A soldier Yokoi Shoichi - After reading

You may remember a Japanese soldier Shoichi Yokoi? He was called up for army activities again in 1941 and combatted at Guam against the U.S. forces.

When Japan accepted the Potsdam Declaration in Aug and the war ended, it was announced by radio, newspaper, flyer etc. to all Japanese who stayed/combatted in Japan and territories of America and/or American’s ally. A soldier Shoichi Yokoi and his two brothers-in-arms saw the flyer, but they did not believe that Japan defeated the War and guessed that the flyer saying Japan’s defect was plot created by U.S. forces.

The Japanese were controlled/taught to believe that their country was very strong. Most  Japanese bore starvation, deprivation and a lot of Japanese gave their lives, believing in beating U.S. forces.  Japanese soldiers were taught that it was considered a disgrace to come back alive from the front. It was no wonder that some Japanese could not recognize Japan’s defeat and did not go back to home.

After Japan’s defeat, the brothers lived in the jungles of Guam for two decades. His two brothers-in-arms died by huge typhoon, but a soldier Yokoi stayed more 8 years in jungle of Guam until local people found him.

When he returned to Japan, he said that he stooped to coming back alive from the front, but he believed his return might be of any help. His life in/after war is unbelievable for people nowadays, but we must know how terrible the war is and must do all efforts not to cause any war forever.

After reading Murders in the Rue Morgue: a true story from Japan

 What is the most unusual story you have ever heard involving an animal?

This was an actual story which was happened in the World War Ⅱ.

There were three elephants in the Ueno Zoo, Tokyo, but because of the war, there was no food for the animals. Breeders in the zoo thought elephants were dangerous for people when they couldn’t control them. So they decided to kill the elephants. However, the elephants' skin was so hard that they couldn’t inject the poison. So they thought they should starve to death the elephants.

Elephant (Photo credit: Averain)

A few days later, elephants were very hungry. One of the elephants began to perform tricks to get  food. Then the others began to perform, too...The end of story was that elephants starved to death. But they were performing till they couldn’t move.

I like elephants because of their eyes. They look very kind. But I know they attack people or other animals when they protect their-self or their family.

When I was a child, I read this book. I was very shocked and I couldn’t stop crying. First, I thought why animals were killed for people. But if I was in the time, I thought the same thing as the breeder. I think these elephants were so clever and I would like to see them.

Posted for Yuri

Warsaw - postcard from Teruki

Hello everyone,

I'm in Poland. At first, I visited Waszawa. The city was destroyed by German army during the 2nd World War. However the people rebuild complietlly. Now we can see the city as it used to be. That's amazing! I'm going to Auschwitz tomorrow. I am able to know and think about saddness & fear by the war in this country.

Forgive me the miss-spelling.

Teruki