Description
Book SynopsisBeginning with an examination of Japan's pre-war ultranationalist climate and the harsh code that precluded the possibility of capture, the author investigates the circumstances of surrender and capture of men like Sakamaki and their experiences in POW camps. It is based on his interviews with dozens of former Japanese POWs along with memoirs.
Trade Review"The Anguish of Surrender. . . is a valuable corrective to what we thought we knew about Japanese POWs, written by a man who lived for twenty-one years in Japan, both before and during the war, and who is better able than most historians to understand the mentality of the Japanese POW."
* Canadian Military History *
"Straus's seminal contribution comprehensively explores the Japanese POW experiences and fills a substantial gap in POW historiography."
* H-Net *
"This cogent and well-written study offers a thorough exploration of the many dilemmas facing Japanese POWs."
* Choice *
Table of ContentsForeword
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Prisoner Number One
2. Japan's Policy on Prisoners of War
3. Indoctrination into the Senjinkun
4. Honorable Death or Shameful Life
5. America's Secret Weapon: The Army and Navy Japanese Language Schools
6. The Interrogations
7. A Few Very Special POWs
8. Uprisings in the Stockades
9. Everyday Life in the Stockades
10. Returning Home Alive
11. Reflections on Japan's Wartime No-Surrender Policy
Notes
Bibliography
Index
