


----------



## Shinpachi (Apr 13, 2010)

Hello, beben4512.

Thanks for sharing your FIRST post with me.
Welcome to the forum!


----------



## Shinpachi (Apr 20, 2010)

Now, the story continues...


******************************************

..... "It was better for the Indian soldiers, wasn't it?"
Mizoguchi said watching and celebrating their peaceful figures.


"That's totally right. By the way, you know, they Indians are very simple and honest because they are glad to be a prisoner. It's interesting" 
Sergeant Oizumi said looking back to them at a glance.

When they surrendered, none of them did not know how they would be treated by the Japanese because the real intention of Japanese troops was not known yet. However, they thought it would be better for them to leave their fate to the Japanese, trusting their Indian captain's decision, than possibly being killed by the British squadron for supervision when they had abadoned the fight. 

They made up their mind by two factors. One was that the whites had deployed the Indians in the front. The other was that the Japanese was tougher than their expectation. They would have noticed a contradiction that Asian fought against another Asian for Anglo-Saxon. No matter how the result would be afterwards, the order of surrender would have been one help for them with no doubt. 

No sooner they surrendered than all fear would have gone away because the Japanese soldiers were so friendly. When they knew the Japanese intention which was told through their captain, the joy of their rebirth could have reached the climax. 

The Japanese intention - Asians should cooperate each other to liberate themselves from the Caucasian's exploitation, also, the Indians and the Japanese should also tie up together to build up the common prosperity in Asia and the Japanese were ready to support the independence of India far from regarding them as an enemy.

The fate of the Indian POWs turned out to be a cooperator for Asian liberation. They were not only survived but made friends with the Japanese. When they heard the chance of independence through their captain, they would have felt the blood of the race which was sleeping in them for a long time woke up and their patriotism overflew in their heart. 

Sergeant Oizumi and Private Mizoguchi entered the gate of a white-yellow long building. There were three soldiers who were preparing breakfast for the white POWs. One of them was moving the cooked rice from a mess-tin to its cap in the kitchen. He found Sergeant Oizumi to salute respectfully and showed smile on his tanned face. 

Looking into the mess-tin, Oizumi said
"Hello." and he continued
"It's a late breakfast for you men?"
"No, sir. This is for the British POWs. They seem getting tired of our menu entirely - especially a combination of a bowl of rice and a pickled plum." taking out some pickled plums in delicious red from a pot beside him to show, he answered.

"Well, I'm afraid of it but you don't have enough time to cook what they want, do you? Ha, Ha, it sounds like a joke for us but not for them."

"As they get hungry, they eat rice at least but our miso soup and pickled plum seem very difficult for them. There are few who have begun to eat but most of them don't. They request us sugar frequently. As I'm sorry for them, I bought some packets of refined sugar by my pocket. They now say 'Sankyu (* Thank you)' frequently but, frankly, I am amazed by their impudence."

"I see.... Now, we'll patrol inside." Sergeant Oizumi went out the kitchen with much curiousity.


..... to be continued.


----------



## beaupower32 (Apr 21, 2010)

Very Intresting, cant wait for more of the story.


----------



## Shinpachi (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks beaupower32 for enjoying my translation.
I'll accelerate my work.


----------



## Gnomey (Apr 21, 2010)

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.


----------



## Shinpachi (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks Gnomey for reading again.

Since Umeboshi(*pickled plum) contains the citric acid like lemon (plus hi-salt in old days) and does not rot for a long period, it was indispensable for the soldiers. It originally came from China to Japan about 1500 years ago and now is regarded as a health food with low-salt.

I don't like Umeboshi as it is so sour but try to eat some times because it reduces hi blood pressure and remove cholesterol.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Apr 21, 2010)

Nice work Shinpachi. Thank you for taking the time to translate my friend, it is much appreciated and enjoyed.


----------



## Shinpachi (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks Aaron for your reading and encouragement.
I'll try best for quicker and more precise translation.
Thanks.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Apr 21, 2010)

Your doing just fine sir.


----------



## vikingBerserker (Apr 21, 2010)

Yea, this is really awesome - fantastic read!


----------



## Shinpachi (Apr 22, 2010)

Thanks Aaron and vB.

Yes, this story is interesting because it shows the difference of ethnicity remarkably.
You will see Oizumi and Mizoguchi are also totally amazed by the British POWs soon.


----------



## Shinpachi (Apr 27, 2010)

Story continues.
Now I understand why I did not know the auithor's name till I read this story.
He was not famous because his sentences were hard to read.


*******************************************

....."I see.... Now, we'll patrol inside." Sergeant Oizumi went out the kitchen with much curiousity.


When they walked along a long wood floor and came near a room where the British POWs were accommodated, another group of Indian POWs who were standing by for labour were seen in the front yard. Some were sitting down on the grass to enjoy chatting and others were practicing their excursion march by themselves spontaneously and happily.

There were also two Japanese soldiers under stand-by to lead them. One of them was surrounded by several Indian soldiers and explaining something to them by his gesture. Grasping both hands tightly, an Indian soldier shouted "Japan, Indian!". Then, the Japanese soldier responded "Let's celebrate victory with wine together when Singapore falls!" Indians around him applauded and one of them expressed his impression exaggeratedly by placing his hand on his chests with big laughter. 

The other Japanese soldier was wrestling 'Sumo(*Japanese wrestling)' with an Indian soldier. No sooner had his hands taken the opponent's waist than the first Indian challenger was thrown off in spite of his first terrible force and physical strength. The second and the third challengers were also defeated one after another. Applause and fine laughter arose at each match.

"It's a so nice scene as I want to take a picture for my family and friends in the homeland." Mizoguchi said admiring it.
"Well, it's good even for a movie. I hear that they are saying they want to be a prisoner for the rest of their lives because they can eat delicious meal everyday here. How could one know such an interesting mysterious event as this goes on here if he was not an Imperial soldier?" Sergeant Oizumi said showing his big curiousity in his eyes.

They stood in front of a room of the British POWs before long.
Interior could be seen well as all windows were opened. Four white men were lying at full length on each bed. Noticed Oizumi and Mizoguchi, they turned their heads and gazed at two with decisive eyes. As their uniform color was similar to that of Indian soldiers, one of them who was lying on the end of the row did not look a white. His skin was sunburned well and it made him look as if a colored race.

However, when a youngest soldier who was lying in the middle of the row woke up to see the two, his white skin and blue eyes gave them a strange impression. Then, something pitiful touched Mizoguchi because it was appearing on such his weak childishness which was showing he was still in his boyhood as his expression and slender figure. Another white man on the other end smiled two to salute. He looked sneering himself. Mizoguchi thought he had found out a British way of gesture that tries to change sadness into the humour.

"How old are you?"
Sergeant Oizumi asked the youngest white man.
"Seventeen, sir." he answered. 
Mizoguchi did not know why but brightness overflowed in the expression of the young white man suddenly. The boy looked as if he were a girl. His blond hairs were beautiful. He jumped down his bed and tear off an empty box of cigarette in a hurry to write something on it. It was spade. He stood in the other side of the window and asked
"Do you have cards? I want cards. I am bored so much."

"What? Do you want cards?" Sergeant Oizumi responded in English and turned to Mizoguchi to ask
"What do you think of his luxurious request?"
Waving his hand, Mizoguchi with wry look answered in English
"No cards."

Expression of despair ran on the faces of all British POWs. The boy lowered his arms but his eyes were still requesting a favour. Then,
"I am hungry. Please give us meal immediately." the British soldier on the end abruptly said with his exaggerated gesture of entreaty.

"Yes, I will tell your request to the cook."
Sergeant Oizumi answered clearly to end the conversation.

..... to be continued.


----------



## Shinpachi (Apr 27, 2010)

For the readers' knowledge, IJA might not have the western 'cards' but they could have been enjoying a Japanese traditional playing cards 'Hanafuda (*Flower cards)'. It's a play of matching pictures.
Image attached.

My parents did not recommend me to play Hanafuda because it was/is regarded as a gamble tool.
I enjoyed it some when I was young, though.


----------



## vikingBerserker (Apr 27, 2010)

Very cool! Is Hanafuda like Mah Jong?


----------



## Shinpachi (Apr 27, 2010)

Yes.....Hanafuda may be like Mah Jong as both bet money.
Thanks for your interest, vB


----------



## Shinpachi (Apr 27, 2010)

Hanafuda rules.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Apr 27, 2010)

Again Shinpachi, very very interesting. Thank you again for your hard work and time.


----------



## Shinpachi (Apr 27, 2010)

You are welcome and thank you very much for reading, Aaron!
I am anyway trying to translate as precise as possible.
Please look forward to the next.
Thanks.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Apr 27, 2010)

You are doing a fantastic job sir!


----------



## Shinpachi (May 9, 2010)

Thanks for encouragement again, Aaron.

In the story, they chase and capture four British soldiers who are under starvation in the jungle several days later.

In order to reach there, however, I have to translate dozens of sentences to explain the situation but
I want to tell you, readers, following facts in advance because they may be still alive - 

Their names are Philip, Tom, Henry and Darshi(?)
Tom is shot on his foot and wounded.
Darshi is the youngest at age 20.
Story period: February, 1942

I find no reason that aboves ought to be author's fiction at the moment.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (May 9, 2010)

Looking forward to the translation and patiently waiting.


----------



## Shinpachi (Jun 3, 2010)

Thanks Aaron for your good patience!

To complete a quarter of the whole story, please let me add the following translation in a hurry.

***************************************

....."Yes, I will tell your request to the cook."
Sergeant Oizumi answered clearly to end the conversation.


The two turned on their heel and went out in front of the gate again. They hurried for the next patrol point.
"That boy's attitude is not good. How could he want to play cards when he is a prisoner? I am amazed.
I have heard they are relieved to be a POW and prefer it to joining the war."　walking on the road, Sergeant Oizumi said so.

"They are much different from us the Japanese."
"If they were a Japanese....." scooping Mizoguchi's words, Sergeant Oizumi continued
"They would sit straight and place himself in deep meditation. They would never intend to live in shame as a war prisoner of another country. It would be totally impossible for them to think about playing cards. Also, none of them would entreat meal no matter how they are hungry. But, what is their attitude in fact when there should be something more solemn for them? Are they kidding us? It's totally impossible for us to understand."

"It certaily is, sir. If they were a Japanese, they would refuse to be a prisoner. They would do self-decision before becoming a POW or, even if they should become a prisoner, they would not take such an easy attitude as the earlier. There has to be something fearless. Hara-kiri would come before disgrace, anyway."
"It utterly is."
Sergeant Oizumi said decisively.

However, Mizoguchi was unable to wipe off the image of the 17 year-old British POW. The boy seemed as if he was symbolizing agony of the British army. It would have been an unbelievable reality for him to be a war prisoner at his age and, probably, for his first war trusting his nation. In spite of being an enemy soldier, however, the boy did not show any resistance as an enemy, so, Mizoguchi found a human fate on him honestly.
"Nothing is his fault..." Mizoguchi murmured in his mind.
"...but I can find a very symbol of Britain itself in his attitude. There is often such a case that a person represents his race by himself. He is still Britain itself. He is no one but our enemy." He added further explanations for himself, but the more he added them, the more he was sorry for the boy.

Before they walked three blocks away, a truck passed by them. It stopped in front of the POW camp. Two more trucks followed. Mizoguchi glanced at them to check they were new Indian POWs.

..... to be continued.

Thanks.


----------



## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Jun 3, 2010)

It is interesting to see that the IJA soldiers were trying to understand how the British POWs could be so relaxed. With the way that they had been brought up through their military it made absolutely no sense. Very interesting Shinpachi. It was well worth the wait. Thank you for your time and effort sir.


----------



## vikingBerserker (Jun 3, 2010)

I agree, it's really cool to get an insight and views of the Japanese soldiers.


----------



## Shinpachi (Jun 3, 2010)

You are welcome and many many thanks for reading my post again, Aaron.

Yes, this is an interesting story for me too because -

In early 1942, no Japanese imagined that they would lose the war, so they could watch the allied POWs as they were to comment frankly. But -

In early 1945, during losing the war even on the homeland, a senior Japanese lady had happened to say "Oh, I am sorry (for a young US B-29 crew who she witnessed was just captured to be transported to a POW camp escorted by a couple of the Japanese military police by train)" in the train she also aboarded. She was immediately arrested there and blamed for her innocent word on the newspapers nationwide next morning. The nation was losing its generousity.


----------



## Shinpachi (Jun 3, 2010)

Thanks vB too!


----------



## evangilder (Jun 4, 2010)

It's an interesting insight into the mind of the Japanese soldiers. Thanks for posting this, Shinpachi-san.


----------



## Shinpachi (Jun 4, 2010)

You are welcome and thanks for reading, evangilder!


----------

