Nigel Cawthorne
Page 18
At around 2pm, the convoy rounded the peninsula into the bay. The captain of Kubota’s ship came from Takahama, which was near to Matsuyama and Mitsugahama, so felt an affinity with the regiment. He was not going to let them go ashore without ceremony:
The captain is such a kindly man. He offered us saké for the New Year. He also gave us makizushi [rolled sushi] and zoni [soup traditionally drunk at the New Year].
It seems there had been plenty of boozing going on aboard ship.
Saké and beer were served [on] alternating days to the officers, but none was given to those below the rank of warrant officer. I felt terribly sorry for the men, but at any rate they got saké for their New Year’s celebration. But my conscience troubled me when we got beer and saké and the men got nothing.
There were other privileges.
All officers have the privilege of taking hot baths every day, but not non-commissioned officers and soldiers. I felt terrible about it whenever I took my bath, yet I was thankful that I was of officer’s rank. I will look for an opportunity to give the soldiers the right to take a hot bath whenever I can.
Then, at the end of his entry for 1 January 1942, Kubota recorded dispassionately:
At two o’clock in the afternoon, we landed without incident in Lingayen Gulf.
THE ENEMY IN RETREAT
Kubota had a gentle introduction into the war zone, though the initial landing party had plainly had a hard time getting ashore.
2 January: I welcomed the second day of the New Year under palm trees. Strangely enough, my dream was not of home, nor of my wife and child. It was about ‘K’ who is an easy-going, self-willed person.
The soldiers of our company were already having a difficult time with fever. Today’s report is that the enemy is retreating towards the south of Manila. There is no order for an advance …
He also got an opportunity to compare the attitude of soft, life-loving American soldiers to that of his own men who were fired with Bushido.
We got hold of an American soldier’s letter. It was from the US barracks in San Fabian to a friend. It said: ‘There is a report that the relationship between America and Japan is dangerous. If there is a war, don’t worry. There is no chance of losing, nor any danger to my life.’ This soldier’s letter most likely represents American thought. I wonder what they are thinking now. Our soldier’s letter would be like this: ‘The relationship with the USA is dangerous. Be at ease. We will never lose to a nation like America. Needless to say, we have made up our minds to die. We cannot meet you again in this life, unless you go and pay your respects at the Yasukuni Shrine and pray for the nation’s safety.’
Sub-Lieutenant Kubota had 40 men under his command who seemed to enjoy sleeping under the palms on the beach at Lingayen.
3 January: … The fruits from the trees hung like bells at the edge of the frame of an umbrella. Men were climbing up the trees with the joyous feeling of the native … The sweet-juiced palm fruits and their peaceful shadows sway in the air, to protect and give joy to the tired traveller. Water buffaloes are strolling between the misty hills … Summer is always here in the Philippines. The waves are beating and rubbing the beach and they visit with a white smile the gentle palms lining the white shore. They dance with the palms when the wind comes along the inlets of this strange land.
Even so, it was cold enough in the evenings and mornings to burn wood fires. But this reverie could not continue long.
4 January: Trucks from the main troop station arrived. Now the sky is protected by friendly aeroplanes. The truck drivers had a hard time because the bridge near San Ferdinando has been destroyed. They had to drive over the railway bridge which was still intact. They took away seven injured men and two non-commissioned medical officers. I felt sad at their departing and thought of the old saying, ‘Just touching the kimono sleeve brings affinity.’ The day after tomorrow the trucks will come back and pick up whoever is left and take them to Tarlac.
Kubota revealed the full extent of the Japanese losses in the initial assault.
Now we are sitting on the beach of Lingayen Gulf where our landing party was annihilated, save three out of the whole battalion. How great was our loss! …
But he was not downhearted. He shared the belief that the Japanese Army was freeing the Far East from Western hegemony. This view was reinforced by a pamphlet called Read This Alone – And the War Can Be Won, prepared by Imperial Army headquarters. It was designed to be read in the cramped conditions of the troop ships, and 40,000 copies were printed and distributed immediately after embarkation. As well as practical advice on hygiene, the terrain they would be fighting in, fruits that could be eaten, snake bites, weapons, signals, tactics and the like, the pamphlet explained why they were fighting:
Three hundred and fifty million Indians are ruled by 500,000 British, 60,000,000 Southeast Asians by 200,000 Dutch, 23,000,000 Indochinese by 20,000 Frenchmen, 6,000,000 Malayans by a few tens of thousands of British, and 13,000,000 Filipinos by a few tens of thousands of Americans. In short, 450,000,000 natives of the Far East live under the domination of less than 800,000 whites. If we exclude India, 10,000,000 are oppressed by less than 300,000. Once you set foot on the enemy’s territories you will see for yourselves, only too clearly, just what this oppression by the white man means. Imposing, splendid buildings look down from the summits of mountains or hills onto the tiny thatched huts of the natives. Money squeezed from the blood of Asians maintains these small white minorities in their luxurious mode of life – or disappears to their respective home-countries.
The white people may expect, from the moment they issue from their mothers’ wombs, to be allotted a score or so of natives as their personal slaves. Is this really God’s will?
The reason why so many peoples of the Far East have been so completely crushed by so few white men is, fundamentally, that they have exhausted their strength in private quarrels, and that they are lacking in any awareness of themselves as a group, as peoples of Asia.
Japan, which had never been invaded, was going to put that right, the pamphlet said. But this ignored the atrocities the Japanese Imperial Army had already committed against Asian people, notably at the Rape of Nanking. Kubota would have known about this. He was a regular soldier and had served for two years in Manchuria. The pamphlet went on to complain that Britain and America were denying oil and other raw materials to Japan, though the very reason for this embargo was to get Japan out of China and stop the murder of Asian civilians there. Nevertheless, at this point in the war, Kubota felt a kinship with the Filipinos.
5 January: I sent Corporal Ishiki to the mountains for chickens. Four natives came along with twelve chickens, all for one yen, 50 sen [about 50 cents US]. All of the natives looked like one of us. I am convinced that they are the same race as ours and I wondered if they were thinking the same as I. I have always thought that dojin [natives] were a tribe that went about naked and wild. Now I know better. We should call them ‘local people’ from now on. They have the manners of Americans. They looked as if they were starving, perhaps because of wartime shortages. I gave them rice to take to their homes.
On 6 January, he received news that Japanese aeroplanes had destroyed 50 enemy vessels that were trying to escape from Manila Bay after the Japanese had sent a note demanding their surrender. Bases had been set on fire by ‘bolting natives’ – Philippine forces. ‘There is a great difficulty in keeping the happiness of the natives,’ he noted. He also heard that Manila had fallen on 4 January, though it was not occupied until 31 January:
Oh, at last our enemy’s capital, Manila, has fallen! Now we will draw out our swords and shout ‘Justice!’ to the world. It is the war for the Great East Asia! Fight, men, fight! Go and find a place for death. The dream of life ends with death – that is the life! The graves of our bodies are the trenches, the fields of skirmishes and the line of cross-fire!
The next day, news came that a military review had been held at Sasaki to celebrate the declaration of war o
n England and America one month before. But he also discovered that Manila had not fallen after all.
8 January: … This morning’s news report is that the Manila defence commander will meet our representative and talk over terms. What does the commander of a losing army ask of our victorious army? Now the flag of the Rising Sun is flying on the land, in the air and on sea! Those nations of democracy – the lands of selfish principle – will fall when the flag of the Rising Sun marches on!
Two days later, Kubota tried to make contact with the main force and collect supplies, but it was a hot day and he was happy to get back to the beach.
10 January: … I was glad to get back to the place where my men were waiting. After all this is our first home in a foreign land. This spot in Lingayen Gulf grows in our affection. The nights in the southern lands are always beautiful. Above our heads the families of stars are talking about the mysteries of the universe. And I recall those fairy tales about the stars which I read as a child … Fireflies fly between the stars weaving the sky with their light.
That night, he received a message from the supply depot, saying: ‘A hurricane struck at Tarlac and destroyed great quantities of war supplies.’ He noted: ‘The expected supply trucks have not yet arrived. Just waiting is a strain.’ Again he attempted to take matters into his own hands.
12 January: I got in contact with San Fabian to find out about the supply trucks … All of the trucks had left for the front and there was not one left to send to us. I felt disappointed. There is no way of communicating with headquarters. By now the soldiers of the third and fourth squad must be wondering where their platoon commander is and patiently awaiting my return. The wind has been blowing strongly since this morning and the white waves are rising on the sea. It must be hard going for the front-line troops. I wish we could join them.
Later native children came to see us again. All of them speak English so well and my men talked to them with their hands. I asked one, ‘What is your name? Where do you live?’ … I watched those poor natives walking back towards the mountain, the leader with a white flag on his shoulder. I realized that a native should not lose in any wars and that the Japanese at home were very fortunate.
By the middle of January things were going very badly for the Americans.
13 January: Our force pushed an enemy force of 4,500 men, 40 tanks and some fighting planes onto the Bataan Peninsula. Now there is fierce fighting going on. The enemy is facing our forces to the front and at the back of them is the sea. It is life or death. Justice makes the right destroy the wrong. If they have the spirit that there is so much talk about, those Americans must fight until the last bullet, then use their swords to take their own lives. What can one think of the high-sounding talk of President Roosevelt. He is not as big as his talk. Come natives, fall into our hands. I received news that our battalion was fighting at the front at Bataan. But we have no way of getting any automobile, so we must stay here and tell our regrets to Lingayen Gulf and rub our own arms as we anxiously wait.
A VERY PLEASANT TIME
Kubota was still having trouble obtaining supplies, but another lieutenant who was about to ship out for Java came by and ‘we talked and had a very pleasant time’. He revelled in the progress the Japanese forces were making.
15 January: … Our fighting forces are extending to the south. I can see the glorious figures of the Japanese advancing, while we are here among the palm trees, bathing in the soft breeze with nothing to do. What are we doing here when our comrades are fighting at the front?
It then dawned on him that the men at the front had completed their training, while his men had not – ‘now I understand how important the drill is’. Meanwhile the tropical idyll continued.
16 January: … The fruits of the palm trees are growing always. It shows how wonderful it is to live in a country that has summer all year round. This evening we all gathered together and talked about home. We exchanged stories of our children and our wives.
There was drill again the next day. Still no supplies turned up, though they managed to obtain six chickens and five aubergines. And with all this time on their hands there was a danger of discipline breaking down.
17 January: …The military police came to report on the soldiers’ conduct around Mabilao. Their conduct was not so good. Three cases of rape had been reported. I have been watching my men carefully as we are all just a bunch of youths. I have warned them about their conduct … Later in the day, we had a swimming contest. It is hard to imagine swimming in water surrounded by palm trees on 17 January.
Two days later the supply trucks brought bad news.
19 January: … A Battalion tried to advance towards Fenerosa and lost some vehicles and some comrades. The Fukuyama detachment which took part in the frontal attack lost the battalion commander, two or three company commanders and the regimental commander was wounded. The transport group lost six men when shells from the enemy fort struck their automobile. The enemy is now at the edge of the peninsula and there is no way of escape for them. They are conscious now, of course, that this will be a hard fight. Bataan and Singapore are in the same position of importance. They are the life-line of America and England. There will be casualties among our forces taking over the important point of Bataan. It is a task for the Japanese Empire and her one billion people and it is for the honour of the army. There is a grave waiting for you where you jump over a dead comrade. The value of one’s life is established by how one ends his life. There will be no question of social position or how much property one possesses. Death on the battle front is the most respectable possession one could hope to attain. The dead warrior becomes the son of the Mikado and becomes a god.
Kubota’s men spent another fine day buying pigs and chickens, though he heard of heavy losses at the front. Still they received no communication from the main troop and Kubota grew increasingly frustrated.
21 January: … Twenty-one days have passed since we landed. And I’ve heard only the sound of waves beating against the shore and occasionally the sound of shooting far away … A transport arrived today. It may be in preparation for the next operation. Over three hundred enemy struck at San Fabian today, but here there is nothing to report.
22 January: Natives came with chickens and eggs and asked us to exchange them for matches and soap. We wanted the chickens and eggs, but also needed the matches and soap. I offered them money but they refused. Now I realize they are living by primitive method of barter. I offered them food and they ate it with both hands. It is quite an unsanitary habit, but America has not educated them yet. What America wants from them is her own happiness. The countries like the USA, whose principle is individual freedom, will die because the coming force is the desire for one’s national independence. There is great glory before us as we march for the independence of our country without the ambition of conquering colonies.
Kubota was an idealist, on paper at least, as Japan had already acquired a number of colonies – notably Manchuria, where he had served. Then, at last, news came from the front.
23 January: The last ring of Bataan’s defence has begun to crack, according to last night’s report. I am wondering about our Shiga Battalion at the front. Yet I should not be caught up in such personal feelings. Small personal feelings detract from the main objective. I am a regular soldier, not a reserve like the others. My service is not temporary. I am in this war and must do my best, yet I realize that I am a man and others under my command are men and we are all human. Fight! Fight! Well, anyway one must be careful about drinking. One who drinks for relaxation and to ease the day’s duty is excusable. But one must be careful about the drink which annoys others. Anyway I have stopped drinking since I was at Kagi [Formosa]. I stopped for my own good as well as for my country. I wish I could study more of ethics and fulfil a more cultural life. There is no time when one thinks about things seriously as when one is facing death or life. One must think first of culture and truth, then advance and fight … Again came a communication fro
m the main troop. We are worrying about our battalion and the fighting at Bataan … The sky is resting on a golden sea as the evening sun sinks in the distance. The sky is the colour of dark brass. The quiet palms stand above us to console our worry of tomorrow …
25 January: I gave the platoon orders and sent Corporal Kawano to San Fabian for supplies. Twenty-five days have passed since we landed. Here it is quiet and peaceful in spite of being in the land of our enemy. There are water buffaloes strolling and the snowy herons mingle with them on the ricefields. Natives are coming back to their homes gradually. Their faces are darker than ours, yet there is a likeness. I got my letter off for home. It will reach there about the middle of February. One can hardly believe that the people at home are facing the winter. Here one must be careful of sun-stroke. Here, I learned that there were as many deaths by sickness as death in battle. If I can help it, I do not wish to die through sickness … I would like to go to Manila as soon as possible. Bataan is still holding out. I wonder what the result is of the general attack.
KUBOTA DID GET ILL.
26 January: I have a temperature. I could not sleep all night long. Corporal Kawano and Private Tachibana took care of me. A medical lieutenant from the Omachi Brigade came to look at me and administered an injection …
28 January: I still have a high temperature, but I feel much better. The medical lieutenant came to see me again. There are five more men as sick as I am … Number 2 Squad are so busy taking care of sick men that they are no longer a fighting unit. It is regrettable that one man taking up everyone’s attention should nullify the unit. Since I am commander of this platoon, I must decide which is more important – let one man die or make the unit unfit. In war, one must go on advancing and leave one man to die … More sickness reported, Corporal Iishi and eight others. There is a need to train up non-commissioned officers. Their actions are worst of all. Some had been to school, but they lack knowledge and the ability to command … Anyhow, they lack spiritual strength and the culture that a leader of men needs.