Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Prologue
- Author's Note
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Setting the Scene
- 2 An Extraordinary Diary of an Ordinary Soldier
- 3 Priming the Country for War: Imperial Rescripts as Fortifiers of the Kokutai
- 4 Out of Landscape
- 5 The Landscape of Deprivation
- 6 Creating an Idealized World
- 7 Re-creating an Emotionally Accommodating Landscape
- 8 Death as Man's True Calling
- 9 Challenges to a Resolve to Die
- 10 Reconciling Death
- Epilogue
- List of Images and Maps
- Glossary of Terms
- Abbreviations for sources held at the Australian War Memorial (Canberra, ACT)
- Bibliography
- Index
9 - Challenges to a Resolve to Die
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 November 2020
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Prologue
- Author's Note
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Setting the Scene
- 2 An Extraordinary Diary of an Ordinary Soldier
- 3 Priming the Country for War: Imperial Rescripts as Fortifiers of the Kokutai
- 4 Out of Landscape
- 5 The Landscape of Deprivation
- 6 Creating an Idealized World
- 7 Re-creating an Emotionally Accommodating Landscape
- 8 Death as Man's True Calling
- 9 Challenges to a Resolve to Die
- 10 Reconciling Death
- Epilogue
- List of Images and Maps
- Glossary of Terms
- Abbreviations for sources held at the Australian War Memorial (Canberra, ACT)
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
The Useless Rhetoric of the Emancipation of Asia
One of the significant motivators for soldiers like Tamura was the prospect of involvement (both ego-based and goal-oriented) in Japan's expansionist programme, seen as a holy and just war that would result in the emancipation of Asia. As early as 1936, the Kokutai no Hongi [Fundamentals of Our National Polity) had exhorted that
Japan must strive to eradicate the aggressive policies of the great powers and share with East Asia the joy that is based on the true principles of coexistence and coprosperity. This is the realization of the spirit of the Imperial Way, which must be accepted as the consistent guiding principle in Japan's policy of foreign expansion […] Japan plans to promote her racial and economic development in the South Seas, especially in the outlying South Seas area […].
Similarly, Seki Seisetsu (1877-1945), a ‘fully enlightened’ Zen master who served as a military chaplain, expressed the belief in his work entitled ‘The Promotion of Bushidō’ [Bushidō no Kōyō], published in 1942, that the soldiers’ role was one of duty for the development of East Asia.
At this moment, we are in the sixth year of the sacred war, having arrived at a critical juncture. All of you should obey imperial mandates, being loyal, brave, faithful, frugal, and virile. You should cultivate yourselves more and more both physically and spiritually in order that you don’t bring shame on yourselves as imperial soldiers. You should acquire a bold spirit like the warriors of old, truly doing your duty for the development of East Asia and world peace. I cannot help asking this of you.
The Nankai Shitai [South Seas Regiment] Western 34th regiment's battle song also lauded their own role in the establishment of ‘A New World Order’, which would see all nations ‘under one Roof’.
Oh, Heavenly Japan,
The Emperor's power is clear
We must build a new World Order
Everlastingly, all nations under one Roof.
While we have this weighty Mission,
Even if in the waters, grass-grown corpses soak,
Let us go, Comrades, with hearts united –
The Western 34th regiment.
The words of another Japanese soldier, Matsuoka Kinpei, echo that sentiment:
[T]hey are dying, hoping for and believing in the construction of Greater Asia and the maintenance of a prosperous Japan. The same is also true for me.
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- Information
- Writing Japan's War in New GuineaThe Diary of Tamura Yoshikazu, pp. 235 - 270Publisher: Amsterdam University PressPrint publication year: 2019