June 2004. . .
We recently received an article relating to the news that Japan had condemned the atrocities committed by American troops on some of the Iraqi prisoners of war. While these acts are certainly not right and should be condemned, as the following article points out, Japan is hardly in any position to criticize the actions of a few soldiers when their entire military was responsible for the slaughter of tens of thousands of prisoners of war held under their jurisdiction during World War II.
In addition to this, hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians were massacred during and following their conquests throughout China and the rest of Asia during the years of World War II. No acknowledgment of these atrocities or apology has ever been given to those nations, or to the former POWs and their families, for the slaughter and mistreatment that the Japanese military meted out. To this day Japan still cannot take its rightful place among the peace-loving nations of the world because of the former atrocities they committed and their refusal to even acknowledge or make these things right.
I was so moved by the article that I requested permission to put it on our website, and I sincerely hope that all of our readers will take careful note of the contents and spread the message that it is high time that the US and other Allied governments force Japan to own up to its atrocities, and at least acknowledge and apologize to the rest of the world for the part they played in the most inhumane treatment of mankind in the 20th Century.
Here is the letter we received:
“My name is Robert Cowan and my Dad, James H. "Hank" Cowan, was a member of the 19th Bombardment Group at Clark Field in the Philippines. He fought on Bataan and survived the Bataan Death March and 3 1/2 years of torture under the Japanese. He was a compatriot of M/Sgt Abie Abraham whom he knew well.
I recently received a letter from Sgt. Abraham and would like to share it with you. It contains much information that everyone should know and pass along. Here is the letter:
From M/Sgt. Abie Abraham
“To Whom It May Concern:
Many individuals and POW's have called me about the recent Associated Press article dated May 7, 2004 in Tokyo Japan, regarding the inhumane treatment of the Iraqi prisoners (see article following). As a survivor of the Bataan Death March, and over three years as a prisoner of war, I have actually seen our men tortured, beheaded, beaten and executed, as well as starved. More than 4,600 prisoners were deprived of needed medical supplies and medicines, many of whom I've seen die in the prison camps.
There were 137 massacred in Palawan, 1,590 died in Camp O'Donnell, 2,600 died at Cabanatuan, 150 died at Bilibid, 87 died at Tayabas, 17 died at Calumpit Bridge and hundreds died as prisoners in Korea, Manchuria, Taiwan and Japan. The men worked in mines, some were crushed due to cave-ins, in Japan many died of pneumonia due to improper clothing, not warm enough in winter with summer clothes, and starvation. Japanese records showed many more POWs died of malaria and dysentery and other horrible diseases. My records showed starvation, beri beri and more.
In March 1945, at the request of General Douglas MacArthur, I returned to Balanga Bataan, where I had my residence and headquarters. I was in charge of the detail to dis-inter the bodies of many fellow servicemen. I served for two and a half years during and after the war carrying out this task. I was there. It gave me more knowledge of what happened, there, and throughout the Death March.
Japan has no right to protest [the American mistreatment of Iraqi POWs] after doing what they did to our American defenders in Bataan and Corregidor and other places throughout Asia. After all, in WW II, the European Theater had losses of 4% of POWs never to return, but at the hands of the Japanese, in the Pacific Theater, 43% of the POWs were lost. During WW II, Japan never adhered to the Geneva Convention rules, and when the Red Cross tried to deliver supplies to our POWs, the supplies were taken from us by the Japanese.
Cruel treatment was given to our POWs by the Japanese. Some examples of the atrocities were that the Japanese soldiers would tie the men down on the ground, drip water on a cloth covering their noses so they would suffocate. At other times they would run water through a hose in their throats until they'd bloat. Then the Japanese soldiers would jump on them until they would explode from the water pressure. Men were forced to dig their own graves, only to die days later. Many were shipped away as slaves on unmarked ships, only to be shot by the Japanese as they were trying to swim to safety when the ships were sunk.
When the Japanese heard that the American troops had landed on the Philippines and were moving to Mindoro, the Japanese guards told 137 of the POWs to get into a ditch, then the guards poured gasoline on them, set them afire and tossed in grenades massacring almost all of the men. [Only six men miraculously escaped and lived to tell the story of this terrible deed.]
For more examples and knowledge about the atrocities done to our brave defenders of the Philippines, read my book ‘Oh God Where Are You?’ It will explain many more extreme actions. My web site www.ghostofbataan.com also explains some of the horrors of the prisoners in the camps - their life, death, and more.
In Iraq, people soon forget about the bodies of Americans - or allies of America that are stationed or working there, being shot, burned, dragged, cut-up and beheaded and left in the streets of Iraq. Are these things being done strictly by the law? These are also inhumane acts.
Sincerely,
Abie Abraham,
M/Sgt. Retired”
The news story. . .
Published May 7, 2004 TOKYO (AP) - The Abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers "is truly inhumane" and those responsible should be punished, Japanese officials said Friday, promising to take their concerns to Washington.
"Captured prisoners must be treated humanely and as is stipulated under the Geneva Convention," Defence Agency Director Shigeru Ishiba said. "The case must be handled strictly under the law."
Japan has been a staunch backer of the U.S. led mission in Iraq and has dispatched more than 500 ground troops to southern Iraq on a humanitarian mission.
Despite that support, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Thursday said he regretted the abuse scandal, and Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi said Friday that Japanese authorities would express their dismay directly to U.S. officials.
"This is truly inhumane," Kawaguchi said. "Of course, not all servicemen in the U.S. military would do things like this, but I still find it unfortunate."
Foreign Ministry officials said it was unclear if the message would be conveyed by authorities in Tokyo to the U.S. embassy, or whether the Japanese Embassy in Washington would contact American officials there.
President Bush apologized on Thursday for the scandal, ignited by photographs of abusive and sexually humiliating treatment of prisoners in Iraq. Graphic new photographs surfaced Thursday, including one that showed a naked prisoner handcuffed to a bed with women's underwear over
his head.
AP-ES-05-07-04 0532EDT
Cowan. . . con’t.
While nothing excuses the actions of the men and women who carried out the torture and abuse of the Iraqi prisoners, I and many others, find it a little ironic that the Japanese would protest so strongly when they have NEVER even acknowledged that their troops participated in the things that Sgt. Abraham describes in his book and website. My Dad also wrote a short story and his website is at www.battleofbataan.com.
I personally do not think that the Japanese have any business at all saying anything about our servicemen's conduct when they refuse to apologize for what they did to our servicemen during WW II. Germany has apologized and sent out many millions of dollars in reparations trying to atone for what they did.
OUR government - in collusion with Japan, said specifically that our men and women could never get reparations from the Japanese. Japan was deemed to be a bulwark against the spread of Communism and therefore our government didn't want to step on toes. I have often wondered just who got paid off, or whatever, in order to put that into the treaty.
However, there is another part of the treaty that says that if there is any other country that receives reparations from the Japanese, then all other signatories should receive the same. The Netherlands refused to sign the treaty unless they were given reparations, and the Japanese agreed to that and provided reparations to them. That means that our servicemen should receive at least an apology and also reparations for the absolutely inhumane and horrible treatment they suffered at the hands of the Japanese.
However today, no matter what our servicemen do - court cases, Congressional help, appeals to officials of all agencies - the U.S. government refuses to help our men get what is due them. They helped the German POWs and others who suffered at the hands of the Germans, but they will not do it for those that suffered many times more inhumane treatment from the Japanese.
Colin Powell said that we couldn't offend the Japanese by allowing court actions to go forward, and President Bush also has refused to do anything at all for our servicemen. We all need to work together to try and figure out just what the Japanese are holding over the heads of our government officials in order to continue to get away with this cold-blooded murder.
Before Japan criticizes ANY of our actions, they should confess what they did. They have no moral or legal right to offer any criticism of our men and women, no matter what they have done, because their servicemen were turned loose on our helpless POWs like rabid dogs. I dare say that rabid dogs would be more humane than the treatment our men received at the hands of the Japanese.
I'll get off my soapbox now. However, things like this truly make me extremely mad and upset. I saw how my Dad suffered all his life because of the horrible way he was treated by the Japanese. He died a premature death because of it, as did so many, many others. There is a special place reserved in Hell for the Japanese soldiers of WW II. Perhaps God might be disposed to mitigate their eternal damnation a little if they at least offered an apology.
Most Sincerely and with Warmest Regards,
I remain humbly,
Robert H. Cowan
Ed Note: Perhaps there will also be a special place reserved in Hell for those leaders of our militaries and governments since World War II who have helped to cover up, and excuse the atrocities committed by the Japanese, and who still refuse to pressure Japan into making proper reconciliation for their misdeeds in World War II. Only time will tell.