RE: Japanese POWs in the Philippiines WWII

[melartemis]

I saw somebody asking about Japanese POW's and a reference to his grandfather. I can't find the direct thread now but maybe he will see it. My grandfather was a Chaplain with the 200th Coast Artillery Unit and died as a Japanese POW after surviving the Bataan March.

Below is a link with information about a film project I am working on based on previously unpublished letters and journal entries.

Be Home Soon: Letters from My Grandfather by Melissa Howden Kickstarter

Information

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[mike webb]

A worthy project. Too often those who fought and suffered in the name of freedom and human decency are forgotten today. Your reference to those unfortunate U.S. servicemen who were captured at the fall of the Phillipines is understandable but incorrect, I think. The western democracies made a decision that the Germans were to be dealt with first in WW2 for many reasons, some probably racist. Had the Allies devoted more of their strength to defeating Japan at the outset the process still would have taken years, unfortunately too long to help many who died at the hands of their Japanese tormenters. Hundreds of Canadian soldiers captured at Hong Kong suffered through 4 years of brutality and starvation in Pow camps, mines and shipyards. Don't blame the U.S. government, place it where it belongs, on the Japanese, who have never acknowledged their evil other than through a few watered down expressions of "REGRET".

[Sergeant Possum]

I just finished reading two books on the plight of allied prisoners in Japan. The first one was Unbroken, which is still on the NY Times bestseller list. In some places, that book will bring you to tears.
The second book was First Into Nagasaki, which is an account of the bombing and contains many, many pages of interviews with allied POWs who were held in the Nagasaki area, many of whom witnessed the explosion of the atomic bomb.
After reading the two books, I felt fortunate that I didn't own a Japanese car. I would have burned it.

[Peter Laidler]

When I was in Australia (and NZ) during the 60's, the mere idea of owning a Japanese car, wristwatch or camera would have been akin to treachery......... Most of the people who worked in our camps, such as the boiler men, groundsmen, watchmen and......., you know the people I mean....., were all FEPOW's. Far East Prisoners of War. Just to sit in the boiler room and chat to one or two of these men would make your hair curl. Never had a Japanese car since.

But unbelieveably, to a man, they said that apart from the bit of initial punching, kicking and slapping treatment after they were captured in Malaya, after they were first imprisoned, they were pretty well left to their own devices and put to work cleaning up etc etc. It was only when they were put to work for the Japanese that the true brutality started................