70th Anniversary of Cowra break out

[TarJak]

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-05/pows-and-families-mark-70th-anniversary-of-cowra-breakout/5647156

Today marks 70 years passing from the mass POW breakout in Cowra a rural town in New South Wales Australia.

In the early hours of August 5, 1944, more than 1,100 Japanese POWs tried to escape from the camp armed only with sticks and rocks. The POWs rushed the barbed wire laying on mattresses to allow their comrades to run over the flattened fences.

A total of 359 made it out and 231 of them were killed in the following days.

[Jimbuna]

Never knew of this, must do some research and find out what the film based on this event was called :salute:

[TarJak]

Never knew of this, must do some research and find out what the film based on this event was called :salute:

The Cowra Breakout TV Mini Series:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0135848/

Based on the book "Die like the carp!"
http://www.amazon.com/Die-Like-Carp-Greatest-Prison/dp/0726932434

When I was much younger, I visited the site of the camp and the beautiful Japanese garden that was erected after the war, funded by the Japanese government. A fitting tribute to some very brave men.

http://ih3.redbubble.net/image.10064111.9081/flat,550x550,075,f.jpg

[Jimbuna]

Chers I'll have a scout about for the film :03:

[Dread Knot]

The Great Escape, Pacific War style.

Most Japanese POWs become rather passive and docile after capture, so events like these were rare. There was a previous riot at Camp Featherston in New Zealand in 1943, when 250 prisoners refused to report for work, the situation escalated, and 48 prisoners and one guard wound up dead. Then the aforementioned Cowra breakout in 1944 resulting in the escape of 359 prisoners, all of whom were subsequently either recaptured, killed while resisting recapture, or committed suicide. A third planned riot at Camp Piata in New Caledonia was exposed by an informer, and the ringleaders promptly hanged themselves in their barracks.

All these riots were led by a hard core of "true believers", prisoners who maintained a deep faith in the ultimate victory of Japan. At Featherston the ringleaders were petty officers from the sunken Japanese heavy cruiser Furutaka, while those at Cowra were noncommissioned officers upset that they were going to be separated from their men. I get the impression the goal was never to get back to Japanese lines, as that would have been virtually impossible. Regaining personal honor and escaping the shame of captivity was probably the primary motivator.

[eddie]

Interesting story, thanks!

[Stealhead]

I understand that the Japanese did not provide any guidelines in reguards to how one should behave if in fact captured. So I imagine many might have felt a bit of desperation depending on how heavily the indoctrination had effected them.

Kind of depends on what I expect the enemy will do to a POW.Which one can never be 100% certain of you might encounter the one who dose not accept POWs.

Also consider the fact that some Japanese knew what Japanese occupied China was like. If your people do something safe to assume that another nation might do the same or worse. Of course disobey as an enlisted man disobey a Japanese officers orders at your own peril.

Personally I do not think that to a man the Japanese combatant fully bought into the bogus bushido. Of course if your in a certain situation you no choice but to give it all up in battle. I think if had been a Japanese espically in some of the final battles I would not have willingly surrendered. I would never have done so as an American. Now Id not kill myself either well in our modern wars I'd rather take a few with me than get beheaded.

[Aktungbby]

REQUIRED reading alongside your Sun-tsu and Von Clausewitz BBY!:D'twill give insight to ^ 'bogus Bushido beheadings':x! http://media3.picsearch.com/is?GIQYEsVK5_KyykaUIAYt2N5hpBT9gtUCn-Brqa0IAd0&height=214 Interestingly, 'ol Musashi-San disdained the katana and used the wooden bokken just as effectively. A noted calligrapher-his self portrait: http://media4.picsearch.com/is?54plOWNoeOWHmPRaX55QGQXK5KuSx4uthemeOkstu3I&height=214

[TarJak]

Less an issue of belief in bushido and more a manifestation of shame and loss of face. Questioning whether their families had been shamed and what their ancestors would think of them was a far greater driver of their behaviours.

[Jimbuna]

Less an issue of belief in bushido and more a manifestation of shame and loss of face. Questioning whether their families had been shamed and what their ancestors would think of them was a far greater driver of their behaviours.

Most definitely.