The Allies POWs - Testimonies by IJA Soldiers

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

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.

You are doing a fantastic job sir!

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.

Looking forward to the translation and patiently waiting.

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.

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.

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

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.

Thanks vB too!

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

You are welcome and thanks for reading, evangilder!