Prepared by the historical section of the committee of imperial defence. Living here in tokyo, i feel what a powerful presence the war is but its such a strong taboo topic that its hard to understand how japanese people think. World war ii is actually one of only 3 prohibited subjects at the english school where i teach the other two are sex and drugs. Dick meadows was scouring the beach on the island of saipan the morning of june 16, 1944. In just four days, some 200,000 people were slaughtered. Letters and diaries of japanese soldiers, 19401946 the following letters and diaries of twenty japanese soldiers are selected from listen to the voices from the sea, translated by midori yamanouchi and joseph l. Take the nihongopro quiz challenge every day, from your pc, mac, smartphone, ipad, ipod, or tablet, and learn japanese online for free. Among the several books about the japanese american internment published in the past year e.
Im open to anything, but im especially hoping for japanese authors and stories of immediate postwar japan. Japan is trying to rewrite its horrific world war ii history. Five mustread books from japanese literature bbc future. It fails to recognise that the japanese were acting at a time of supreme national crisis and it fails to take account of their own historical tradition. Nov 02, 2016 not a novel, but letters from iwo jima is a film directed by clint eastwood, telling the story of the american invasion from japanese soldiers point of view. Propaganda in japan during the second sinojapanese war. This book gives wonderful insight into what the ijn soldiers who fought in burma thought about themselves,their fears, hardships, deprivations, struggles. The japanese officers in that area had killed themselves with hand grenades. Official history naval military russo japanese war abebooks. Wwii from the japanese perspective book talk librarything.
Stories for peace sako ikegami on war in japanese children. Nosaka is also the author of the short story grave of the fireflies. The japanese, the canadians were told, are badly trained, badly equipped, and physiologically unfit to fight. Focusing on one of the most controversial episodes in japanese history, iris changs book on the events of december 1937 when the imperial army seized control of the ancient capital is not an easy read. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. I included disclaimers along the lines of some modern academics may have problems with these books. Officers who had served in the japanese army even printed their diaries, which sold extremely well in the japanese market, particularly after the russojapanese war in 1905.
Are there any ww2 books in the perspective of a japanese. In the words of former japanese naval officers 2nd revised edition by david c. An engrossing police procedural written in crisp, atmospheric prose, six four gives a fascinating glimpse into both japan itself and its own brand of crime fiction. The book contains contributions from scholars in a wide range of disciplines, including history. Japanese historyworld war ii wikibooks, open books for an. Books in japan, wahon or, wasouhon have a long history, which begins in the late 8th century ad 768ad770ad. Hiro hiroo onoda, onoda hiro, 19 march 1922 16 january 2014 was an imperial japanese army intelligence officer who fought in world war ii and was a japanese. This week i read an artist of the floating world by kazuo ishiguro and realized that although ive read a lot of books about atrocities committed by japanese soldiers, id never read anything about the wars affects on japanese civilians. Sep 17, 2016 the kunenbo orange trees, written by yamagusuku seichi in 1911, prefigures medorumas concerns, this time exposing the behavior of japanese soldiers billeted in okinawa during the 189495. In a mere six weeks in the chinese city of nanjing, the japanese army killed roughly 200,000 in a frenzy of rape and pillage that has since become known as. Colonel hiromichi yaharas service included stints as an exchange officer in the usa and as an intelligence operative, and he served on genera. From the early samurai code of morals to the 20thcentury battles in the pacific theater, this island nation has a long history of duty, honor, and valor in warfare. Heres a free advanced japanese quiz from the expert teachers at nihongopro.
Jul 27, 2015 ahead of the 70th anniversary of the end of world war ii, heres a look at the words, phrases and concepts that found wide usage in the fateful years leading up to 1945. List of books and articles about japan, world war ii period. The recommended books are all available in english many translated. Bbc ww2 peoples war the british view of the japanese.
A world war ii story of survival, resilience and redemption by laura hillenbrand, hiroshima by john hersey, band. The kunenbo orange trees, written by yamagusuku seichi in 1911, prefigures medorumas concerns, this time exposing the behavior of japanese soldiers billeted in. In a mere six weeks in the chinese city of nanjing, the japanese army killed roughly 200,000 in a frenzy of rape and pillage that has since become known as the rape of nanjing. Read the fulltext online edition of the philippines in world war ii, 19411945. A counterattack on tadhimboko bay had destroyed a pretty large part of japanese heavy firearms before arriving at the front. Aug 29, 2018 heres an english language story by a fairly senior military japanese survivor of the battle of okinawa. I found a copy in the salvation army a couple of years ago and found it very informative. I really enjoyed a boy called h by kappa senoh which is an autobiographical novel of a precocious boys very interesting experiences during wwii. Ginn hardcover november 1992 asin0899507395 out of print try used books.
Book details, the philippines in world war ii, 19411945. Some images will be upsetting, but this is all being presented as a historical examination of war and american attitudes towards the japanese during world war ii. By iain maloney apr 8, 2020 3 min read many of us foreigners living or traveling in japan are only slightly familiar with the countrys troubled and complicated history. Aug 19, 2015 japans decision to launch a war against the united states is masterfully recounted in eri hottas japan. These are firsthand accounts by japanese soldiers in ww2 burma. War japanese soldiers finally tell their story hell in the pacific from vivisection to cannibalism richard james havis published 4. Looking for wwii memoirs from germanjapanese soldiers. Many japanese childrens creators today experienced war firsthand as. Marines had spent the night before battling hundreds of japanese soldiers. This compelling reference focuses on the events, individuals, organizations, and ideas that shaped japanese warfare from early times to the present day.
Feb 4, 2016 explore bogusboggss board books on ww2. May 27, 2018 akiyuki nosakas senso dowa published in english as the whale that fell in love with a submarine, translated by ginny tapley takemori, pushkin childrens books, 2015 is a heartbreaking anthology of war fairy tales about characters caught up in its ravages. Home japan best books ten good books about japan at war all these books are currently available on in the u. Tamon jiros field diary, published in 1912 as my participation in the russojapanese war yo no sanka shitaru nichiro seneki, along with sakurai tadatoshis iconic. Many of its elements were continuous with prewar elements of showa statism, including the principles of kokutai, hakko ichiu, and bushido. New forms of propaganda were developed to persuade occupied countries of the benefits of the greater. Taken captive by shoohei ooka a memoir by a japanese soldier, first of his experience in combat, then his capture and life in a u. Japanese destroyer captain forget the author the career of a celebrated japanese destroyer captain. A short history of japanese war crimes by lord russell of. Get the best deals on original ww ii japanese books when you shop the largest online selection at.
Heres an english language story by a fairly senior military japanese survivor of the battle of okinawa. Mar 17, 2002 war japanese soldiers finally tell their story hell in the pacific from vivisection to cannibalism richard james havis published 4. Apr 08, 2020 from the wages of guilt to the rape of nanking, here are nine books to get your japanese history on. Its by a 94 year old guy who served on a ship in the imperial navy during the war. Japanese historyworld war ii wikibooks, open books for. A crash course in wartime japanese terminology for foreign. Emergency expressions 2 asking help 2 warnings 6 commands 8 2. Propaganda in imperial japan, in the period just before and during world war ii, was designed to assist the ruling government of japan during that time. Ive read a few accounts of the second world war from the americanbritish perspective but id really like one from the other side as well immensely curious to read one from a japanese soldier.
An account of the trial and sentencing of japanese war criminals in 1948, by a u. Aug 19, 2015 the rape of nanking by iris chang basic books, 1997 is the story of the massacre that followed japans 1937 capture of that city. Memories of a japanese girl is a true story about a girl growing up outside tokyo around wartime. Official history naval and military of the russojapanese war. Literature reflects this, and japan, so profoundly transformed by its role in global war, is certainly no exception. Youve asked a question about a favorite genre of mine. Tm 30611 japanese phrase book 1944 internet archive. Japan world war ii patriotic song book english and japanese nationalism. During the second world war the japanese were stereotyped in the european and american imagination as fanatical, cruel and almost inhuman. In an effort to discourage japanese militarism, western powers including australia, the united states, britain, and the dutch government in exile, which controlled the petroleumrich netherlands east indies, stopped selling iron ore, steel and oil to japan, denying it the raw materials needed to continue its aggressive activities in china and french indochina.
A world war ii story of survival, resilience, and redemption by laura hillenbrand, with the old breed. Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet by jamie ford, farewell to manzanar. Ahead of the 70th anniversary of the end of world war ii, heres a look at the words, phrases and concepts that found wide usage in the fateful years leading up to 1945. The pacific war, 19411945, francis pike challenges the standard interpretations of the causes of the war. Historians estimate that this invasion might have cost a million us military casualties, and twenty times, or more than that, in japanese lives.
These are both books i bought blindly years ago and have fond memories of. The capital is tokyo, which, along with neighboring yokohama, forms the worlds most populous metropolitan region. The essays in japanese prisoners of war, by both western. They are bucktoothed, slanteyed, nearsighted, scrawny little people. See more ideas about books, history books and world war ii. Home browse books book details, the philippines in world war ii, 19411945.
After all, the japanese army were forced to depend on the bayonet charge against their will. Perez examines the people and ideas that led japan into or out of war, analyzes the outcomes of battles, and presents theoretical alternatives to the strategic choices made during the conflicts. Japans decision to launch a war against the united states is masterfully recounted in eri hottas japan. Are there any ww2 books in the perspective of a japanese soldier. Japan is trying to rewrite its horrific world war ii. It seems strange that english would unlock the mystery of the japanese sentiment, yet this enigma is precisely so japanese. The story may be set in japan for the most part, anyway but the author, david mitchell, is british merseyside and lives in europe. Some of the material is controversial and some is blatantly racist. Yokoyama is a hugely popular author in japan, selling millions of books in mere days, and yet six four is. However overextended supply lines, and a fight back by the allies, create a maelstrom of disaster and the latter half of the book is a shocking story of starvation and desperate defeat. Tm 30611 japanese phrase book 19440228 table of contents 1.
Our thriller of the month for october is the japanese crime fiction sensation, six four by hideo yokoyama. Here are a few of my suggestions starting with my favorite book. Oct 08, 20 these are both books i bought blindly years ago and have fond memories of. Land japan proper has four main islands, which are from north to south hokkaido. Reconsidering wwii, from the japanese perspective wnyc. Yokoyama is a hugely popular author in japan, selling millions of books in mere days, and yet six four is the first of his. Looking for wwii memoirs from germanjapanese soldiers reddit. The rising sun by john toland, while not written by a japanese author, does a fairly good job of telling the japanese perspective of the causes and execution of the war. The first books published in this fashion were romanized japanese translations of western works that the missionaries knew well. Im looking for a list of books published in english about world war two, written from the japanese perspective. There isnt much written about ww2 by japanese ground pounders thats been translated into english. Propaganda in japan during the second sinojapanese war and.
List of books and articles about japan, world war ii. Not everyone of course but not the upper class romantization. A chronology and select annotated bibliography of books and articles in english 1999. Japanese war crimes by peter li editor paperback sugamo prison, tokyo. In 1945, the atomic bomb is damaged, forcing president truman to order the enormous and bloody, terrible, invasion of the japanese home islands in the plan known as operation olympic coronet.
And throughout the war, the japanese did things like this. What are some good japanese ww2 booksnovels, preferably. New quizzes are available every day at several skill levels. Fires on the plain about the japanese occupation in the philippines and the degradation of men as war endures shusaku endo. What are some good japanese ww2 booksnovels, preferably from. The majority of books were handcopied until the edo period 16031867, when woodblock printing became comparatively affordable and widespread. At first, everything goes swimmingly and the troops are racing up towards rangoon. Movabletype printing had been used from the late 16th century, but for various aesthetic and practical reasons.
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