Pacific War and Japanese - 8

In this last article of this book review series, "Eternal Zero", I wanted to express my views and opinions on the subjects this book is talking about.  Lieutenant Miyabe was the one who spoke for the Japanese Tokko pilots and soldiers who were killed in World War II in their real feeling from the bottom of their hearts.  Since Japan lost the war, they were destined to be disregarded and forgotten.  Japanese people after the war determined that they should forget about the war and restart from the beginning.

The approach was not all bad in one sense for it motivated industrial growth.  However, the soldiers who fought for their own country, and once were heroes for their country, were no longer heroes.  Instead, they were treated almost like criminals from their own society.  They were hated, disliked, and disregarded for long time.  More than 60 years have passed since the war.  I personally believe that it is about the time they were remembered and re-evaluated by the world.  I believe they should not be treated as heroes.  But I believe at the same time they should not be forgotten or ignored.  They lived their own lives.

After I finished reading this book, I remembered the Clint Eastwood movies "The Flag of Our Fathers" and "A Letter from Iwo Jima". They were excellent movies learning what happened both side of the war, East Pacific and West Pacific, also won and lost.  I think it was Clint Eastwood himself stating in the movie "I want to know how they (Japanese Soldiers) lived and died."

The story of "Eternal Zero" ends when his grand daughter and son found out the secret that Kyuzo Miyabe lived and died for his own family.

I plan to check if they have English translation of this book.  If I found it, I will write again here.  This is the book which I wanted all American people read.


Related Posts:

http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-1.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-3.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-4.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-5.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/11/pacific-war-and-japanese-6.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/11/pacific-war-and-japanese-7.html 


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Pacific War and Japanese - 7

The one of his fighting mate, later became a gangster was assigned for protection of Tokko Squadron.  He found Kyuzo Miyabe in the Tokko team which he was supposed to protect.  Since he had known Lieutenant Miyabe tried to survive by his all means, he thought why and why he volunteered to be the suicide bombing?

When asked, Lieutenant Miyabe smiled and told him that he will be well protected if he guard Miyabe to conduct Tokko.  Miyabe did not give him direct answer.  In its entire story, the reason is not very clear.  This is the part you need to use your imagination why he selected the way of suicide bombing.  My interpretation is that he could not continue to see his friends dying from the attack, especially the one he saved before became Tokko.  Miyabe wanted to save him by all means.

Japanese Navy strategy that time killed too many Japanese.  It is why even today there are so many people who hate wars and military actions.  Japanese Tokko annoyed and frightened enemy forces, but the actuality was they killed more young Japanese soldiers and pilots than enemy soldiers.  How bad!!!

When Miyabe did Tokko and died, he used all of his skills he had.  He continued to fly almost the surface of the Pacific Ocean so that he would not be detected by enemy raider.  When he flew up for attack, he used to drift his Zero Fighter so that it was not easy to be shot.  He bombed the target.  But the bottle ship did not sink.  When the American Captain of the bottle ship found his body in his ship, he gave Miyabe military funeral, despite that he lost his son in the war against Japan earlier.

The story ends coming back to an American soldier's statement.  "I have never seen Fighter Plane flied and moved like that.  I believe the fighter plane was flew by a devil.  It was not human skill at all."


Related Posts:

http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-1.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-3.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-4.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-5.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/11/pacific-war-and-japanese-6.html 

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http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
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Pacific War and Japanese - 6

If my father were alive and read this story, I know what he would have said.  It is impossible to live like lieutenant Miyabe in Japanese Navy that time.  I understood that "Tokko" was voluntary in its surface, it was almost mandatory for the Navy Pilots .  If a Japanese Fighter Pilot would have tried to act or say like Miyabe in this book, he was put on martial court and sent back for punishment almost immediately.  He would have been lucky if he was jailed.  He could be sentenced to death that time.

So, Kyuzo Miyabe is a person living only in the author's creativity.  He is not historical at all.  However, I feel that Miyabe represent all the Tokko pilots real feeling and truth in their mind when they "volunteered" for suicide bombing.  They wanted to live for sure.  They wanted to go back to their wife, their children, their parents.

Survivors in Tokko once told in Japanese TV Program on war that when they suicide attack enemy battle ship, what they usually come to mind was about their mother, their family, not Emperor at all.  Japanese Tokko frightened US navy in its history.  But the soldiers and pilots are also same human beings, somebody's husbands, fathers, sons who hoped to have more peaceful lives and livings with their family.

I am sure there was no Lieutenant Miyabe in Japanese Navy, but I am also sure that he was the one every and all the Japanese pilots and soldiers that time hoped to be and wanted to be.

Retired business person in this book who was saved and respected Lieutenant Miyabe told his grandson "Japanese Tokko could be called "Suicide Attack".  And it was.  But it was never exercised against civilian people".


Related Posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-1.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-3.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-4.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-5.html 

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http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
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Pacific War and Japanese - 5

The sister and the brother keep looking for the people who know their grandfather, Kyuzo Miyabe.  They needed to visit to a gangster boss, meet successful but snobby business person, retired bankers, etc... 
Gradually, they started to envision what kind of Zero Fighter Pilot their grandfather was.

The more I read, I started to feel that I was watching TV drama series, such as "Twin Peaks", or "X Files".  Each meeting with Kyuzo Miyabe's friend complete one story and one or two facts about Kyuzo Miyabe become clear.  I turned to Author's personal history and found that he was TV program scenario writer before he started to write stories.  Since I was so familiar with TV drama series, it was quite easy to read that way.

Miyabe's Fighting Places in the story (from the book)

Kyuzo Miyabe was a excellent fighter pilot, they found.  His skill would be in top 5 of fighter pilots of that time.  But, he was very cautious and careful so that he would never be killed in his fight.  He had reasons for his cautiousness.  He married before he was sent to Navy, and it was in his Navy's camp that he learned his wife gave birth to his daughter.  He trained himself to be good pilot not to fight well, but not to be killed in the war so that he could survive and go back to his wife to see his daughter.

His way of fighting was cautious enough so that others could call him coward.  But, he did not care.  Still, he was not just cautious in the way he was selfish and he did not mind sacrificing his colleagues.  There were some of his people who were saved by Miyabe's brave action and skill of maneuvering the fighter as he wished.  The grand son and daughter found their grandfather's friends either hated him or loved him.

It is simple and clear to figure the people who loved him.  Either they loved Miyabe's skill or they were saved by him in fighting.  But, more important is the people who were puzzled by him and hated him in my opinion.  They might have been sharing same feeling as Miyabe's for survival, but could not say it out loud as Miyabe was doing.  They envied Miyabe and being jealous.  They wanted to survive.  They wanted to go back to their family.  But they could not say or act as Miyabe did.  They were confused and irritated, and hated him.


Related Posts:

http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-1.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-3.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-4.html 

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http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
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Pacific War and Japanese - 4

I promised that I am not justifying the Pacific War or any war in the first article of this series.  Neither of this book promote any war or fighting activities.  Today, bringing up the book's picture again and let me show it to you.

This book's picture is too small and written in Japanese.  But, it read in the side belt shown on the top of the book "I will survive and return back to my wife's place, my daughter's side."   The back side of the side belt says "I never volunteer to be "Tokko -Suicide Attack".  Because I promised my wife I will survive and come back to my family."

This story is not about the war.  Neither is about the killing.  Neither is the "Suicide Bombing".  It is the fight of a Zero Fighter Pilot who tried his best to survive the Pacific War.


The story starts with a young student who failed examination to become lawyer in Japan.  He received a phone call from his older sister that she is trying to find facts about their real grandfather.  They have known that their grandfather is not the father of their mother.  Their mother was told from her step father that her real father was a Zero Fighter Pilot.

Their mother loved her step father, but still wanted to learn more about her real father.  Her daughter and son started to research about him.  His name was Kyuzo Miyabe.  He was a lieutenant in his last rank.  After intensive search, the sister and brother could meet one of their grand father's fellow soldier.  This ex-Zero Fighter Pilot told them that their grandfather was coward and strange..

Related Posts:

http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-1.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-3.html

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http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
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Pacific War and Japanese - 3

0 (Zero) Fighter was a fighter airplane which was developed by Japanese industry before the Pacific War.  The fighter had smallest Turn Around Radius Diameter that time.  It was perfect for dog fights.  For the people who are not familiar with how fighter planes fight, it is called "Dog Fight" to get your enemy's tail.  Once you got your enemy's tail, you can shoot it down or you have control over the fight.  0 Fighter was almost designed for it.  Some may say this fighter plane could fly long distance despite of fast speed and small quick and short turn around.  This is the fighter plane which was used for attacking Pearl Harbor.

It became worldly known because of Pearl Harbor, it frightened allied army due to its flight ability, capacity, and efficiency in early stage of the Pacific War.  There was no fighter plane in the world who could beat 0 Fighter until US introduced Mustang to fight against 0 Fighter.  Japanese Navy that time trained and send a lot of young and skillful fighter plane pilot to Fighter 0.  Being a 0 Fighter Pilot was the status for young Japanese that time and they were also afraid by US Navy and Air Force.

0 Fighter frightened Allied Forces all through the Pacific War. In early-middle stage as the way mentioned above.  In later stage, it frightened US Navy more tragic way.  It was "Kamikaze".  Kamikaze was Special Attack (Tokubetsu Kogeki, Tokko in short), suicide attack, changing fighter plane itself to be the bomb to crash into enemy ship or base with pilot.  So the method is same as adopted by terrorists today, I need to admit it.

Close to the end of the war, all experienced and skillful pilots were lost.  Japanese Navy trained young people for short time like 3-6 months to make them to be Kamikaze pilot.  Only to Kamikaze pilot, nothing else, nothing more, nothing less.  They were not trained for skills and techniques to fight, maneuver, control airplane.  They were just trained to crash into enemy ships.  How terrible.


Related Posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-1.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-2.html

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http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
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Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

Pacific War and Japanese - 2

My experience on the war is not limited to my story in Singapore.  In China CCTV (China Central TV) broadcasts a lot of war stories showing Japanese army to be bad guys.  Japanese soldiers keep shouting "Baka - Stupid -" and hit Chinese civilians.

In 2001, after September 11, some TV station was broadcasting history of terrorism.  Among others, they were saying that it was Japanese who invented suicide bombing.  It was Kamikaze or Tokko.  They mean "Divine Wind or Special Attack", respectively.

The book is about this Kamikaze.  Somehow, Japanese version of suicide attack was always by Japanese Navy that time.  And Japanese suicide attacks were always targeting military facilities or equipment, base, air base, battle ships, mother ships, etc...  In addition, Kamikaze was always by this fighter plane called "Zero -0-".

Have you heard about "Zero Fighter"?  It was most advanced Navy Fighter Plane of the time  when the Pacific War started.


Related Posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/10/pacific-war-and-japanese-1.html


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Fill the Missing Link

Pacific War and Japanese - 1

There is one thing that I noticed after I started to walk around the world, countries such as US, China, South East Asian countries, India, UK, Germany, etc...  It is the fact that Japan was one of the vicious axes in last world war, and that the world has not necessarily forgotten about it.

I was borne almost 10 years after the war is over.  Quite fortunately, I have not experienced anything about the war in growing.  99.99% of Japanese would not think about the war daily bases any more.  I did not.

It was my first overseas trip and first overseas business trip out of Japan.  I think it was even my first experience using airplane for traveling.  I traveled to Malaysia, first, and then to Singapore.  The business went so-so good.  My Singaporean friends took me to a bar for drinking.

We started to talk with the girls next to us after few drinks.  Somehow, the topic became horror story and somebody talked about ghosts of Japanese soldiers in the border between Singapore and Malaysia, called Johol.  I told them that my father was fighting in Singapore.  It was my major mistake.  After a silence, one of the girls told us that her grandfather was killed by Japanese Army...

I could not have a word to say.  All we could do is to leave that place.  One book my friend recommended reminded me this memory and I wanted to write about the book.

The title of the book is "Eien-no Zero -Eternal Zero-" and the story is about a Japanese fighter pilot of Zero fighter.


PS:  I have no intention to justify the World War II from Japanese view points, or justify any war.  When young, I used to practice Martial Arts, my teacher kept telling me that avoid fighting is the best.  I totally agree with him.  It was ancient Chinese Strategist wrote that "avoiding and stopping war is the best strategy".  I believe so, too.  I wanted to briefly mention here that there were Japanese people who tried everything they could do to avoid the war and to stop the war even during the war.  Existence of these peace loving Japanese people are blessing in the history in tough times.


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http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
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Feel free to contact me:
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Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link