Introduction ~ War history and events around Kitakyushu-city

Introduction

In 1999, through my musical activities in the United States, I met Donald Versaw, a U.S. Marine veteran living in California. During the Pacific War, he was forced to work as a prisoner of war in a coal mine in Iizuka. In 2011, I happened to discover that in the fall of 2010, at the age of 89, he had visited Japan as part of the Japanese government’s invitation program for former POWs. Realizing he was still alive, I immediately contacted the relevant organizations.

As I researched POWs online, I learned that many were transported by ship from the south, entering Japan through Moji. Those who survived the journey to Moji were then sent to camps across the country. Kitakyushu was where the highest number of POWs in all of Japan lost their lives.

This discovery led me to begin researching the war. One after another, events, place names, and individuals I had never known surfaced. My interest was relentless; night after night, I stayed awake in bed, searching on my iPhone. I learned that the remains of over a million Japanese who cannot return home still lie in Southeast Asia and Siberia. Driven by a desire to experience “remains recovery,” I joined an expedition in Okinawa led by mountaineer Ken Noguchi. I also participated in a Dutch invitation program in Mizumaki, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Dutch government, where I learned why the Netherlands and Indonesia were connected to the Pacific War. I discovered the significant economic impact (the Korean War windfall) that the Korean War, which began in 1950, had on Kitakyushu. Every time I learned something, it sparked new questions, and before I knew it, the history of that era began to fit together like a puzzle.

By seeing the Pacific War (Great East Asia War) from various perspectives and learning about Kitakyushu during that time, I realized that my own life was barely connected through many coincidences. I became aware of the vast amount of history and many lives that our generation has forgotten. I wanted to create a booklet that would serve as a catalyst for people in their 20s to 40s to learn about the history and the lives of that era.

This booklet does not explain history in minute detail. War involves vastly different information, ideologies, experiences, and emotions depending on each country and perspective. If a word or event catches your interest, please search for it on your computer or smartphone. Keywords for searching are highlighted in color within the text. If you find something new beyond that, search again. Please make use of Wikipedia and other resources. You will find a wealth of different thoughts, values, and discoveries.

After living in New York for seven years, backpacking through India and Southeast Asia, and living in the Tokyo metropolitan area for twelve years, I am now captivated by the history of Japan, the world, and my hometown, Kitakyushu. With my roots in Kitakyushu, I am connected to people all over the world, transcending eras, generations, and borders.

Congratulations on the 50th anniversary of Kitakyushu City.

February 10, 2013
Angels Swing, Seina

February 10, 2013
Shoko “Seina” Shiraishi

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War History and Events in and around Kitakyushu(Supervised by Akio Yamamoto)

The wars in which Japan was mainly involved and the environment in Kitakyushu at the time are as follows:

1863 1864	Shimonoseki campaign, (The combined fleet of Britain, France, the Netherlands, and the United States). Takasugi Shinsaku formed Kiheitai.
1875	Maresuke Nogi leads the 14th Regiment and is assigned to Kokura. He suppressed the Akizuki Rebellion and the Hagi Rebellion.
1894	First Sino-Japanese war. The war between Japan and China was mainly over the Korean Peninsula. According to the Treaty of Shimonoseki concluded in Japan’s favor, Qing Dynasty paid reparations. Using this reparation money, the Japanese government built a government-run steelworks in Yahata Village, Fukuoka Prefecture. This was the birth of the Yawata Steel Works.
1898	The 12th Division Headquarters opens in Kokura. The following year, in 1932, Ogai Mori was appointed military medical chief.
1904	Russo-Japanese War. A war between Japan and Russia that centered on the Korean Peninsula and Manchuria. The 12th Division was dispatched from Kokura.
1914	World War I. The first world war in human history.
1931	Manchurian Incident. Promotion of Japanese militarism. Farewell of soldiers departing from Moji Port.
1933	Army Arsenal Kokura Arsenal opens. Kitakyushu became a major base for munitions factories.
1937	The Second Sino-Japanese War breaks out. Japan and China are at full-scale war. Shift to wartime control. Soldiers from all over the country gathered in Kitakyushu, near China. New construction and expansion of munitions-related factories continue in Kitakyushu City.
1939	World War II begins
1941	In December, Japan entered the Pacific War.
1943	Allied POWs: Prisoners of war entering through Moji Port were sent to labor in various locations across Fukuoka Prefecture. The Moji YMCA was converted into a POW camp.
1944	War Impact on Daily Life: Animals at the Itozu Amusement Park (zoo) were culled, and the site was turned into a farm. Schoolchildren were evacuated from Kitakyushu. In June, the Yawata Steel Works was targeted in the first U.S. air raid on the Japanese mainland.
1945	End of the War: Atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August. The Pacific War ended.
1946	Occupation: General Douglas MacArthur established GHQ (SCAP). Allied occupation forces were stationed throughout Kitakyushu.
1950	Korean War: The Kokura Army Arsenal became the HQ for the U.S. 24th Infantry Division. Moji Port served as a critical shipping hub for soldiers and supplies. Kokura became a processing center for UN soldiers killed in action. In 1951, the Memorial Cross was erected on Mt. Adachi, facing the Korean Peninsula, to honor the souls of unknown soldiers.
1958	World Peace Pagoda: The only Burmese-style pagoda in Japan was erected in Moji to pray for world peace and commemorate those who died in WWII.