The Posthumous Writnigs of My Father-in-Law----Recollection from the End of World War II to 1953

This is a report on my father-in-laws life just before the end of World War II and then during his detained life in Anshan in the north- eastern part of China which was called Manchuria at that time. The report was written in April, 1980.

I have few memories of my life during the wartime.
My deceased mother told me that she was running around furiously struggling to escape the firebombing blaze carrying me tied up on her back. But it sounded to me as if it were an affair of someone else.

I believe, however, that if the war-experienced people continue to tell next generations about what they have seen throughout their lives, not the forced history but the true one of ordinary people will be certainly handed down to the following generations.
I am afraid the number of those who can do it now is getting less and less every day.

The author of this report, my husbands father, worked as an engineer at an iron steel company, Showa Iron Steel Corporation, in Anshan of the north- eastern part of China during World War II.
The father-in-law, who died in 1983, had written this report and left me a copy before his death.

I would like to post his records little by little, dividing into some parts the histories of a certain man who passed his turbulent days in the country where the Japanese people used to have the Chinese as employees. Meanwhile, the county is geographically close but psychologically remote to the Japanese today.

THE POSTHUMOUS WRITINGS OF MY FATHER -IN-LAW
----recollection from the end of World War II to 1953---
<Part 1>

In the deteriorated war situations in the ending phase of the war, I prepared myself for the last stage of my life, writing down my will and including some of my hair in its envelope. When Soviet forces came southward towards our city, we were determined to defend our company, confronting the enemy at all cost. I took a set of new underwear and a bottle of whisky I had been saving to my worksite so that we could defend our factory to the death. I made a last toast to the future of our country and told my wife and children about my intentions.

In August, fighting with Japanese troops, Soviet forces started to invade the border between Soviet territory and Manchuria, but it kept its front lines within northern area. Before long the day came. It was August 15th, when Japan lost the war. We got together in the main building of the company and listened to the Emperors statement announcing our war defeat. I felt all my strength lost and could not fight back my tears. The head of the board gave us instruction that we should bravely give over the premises of the company to the incoming owner, citing an example of Akou-roushi. (A Samurai group which has been praised as an honorable example of how they gracefully gave over their castle to the enemy)

The company operation continued for a while afterward. Around the end of August, Soviet forces came into our city, sending some representatives to our company in order to make inspections for the dismantlement of these factories. An army major who spoke German came to my coke-oven factory.

A plan was made to have all the equipment carried to the Soviet Union, with only the first and second coke-oven batteries to be left behind. It started on September 1st.　The operation went on for twelve hours a day from six oclock in the morning till six in the evening. The workers in our company, Japanese soldiers and traders concerned were all involved in this dismantling-project.

We were required to fulfill a fixed norm in every day. To meet this requirement we adjusted the amount of work depending on the type of dismantling machine. For example, while something like emission-valve outweighed the fixed figure, machinery and appliances were underweight. So we stocked aside excessive parts for the day, for other days when we needed to cover the shortfall.


(The father-in-law with his family and housemaid; in front of the company residence in Anshan)


(The father-in-law before the golf trophy in the yard of the company residence)








by Anmitsuhime

To be continued to Part 2

<Part 2>

Though the Soviet officers were quite strict on us in the factories, they became friendly and favorable toward us when we made reports on progress on the day at the end of the day meetings in the main building.

After finishing over reports to them, we had Russian supper and got home around nine oclock, thoroughly exhausted with no more strength left. Leaving home at six in the morning, we worked on the job day after day until the end of September.

Every once in a while, Soviet soldiers came to our factories during work. Some f them wore pieces of cloth on their feet instead of socks. Some looked pleased to wear several watches on the same arm, which had been taken from the Japanese. I was surprised to see them and shocked by the fact that we were defeated by such a poor nation as this.

There was a rumor that Japanese soldiers were going to be taken to the Soviet or somewhere else after the dismantlement operation was completed. The Japanese forces were gathered into different camps according to their units. But some of them deserted from their fellow troops, running into the deep mountains of Senzan, some fled into private Japanese houses and others started to live together in groups in hiding places.

One day a soldier from the same homeland as me escaped his camp and visited my house with his friend. I have heard of no one else who gave shelter to the deserted soldiers.

Three days later, Mr. M. from the same homeland, whose parents were blind, visited me bringing two of his friends asking for a hide-out. I was sorry for them but it was impossible to accept any one other than the two deserters I already had at home. I offered dinner to them and took them back to their camp. When we got to their unit, the entire groups were just about to leave for somewhere, gathering on the road across from Fuji elementary school.
I heard later that they were taken to the Soviet Union. Thinking about his blind parents, I regretted not having accepted them.

In 1947 when my wife and children went back to Japan without me, I learned that Mr. M. had fortunately gotten back to his home in Japan about a week before. I was greatly relieved to hear that.

by Anmitsuhime

To be continued to Part 3

<Part 3>

The Soviet forces seemed to have accomplished their initial plan to transfer all the equipment taken from the factories to their own country. After Soviet forces left, the political power in this city shifted, through repeated battles, between Koumintang administration, Chinese conventional government, or Pahro, communist military government.

The factories barely continued functioning, with some running and others halting. One time I received a phone call telling me they were going to start up the coke-ovens as a broken blower had been repaired. I wanted to make sure it was started correctly, but it was around six oclock. It already passed the curfew, and I could not make it there by myself.

I decided to ask for help from the Chinese communist officers who lived in a lodging house near my home. An officer responded kindly to my request and asked me to wait in a room till he had finished his duties.
I waited for him, but there was no sign of anything going on. Some time later I heard some gunshots, gradually getting closer to the house. I guessed this place was being aimed at. I found no one else in the room. Then, it became clear that the guns were targeting this house.

Whats happening?, I looked around and tried to move to the direction what seemed to be the safest in the room. After a few moments, a Japanese soldier wearing Chinese clothes and holding a bare sword in his hand came into the room, and shouted, Is anyone here? I am Japanese!, I shouted. OK, he responded, then continuing, There they are! Take these out!, pointing at something like an ammunition box, he ordered some soldiers coming in behind him. With his sword, he violently smashed the electric light over his head and went out of the room.

It was completely dark. Groans came from upstairs. I guessed someone was killed. The room became silent. I wanted to go home but the Chinese soldier who had come to my side would not let me leave. Then I was taken, being surrounded by two soldiers, to City Hall.

Meanwhile my wife and children ran to a friend of mine whose house was across from the building I visited and in which I was detained, so that they could see what had happened to me. When I was taken outside, I saw them looking worriedly at me. Passing in front of them, I said, Dont worry! Im all right. Ill be back soon! They knew that I was all right at least.

After they took me to City Hall, it didnt seem that they were going to interrogate me at all and just kept me in custody for the rest of the day. Then, late at night, they put me in a jail cell. It was the size of four or five Tatami-mat (pretty small) and in the corner there was a toilet. It was a mess, and there were four detainees stuck there. Only boiled kaoliang and Takuan, pickled radish, were served as meals.


by Anmitsuhime


( The factory in Anshan)

To be continued to Part 4

<Part 4>

Later, some Japanese soldiers were put inside our cell, having been attacked and captured by Chinese troops at their hiding place in the deep mountain of Senzan. Seven or eight people were packed in the small space. We could not go to sleep with our legs piled up on each others.

When my legs were covered by others, I moved them from that position and put them on the others legs again. But they were soon covered again. While repeating the same actions all night, I saw the dawn was breaking. Among the other troubles we suffered in jail, there were also bedbugs. My wife brought me Daifuku-mochi, a sweet bean- paste cakes and some other sweets. I shared them with the cellmates.

One day a Chinese soldier came in and told me to get out. I wondered where I was going to be taken. After being questioned in a room with several soldiers, I was allowed to go home. I was very happy, finally going home after the almost ten- day detention. My family was very surprised when they saw me.

Later I learned that I had been suspected of being an enemy spy. They thought I had guided the attack on the building which I had visited when I asked to be taken to my factory. However it turned out to be just an excuse to make money. I figured out later that my company had paid the money for me to be released. I was the first among our company to be captured by the military administration, called Pahro, followed shortly by some others.

I made a report of my safe return to the company president, who was also arrested later on that day and kept under detention. He was not well at the time, suffering from a cold, and his wife followed to take care of him. After a short time, she killed herself by using potassium cyanide which she had taken with her secretly. I heard that the president had been seen somewhere but it remained unconfirmed. We had no way to know when and where he was killed, but we knew he was dead. Some other executive officers were brought somewhere, followed by the general administration manager and the welfare manager as well. We had no idea where they had been taken off.

Our daily life continued even in such harsh conditions. We tried to make our living by doing this and that. I sold my valuable belongings to get cash. My wife baked cream puffs to sell to the wealthy people at a famous hotel, called Shinga-en. Her business went sufficiently well and the cakes became quite popular there.

The power supply and water service were then suspended. We had to go all the way to the newly-dug well early in the morning, stocking it in the bathtub for the day. Candles were too expensive for daily use, so we burned oil for light.

With repeated battles between the Koumintang and the communist armed forces, some Japanese citizens were forced to help either side of the medical soldiers, only to be unreturned their homes. We carried Tatami-mats to the basement, when the battles got fiercer, to avoid stray bullets, and stayed there all day long. After hearing no other gunshots outside, we sometimes looked out through the basement window and saw some soldiers bodies left on the ground. We couldnt identify which side the bodies belonged. We remained helpless day after day.
It was a very trying time.

by Anmitsuhime

To be continued to Part 5

<Part 5>

In the spring of 1946 the Koumingtang force seemed to have restored its political power enough to rule the region again and there were no more battles. The Repatriation Program got under way in the summer of that year. Riding in open freight cars, most of the Japanese left the city for their homeland with only a rucksack on their back. I went to the station to see them off, every scene at that station has been burned into my memory and I can clearly remember each of them even now.

About thirty factory engineers belonging to the coke-oven and coal-washing sections were forced to stay behind. They were provided with a lodging house to live in, which was close to the Mantetu Hospital. What we were expected to do under the detention was to restore the factories to working condition. However we just went to the workplace with no specific job to do.

At the beginning of January in 1947, I met with an accident.
I went to the fourth coke-oven battery to look for some components there. On my way back to my office, I walked away from Mr. S. who was walking a path in front of the storage building, and went into the dark part of the factory. I was thinking making a check on the coal bunker.

I had known about everything in the place; where the air-raid shelter was and exactly where its entrance was located. I dont know why, but I fell inside the shelter and fainted. How long have I been here? When I became conscious, I saw a square opening far above me. I wondered if I was having a nightmare. I came to gradually, and realized that I had fallen into the air-raid shelter.

It seemed more than three meters deep. Oh! What a disaster! The entrance looks far beyond my reach! Not a single ladder was to be seen. Then I noticed an electrical cord stretched on the wall. Setting the cord to an appropriate height, it might be possible to stand on it and reach the entrance. I tried it repeatedly, but every time I failed. To make matters worse, my feet ached due to the injury caused when I fell into the shelter.

Once in a while I uselessly shouted for help. I expected Mr. S. to find me here after realizing I had been missing since we parted. So I threw a towel up to the edge of the shelter entrance in order to show where I was.

Even if Mr. S. found me, I thought, it would be late at night or even next morning. I was unlikely to stay alive that long. No matter what, I need to get through this situation by myself. All I could rely on was that single cord. I tried setting the cord at different levels, but still I failed every time. I took off my jacket, relaxed by urinating, and then tried again.

All of a sudden, an old story familiar to the Japanese came to mind: a frog wanted to reach a willow twig above it. Jumping up over and over again aiming at the edge of the branch, it finally succeeded. I encouraged myself, imagining the figure of the frog in my mind. Every time I fell down, I took a deep breath and tried again, aiming at the target.

At last I made it! I stood on the cord with my back on the wall. I found a piece of iron frame sticking out above me. I held it firmly. I knew once I took my hand off it, I could never get to it again. I made every effort to move myself towards the edge. When I got out of the shelter, I lost consciousness again.

by Anmitsuhime


(The father-in-law under detention (right))










To be continued to Part 6

<Part 6>

I was filled with joy when I realized I was alive. I clearly remembered hearing a siren blaring in the air telling us it was noon. Though I was able to get out safely, I could not walk with pain in my feet. I limped out to the road where I saw a Chinese passing by, and asked him to inform the people in the coal-washing factory of what had happened. Soon, a lot of people came to see me, carried me to the office and then took me home on a horse-carriage. For more than a week, I suffered awfully from aching feet. Though the pain gradually got less, I was still unable to walk.

I had left my jacket in the shelter. A young worker went there to get it back for me, but he said, after his countless trials, he gave up on climbing up to the entrance. When one who comes to be on the verge of life and death, one can struggle through the situations with more power than what one seems to have.

My company helped fix my feet, one time by sending me to a hospital in Shenyang, a city of north of ours, and another time by asking a Chinese doctor to give me treatments in a hospital in Tetunishi area. In spite of all their help, my legs remained with little improvement, due to the deformation of my leg bones.　I walked with crutches, and took a horse- carriage hired by my company. While spending some time with no important work to do, I heard of a plan to start sending Japanese people back to their country. I told the staff members to let the younger engineers return home ahead of me, and that I would dare to be on the latter part of the waiting list. They left for Japan one after another.

In September 1947, since it seemed to be the last chance for us, I requested to go home with the other remaining Japanese people to go back home. But I was persuaded to stay for another half a year in order to help restore the facilities of our company. I had no choice other than to accept it.　I decided to let my family go home ahead of me and remain there alone. It was hard for my family to leave me behind, but at least it was a slight relief for them that my feet had recovered well enough for me to walk with a walking- stick instead of crutches. I felt the same way.

To see off my family, I went to Shenyang, a city about ninety kilometers north of our city, Anshan. My family was aboard an open freight car with other Japanese people. Each car of the train was tightly packed with people who were carrying large amounts of luggage. I waved goodbye to my family, and the train began to move. I was afraid this might be our last meeting with each other. I grew weak.
That night I stayed at a Japanese relocation center, and in the morning, went back to our city which looked entirely different with fewer Japanese on the streets.

Eventually, only three members of my factory including myself were left behind Mr. H. belonging to the coal-washing department, Mr. W. to the coke-oven, and me. All the remaining people counted to be about a hundred in the entire company, with their family members, the number was three hundred in total. About thirty of them were subjected to stay alone, letting their families go home ahead of them.

Since that time, political situations began to change. The leading power, Koumintang, had become unstable because of the rapid regional expansion of the Chinese communist forces.

With the political turmoil in this region, we could not even get started on the restoration operation for our factories, although we were forced to stay only for that purpose. One time we heard we might have to evacuate, escaping from our city which might be the field of a battle between the two forces.　　We were living in an extremely restless time.

by Anmitsuhime

To be continued to Part 7

＜Part 7＞

In February 1948, the largest conflict ever in Anshan broke out between the Koumintang and Communist forces. When we heard the gunshots getting louder outside, we ran into the basement. After about two days of fierce battle, Communist forces occupied the entire city. We were arrested and, running across the Taishou Avenue under the rain of bullets, taken to their top officers. I feared I might possibly be shot on the street.

I couldnt run so fast as the others due to the pain in my feet, but managed to reach the building which was occupied by the commander of the force. He didnt even try to question us, just glancing at us, and he told us to go back.

We left the building for our lodging house. The gunfire had become a lot fiercer. We ran discretely across the streets while the gunfire had ceased. Because of my feet trouble, I was left alone on that side of the road. I decided to take a chance running to the other side. When I made it, I was relieved to have somehow survived.　After the battle ceased, to see what had happened, we went to the area where the Japanese used to live. Some bodies were still left on the ground. We couldnt tell to which side the bodies used to belong.

Some time later, all the Japanese were ordered to relocate. On February ninth. with our luggage loaded on horse-carriages, we left Anshan. We were not informed of where we were heading. My horse-carriage and two others passed Kyuchorei and reached Honkeiko the next afternoon. But after that, the other members on their carriages did not follow us.

After three days, one after another, the main groups finally arrived at their destination. They turned out to have taken a different road than us, having trouble with bad security as well as trouble with carriages breaking down. They took three more days because they had to walk, pulling the broken carriages behind them.

We made it to Anton by railway, which, at the time, had been repaired between Honkeiko and Anton. We settled down in an old dormitory, which used to be run by the Japanese Mantetu corporation. Our new life in Anton began. We were slightly paid, although we had no specific jobs to do at that time. On pay days, we went to the flea markets to buy things which had been sold by some Japanese before leaving for Japan. By collecting necessities for traveling at the market, we were preparing for our journey home.

Sometimes we were educated on Communism.
We might have looked to be leading easy lives, however, it was actually mentally-demanding time. We were not informed of any exact plan to go home. One time we even talked about the possibility of going to Korea on boats by crossing the Yalu River. But no one actually followed it through.

We discussed how to make these difficult times more pleasant. We made some activity groups like chorus class and, Yohkyoku, a traditional Japanese style of singing stories.
They came to be a great comfort to us.

The people living with their families were concerned about their childrens education. We had only two teachers for elementary school and none for junior high. So some of us started to teach them, depending on the academic knowledge they had. I was in charge of chemistry for seven or eight junior high students.

I wanted to give them at least a basic knowledge of chemistry, hoping they could go home someday, well-equipped with my subject. After graduating from top-ranking universities in Japan later, most of the students are now doing well in this society. I am proud of them.





The factory under revival

by Anmitsuhime

To be continued to Part 8

＜Part 8＞


In December of that year, the entire area of Manchuria, came under the control of the Chinese Communists. We were ordered to get started on the restoration of the Anshan Iron Steel Corporation, going back to Anshan for the first time in ten months. At that time, the railway had been repaired and we took a train to the city.

Anshan appeared to be abandoned. Alongside the streets, we saw a lot of vacant houses which had been provided by our company to its employees. It was a dead city.

While the Japanese with families were settled down in the area in front of the former Japanese military camp, we lived in a dormitory building- originally for the unmarried employees, which was located at the rear of a temple. The restoration project had begun to take shape. The Chinese workers in our company were coming back to work, and the commercial avenues were getting livelier.

We went to work every day and proceeded on the restoration project. In those days, the company had only one bus for commuting employees. But it was offered only to the Japanese people, while the rest of the workers, ven the executives commuted by bicycle.

The company offices were poorly equipped, with few desks and chairs. On the other hand, all the people there shared the same gush of enthusiasm for the restoration of the company. Even though the Japanese were defeated as a nation, the Chinese people took good care of them, and never treated the Japanese as defeated people.

The head of the Chinese staff knew that the knowledge and skill of the Japanese was indispensable, and to achieve their goal, they made use of the Japanese a hundred percent. The Japanese people fully met their expectations.

I worked hard in the factories, giving instructions to the same Chinese workers who worked under me before the end of the war. Sometimes I yelled at them, and even complained to the head staff. But they never fought back. I greatly appreciated them.
I continued reconstructing the factories, making use of some capable workers. In July, after eight months labor, we proceeded to the final stage -starting the coke-ovens. It was to be a huge operation. A slight mistake could cause an explosion. I separated the workers into some groups and gave a different task to each. I trained them, having them repeat simulations over and over again.

The work of drying the coke-ovens was almost finished. Just before starting the operation, several Russian engineers came to see our factories. I thought they were going to take command of the work, and asked my boss, saying, I saw some Russian engineers coming here. I would like to know whether or not they are going to take command of this work. If they are, I will never tell them anything about how to do it. I will only observe. If thats not the situation, I dont want them to tell me anything. It is okay to observe my work. Id like you to decide. I will be all right with either way. I didnt get an immediate answer. The next morning I was told the job was to be done under my direction.

by Anmitsuhime

To be continued to Part 9

<Part 9>
　
The day we started the coke-oven, a lot of the people including companys top officials and some Russian engineers came to observe. At the scene, we had to show these observers how well the Japanese engineers could start it. Nervously, I ordered Mr. W. to operate the pusher machine.

An massive amount of red-hot coke was pushed out of the coke-oven, and dropped into the extinguishing station. I cried out, Banzai! Banzai! I was so happy I couldnt stop crying. When Mr. W came to me at the top of the oven, we hugged each other and cried. I had had a lot of experiences in the starting-coke-ovens, but this was the most impressive one I had ever had. With those coke-ovens, our task was successfully completed.

The blast furnace and the iron manufacturing departments followed. They were each made a smooth start under the Japanese guidance. The Anshan Iron Steel Corporation started its operation after many years cessation. As it was before, Anshan again came to be a thriving city. At the celebration marking the reopening of the company, each of the Japanese was invited on the stage. They were then offered a large flower, pinned it on their chests.

After that, I stayed in my office, and I didnt work so hard. I told the staff that I would stay there, because we had done our task, and that I would help them when needed. We submitted a request to go back to Japan, and things didnt go as expected and we remained without an answer.

In our dormitory, some young Japanese couples other than the Japanese working for the project, had come from northern Manchuria. They seemed to have had a hard time getting here. They managed to live on a poor diet. On the contrary, though our rooms were not well- furnished, we lived under comparatively good conditions. However, we never spent a day without thinking about returning home. Those were uneasy days.

by Anmitsuhime

To be continued to Part 10

<Part 10>

After a short while, correspondences between China and Japan became possible. For the people whose families had gone home ahead of them, it was a great relief to finally hear some news about them. But, at the same time, it was a new concern.

I learned through my wifes letters that my family was facing financial difficulties. They had expected to live on the property I owned in my hometown, but the landlord-tenant system had been changed after the war, and made it impossible for them to live off my property. They were having a tough time. My wife told me in a letter that she could send our children to their school picnic with only some Onigiri, traditional Japanese rice-balls, and in another that sometime she could not even buy rice. One time, she earned money by selling daily goods in a rural area. I was unable to sleep that night because of the tears in my eyes.

Later, through the help of my friend who worked as a principal at an elementary school, my wife got a job as an elementary school teacher. I was a little relieved to hear that. The days during my detention in China were not all filled with such depression. Occasionally, I had some enjoyable experiences.

At times, Mr. O. took me to a lake in a suburb of Tetunishi. We caught fish with a net, and enjoyed the fried fish at home. Other times, we set some fishhooks on a bank of the lake at night, and the next day found big Sougyo caught on the hooks. The Sashimi, raw fish meat, was very good. I had not known that there were such big fish living in the lake, or how to catch them.

We had no genuine Japanese Sake at that time, so we developed some recipes for various kind of liquor ourselves. We put some sugar and seasonal fruits in Paichu, Chinese liquor, and after three days, could enjoy the aroma of good brandy. Though I was not so fond of drinking, it was a pleasure to have a glass of one of the various types of homemade brandys, each of which was made of different fruits and had its own color. Among of them, the one I liked best was made of pears called , Nankan-nashi, which were picked at the beginning of the summer.

During the special period of Bon, a Buddhist festival, we danced Bon-Odori in the yard of our dormitory, with the Japanese children joining in. I happened to know how to dance Kiso-Odori, a dance from my hometown, and taught it to the participants. They came to dance quite well, and some Chinese people came to watch it.

We had an athletic meet in the fall. We also enjoyed Yohkyoku- singing stories, chorus concerts, dances, and mahjong gatherings.

Speaking of mahjong, I have an interesting story.

Mahjong had been prohibited after the Chinese Communists took power. All the mahjong-tiles had been collected, and burned in a stove. But the Japanese were allowed to keep them because they didnt use them to gamble.

On the day of Chinese New Year, a Chinese police officer visited us to borrow a set of mahjong-tiles. They wanted to play, but they didnt have any. We knew that the government had given us a special permission, but we lent him some sets anyway. He was very glad, and in the evening, came to return them.

by Anmitsuhime

To be continued to Part 11