World Battlefronts: Those Inscrutable Japs

A Marine Corps correspondent’s description of Japanese prisoners* in the South Pacific reached the U.S. last week.

“Jap officers, enlisted men and laborers . . . are anything but resigned and sullen prisoners. Once over his astonishment that he is being treated like a human being and given more food than he has probably had for some time, the Jap undergoes a rapid readjustment. Often he becomes a happy-go-lucky prisoner with a passion for horseplay, cigarets, American slang and swing tunes. . . . Each prisoner is allotted five native cigarets daily, but they would gladly trade them all for an American cigaret. Their favorite expression is O.K.

“Imagine Tojo’s discomfort if he knew that his warriors were calling each other Hachi Maru, which is Japanese for 8-ball. . . . Nor would Tojo appreciate the sentiments displayed by another prisoner when someone mentioned Germany in his presence. With thumb and forefinger of his left hand he gripped his nose firmly, while the right hand shot forward in a Hitlerian salute.”

* Through the International Red Cross, the War Department last week received official word that Lieut. General Jonathan M. Wainwright, Commander of Corregidor, is imprisoned on Formosa with twelve other U.S. generals: Major Generals Edward King Jr., George F. Moore, George M. Parker Jr., Brigadier Generals Lewis C. Beebe, Clifford Bluemel, William E. Brougher, Charles C. Drake, Arnold J. Funk, Maxon S. Lough, Allan C. McBride, Clinton A. Pierce, James R. N. Weaver.