95712 Quan Pages:95712 Quan Pages - Philippine Defenders Main

6 — THE QUAN
POWs Future
This is a translated copy of the directive sent by Japanese
Military Headquarters, Tokyo to all commanding officers of
Japanese Military POW Facilities. This specific copy was taken
from Taiwan POW Hqrs dated 1 August 1944: All POW Camps
received duplicate orders to kill all allied POWs on the
Japanese mainland and other POW camps in WWII.
Document No. 2701 (Certified as Exhibit “O” in Doc. No.
2687). From the Journal of the Taiwan POW Camp HQ in
Taihoku, entry 1 August 1944:
1. (entries about money, promotions of Formosans at Branch
Camps, including promotion of Yo Yusuku to 1st 01 Kaibiin
— 5 entries)
2. The following answer about the extreme measures for
POWs was sent to the Chief of Staff of the 11th Unit
(Formosa POW Security No. 10)
“Under the present situation if there were a near explosion
or fire; a shelter for the time being could be had in nearby buildings
such as the school, a warehouse, or the like. However, at
such time as the situation became urgent and it be extremely
important, the POWs will be concentrated and confined in their
present location and under heavy guard the preparation for the
final disposition will be made.
The time and method of the disposition are as follows:
(1) The Time.
Although the basic aim is to act under superior orders,
individual disposition may be made in the following
circumstances:
(a) When an uprising of large numbers cannot be
suppressed without the use of firearms.
(b) when escape from the camp may turn into a hostile
fighting force.
(2) The Methods.
(a) Whether they are destroyed individually or in
groups, or however it is done, with mass bombing,
poisonous smoke poisons, drowning, decapitation,
or what, dispose of them as the situation dictates.
(b) In any case it is the aim not to allow the escape of a
single one, to annihilate them all, and not to leave
any traces.
(3) To: The Commanding General
The Commanding General of Military Police
Reported matters conferred on with the 11th Unit, the
Kiirun Fortified Area H.Q., and each prefecture concerning
the extreme security in Taiwan POW Camps.”
3. (The next entry concerns the will of a deceased POW.)
The above is a fax transmittal from the National Archives,
Washington, D.C. Documents from Record Group 33, Int’l.
Prosecution Section, GHQ SCAP, Tokyo, Japan — Declassified
after July 1974.
————————
Can You Help?
You probably knew ADBC PNC John Bennett, so can you
help John Lewis find Bennett’s unit name? John is building a
huge database from material you gave him, but Bennett’s unit
information is missing.
If you can help, please send the information to either John
Lewis directly or fax it to me and I’ll pass it on to John.
Joe Vater
Book Information
Linda G. Holmes
30 Dinah Rock Road P.O. Box 546
Shelter Island, NY 11964
631-749-1202
email: lghnews@hamptons.com
July 20, 2005
Stephen R. Tritch
President and CEO
Westinghouse Electric Company
4350 Northern Pike
Monroeville, PA 15146
Dear Mr. Tritch,
Enclosed is a copy of my 2001 book, Unjust Enrichment:
How Japan’s Companies Built Postwar Fortunes Using
American POWs. I ask especially that you read chapter 9,
“Mitsubishi: Empire of Exploitation.” At least 3176 American
prisoners of war worked as slave laborers in the factories,
mines and shipyards of Mitsubishi subsidiaries. We have their
names — and so does Mitsubishi. (Japanese companies kept
meticulous records on the POWs they used for labor.)
Companies were responsible for housing, food and medical
care for the POWs; the Japanese government ordered them to
pay the prisoners Japanese soldiers’ pay — an order which
was rarely carried out.
Forty percent of American POWs died in Japanese captivity;
most of these deaths occurred on company property. By contrast,
just one percent of American POWs died in Nazi military stalags.
If you are considering Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as a
worthy candidate to purchase Westinghouse Electric
Company, you can do no greater service to our veterans of the
Pacific War than to urge Mitsubishi to lead the way in offering a
sincere apology and some gesture of compensation to these
survivors of our “Greatest Generation.” While some Japanese
officials have expressed personal remorse for WWII mistreatment
of Asian neighbors, none has apologized to Americans. I
hope you will encourage Mitsubishi to set a new path as we
observe the 60th anniversary of the war’s end.
Sincerely,
Linda Goetz Holmes
Perhaps some ex-POWs would like to join me in writing a
letter to Stephen R. Tritch, President and CEO of Westinghouse
Electric Co., 4350 Northern Pike, Monroeville, PA 15146.
Westinghouse is considering selling this nuclear facility to
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Mitsubishi used at least 3200
American POWs for slave labor in its shipyards, steel mills,
factories and mines. No voice would be stronger than that of a
veteran who worked for Mitsubishi in urging Westinghouse to
insist that Mitsubishi make a public sincere apology and offer
some form of compensation to you. We are told that
Westinghouse will make its decision some time in October. Let
them ponder their patriotism! Especially if you worked at Sendai
#3 (Hosokura), Sendai #5 (Hanawa), Sendai #6B (Osaruzawa),
Fukuoka #14 (Nagasaki & Saiwaimachi & Nagoya), Osaka #4
(Ikuno), or Osaka #6 (Akenobe), or Mukden. I urge you to join
me in making your views known to the Board of Directors at
Westinghouse.
If Mitsubishi can be persuaded to lead the way, other
Japanese companies will follow suit — Mitsubishi will insist on it!
Linda Goetz Holmes