On September 2, 1945, Japan signed an act of unconditional surrender, thus ending the Second world war. Although some Japanese soldiers continued to partisan for many years, and according to the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines, they may still be fighting in the jungle. The fighting spirit of the Nippon army was amazing, and the readiness to give one's life was respectable, but cruelty and fanaticism, together with war crimes, arouse extremely contradictory feelings.

We talk about what the army of Imperial Japan was like in World War II, what kaiten and Oka are, and also why hazing was considered a moral duty of the commander.

For the Emperor, wash the heels of a sergeant - training in the Japanese army

Japanese Empire in late XIX- at the beginning of the 20th century, she cherished ambitions to expand her living space, and, naturally, she needed a powerful army and navy for this. And if on the technical side the Japanese did a lot, turning the backward army into a modern one, then on the psychological side they were greatly helped by the militant mentality that had developed over many centuries.

The bushido code demanded from the samurai unquestioning obedience to the commander, contempt for death and an incredible sense of duty. It was these features in the imperial army that were developed to the maximum. And it all started from the school bench, where the boys were inspired that the Japanese are a divine nation, and the rest are subhuman, which can be treated like cattle.

The young Japanese was told that he was a descendant of divine ancestors, and his whole life was a path to glory through military exploits in the service of the Emperor and higher officers. Here, for example, is what a Japanese boy wrote in an essay during Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905:

I will become a soldier to kill Russians and take them prisoner. I will kill as many Russians as possible, cut off their heads and present them to the emperor. And then I'll throw myself into battle again, I'll get even more Russian heads, I'll kill them all. I will become a great warrior.

Naturally, with such desires and support from society, the boy grew into a ferocious warrior.

The future soldier learned to endure hardships from an early age, and in the army this skill was brought to perfection not only with the help of jogging and exercises, but also through bullying by colleagues and seniors. For example, a senior in rank, who felt that the recruits did not give him a military salute well enough, had the right to line them up and give each one a slap in the face. If the young man fell from the blow, he had to immediately jump up, stretching out at attention.

Such a harsh attitude was complemented by currying favor with higher authorities. When, after a tiring march, a senior in rank sat down on a chair, several soldiers at once raced to unlace his shoes. And in the bathhouse, a queue literally lined up to rub the officer's back.

As a result, the combination of the most powerful propaganda and education, coupled with difficult conditions of service, created fanatical and hardy soldiers, extremely disciplined, persistent and monstrously cruel.

Kamikaze and a war that stretched for decades

Fierce kamikaze on the battlefield was met first by the Chinese, and then by the Russians and the Americans during the Second World War. Japanese soldiers, throwing themselves under tanks with magnetic mines and fighting in hand-to-hand combat to the end, were almost impossible to capture.

An example is the capture of the island of Saipan, where soldiers, on the last orders of Generals Saito, Igeta and Admiral Nagumo, who had shot themselves, launched a banzai attack. More than three thousand soldiers and civilians, armed with bamboo pikes, bayonets and grenades, first drank all the alcohol they had, and then rushed screaming at the American positions.

Even the wounded and one-legged rode on crutches after their comrades. The Americans were shocked that their ranks were broken through, and the attackers ran to the artillery, but then more experienced Yankees appeared and killed all the suicide bombers. But the worst thing came before the Americans later - they saw how the remaining soldiers with women and children undermined themselves with grenades or jumped into the sea.

The famous kamikaze armband

The practice of suicide attacks was very common in the Japanese army at that time. It was partly based on the readiness to die for the emperor, nurtured from an early age, partly - it was a forced measure due to the serious superiority of opponents on sea, land and air. Such suicides were called - kamikaze, which means "divine wind" in translation. The name was given in honor of the typhoon, which in ancient times drowned the armada of the Mongols, sailing to conquer Japan.

Kamikazes at the beginning of WWII used planes with huge bombs that they directed at American ships. Later, they began to use manned winged projectiles, which they called Oka (sakura flower). "Flowers" with explosives, the weight of which could reach a ton, were launched from bombers. At sea, they were joined by manned torpedoes called kaiten (changing fate) and boats loaded with explosives.

Only volunteers were recruited in kamikaze, of which there were many, since serving in suicide squads was a very honorable thing. In addition, a decent amount was paid to the family of the deceased. However, no matter how effective and terrifying the suicide attacks were, they failed to save Japan from defeat.

But for some soldiers, the war did not end even after Japan surrendered. On numerous islands in the jungle, several dozens of Japanese partisans remained, who staged sorties and killed enemy soldiers, policemen and civilians. These soldiers refused to lay down their arms because they did not believe that their great emperor admitted defeat.

For example, in January 1972, Sergeant Seichi Yokoi was discovered on the island of Guam, who had been living in a hole near the city of Talofofo all this time, and in December 1974, a soldier named Teruo Nakamura was found on Marotai Island. And even in 2005, 87-year-old lieutenant Yoshio Yamakawa and 83-year-old corporal Suzuki Nakauchi were found on the island of Minandao, who were hiding there, fearing punishment for desertion.

Hiroo Onoda

But, of course, the most sensational case is the story of Hiroo Onoda, a junior lieutenant of Japanese intelligence, who, first with his comrades, and after their death and alone, partisaned on the island of Lubang until 1972. During this time, he and his associates killed thirty and seriously wounded about a hundred people.

Even when a Japanese journalist found him and told him that the war was long over, he refused to surrender until his commander canceled the order. I had to urgently look for his former boss, who ordered Onoda to lay down his arms. After being pardoned, Hiroo lived a long life, wrote several books, and trained youth in wilderness survival skills. Onoda died on January 16, 2014 in Tokyo, a couple of months before the age of 92.

Chopping heads for speed and the Nanjing Massacre

The harsh upbringing that exalted the Japanese and allowed them to consider other peoples as animals gave them reasons and opportunities to treat captured soldiers and civilians with unimaginable cruelty. Especially went to the Chinese, whom the Japanese despised, considering soft-bodied subhumans, unworthy of human treatment.

Often young soldiers were trained, forcing them to slaughter bound prisoners, and officers practiced cutting heads. It even came to competitions, which were widely covered by the Japanese press of that time. In 1937, two lieutenants staged a contest to be the first to slaughter a hundred Chinese. To understand the madness that was going on, it is worth reading the headline of one of the Japanese newspapers of the time: "A stunning record in the decapitation of a hundred people: Mukai - 106, Noda - 105. Both second lieutenants start an additional round." As a result, the award nevertheless found "heroes" - after the war, the Chinese caught them and shot them.

Editorial with the "exploits" of lieutenants

When the Japanese army took Nanjing, some of the Chinese believed that order and peace would come with disciplined foreign troops. But instead, on the orders of a member of the imperial house, Prince Asaka, a massacre broke out in the city. According to Chinese historians, the invaders killed from three hundred to five hundred thousand inhabitants, many were brutally tortured, and most of the women were raped. The most striking thing is that the main culprit, Prince Asaki, who gave the monstrous order, was not brought to justice, being a member of the imperial family, and lived quietly and peacefully until 1981.

Another no less monstrous side of the Japanese army was the so-called "comfort stations" - military brothels, where Korean and Chinese girls were forcibly driven into prostitution. According to Chinese historians, 410,000 girls passed through them, many of whom committed suicide after being abused.

It is interesting how modern Japanese authorities try to deny responsibility for brothels. These stations were allegedly only a private initiative, and the girls went there voluntarily, as announced in 2007 by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe. Only under pressure from the United States, Canada and Europe did the Japanese finally have to admit their guilt, apologize and start paying compensation to the former "comfort women".

And, of course, one cannot help but recall Detachment 731, a special unit of the Japanese army engaged in the development of biological weapons, whose inhuman experiments on people would make the most seasoned Nazi executioner turn pale.

Be that as it may, the Japanese army in World War II is remembered as examples of endless courage and following a sense of duty, as well as inhuman cruelty and disgusting deeds. But neither one nor the other helped the Japanese when they were utterly defeated by the troops of the allies, among whom was my great-uncle, who beat the samurai in Manchuria in forty-five.

Japan's participation in World War II proved tragic for the empire. Triumphant battles and territorial seizures were replaced by defeats on land and on water, one of which was the loss of the island of Guadalcanal. On January 14, 1943, Japanese troops began to evacuate the island, yielding to the troops anti-Hitler coalition. Ahead of Japan were many more lost battles, the most famous of which were in the "RG" selection.

Operation Mo

The battle between the ships of Japan and the United States in the South Pacific, in the Coral Sea in May 1942, historians consider one of the first defeats of the Asian military forces in World War II. Although the outcome of the battle was ambiguous. Prior to this, the Japanese had captured Tulagi Island in the Solomon Islands and planned to occupy Port Moresby in New Guinea (hence the name of Operation Mo Sakusen) to strengthen their position in the ocean. The flotilla was commanded by Admiral Shigeyoshi Inoue, who, by the way, was removed from command after the operation. And that's why. They say that in this operation, the enemy ships did not even see each other, aircraft carriers exchanged strikes and attacks. The Japanese sank several American ships, but they also had serious losses. The aircraft carriers "Shoho" and "Shokaku" were seriously damaged, performing key role in Operation Mo. As a result, Admiral Inoue canceled the attack on Port Moresby, and the remaining ships and aircraft were not enough to win the Battle of Midway. For the Japanese, a "black streak" began in the war.

Battle of Midway

During the naval battle in the area near the Pacific Midway Atoll in June 1942, the Japanese fleet was defeated by the American enemy. Japan attacked the atoll on which US troops were based. two groups: aircraft carriers under the command of Admiral Nagumo and battleships, led by Admiral Yamamoto. Historians believe that the Japanese attack on Midway was actually a trap to lure American destroyers into it. The forces of the imperial army were undermined by the previous battle in the Coral Sea, in addition, the Americans knew their plan and prepared a counteroffensive, striking first. Japan's losses in this battle amounted to five aircraft carriers and cruisers, about 250 aircraft, not counting human casualties. Most importantly, Japan lost its advantage over the enemy in aircraft carriers and aircraft based on them, and since then it has not attacked, but only defended itself.

Capture of Okinawa

The landing operation of the US armed forces in 1945 was codenamed "Iceberg". Its goal was to capture the Japanese island of Okinawa, which was defended by the 32nd Army under the command of Lieutenant General Mitsuru Ushijima, for the subsequent invasion of troops into the country. The island was guarded by about 100 thousand Japanese, the American offensive was almost three times larger, not counting equipment and aircraft. The assault on Okinawa began on the first of April. Ushijima's troops resisted fiercely until the summer, sending kamikaze into battle. A fleet was sent to help, including the legendary battleship Yamato. One of their main functions was to divert fire on themselves so that suicide pilots could break through to the enemy. All ships were sunk American aviation. "Yamato" sank along with 2.5 thousand crew members. At the end of June, the Japanese defenses fell, the lieutenant general and officers of the Japanese headquarters committed ritual suicide - seppuku. Okinawa was occupied by the Americans, for whom the Iceberg was the last landing operation in this war.

Loss of Saipan

Another defeat of the Japanese army in the Pacific was the lost battle for the island of Saipan in 1944. This battle was part of the American Mariana operation to capture Saipan and two other islands - Tinian and Guam. According to various estimates, Japan lost about 60,000 troops in the battles for the islands. The Americans placed military bases on the occupied islands, blocking the supply of raw materials for the needs of the military and defense industry from the countries of Southeast Asia to the Japanese. After the loss of Saipan, Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo resigned, whose popularity began to decline after the defeat of the imperial troops at Midway. Tojo was later declared a war criminal by his own government and executed. The capture of Saipan and two other islands allowed the Americans to organize an offensive operation into the Philippines.

Battle for Iwo Jima

Towards the end of the war, hostilities were already taking place in Japan. One of the main victories of the Americans on land was the battle for the island of Iwo Jima at the end of the winter of 1945. Iwo Jima was strategically important to the empire. There was located military base, which prevented the Americans from attacking the enemy from the air. The Japanese were preparing for an attack not only by strengthening ground defenses, but also by equipping underground defenses. The first American attack came from the water, the island was shelled from naval artillery, then bombers joined the battle, and after that, marines landed on Iwo Jima. The campaign was successful, the American flag was planted on Mount Suribachi, and the photograph of this event became a classic of military documentary. The Japanese, by the way, burned their flag so that the enemy would not get it. After the end of the campaign, Japanese soldiers remained in the underground tunnels, who for a long time waged a guerrilla war with the Americans.

Manchurian operation

The Manchurian operation, organized in 1945 by Soviet and Mongolian troops, effectively put an end to Japan's participation in World War II. The purpose of the operation was to defeat the Kwantung Army in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia, the Liaodong Peninsula and Korea. The Japanese armed forces were simultaneously dealt two main blows - from the territories of Mongolia and the Soviet Primorye - as well as a number of auxiliary blows. The Blitzkrieg began on August 9, 1945. Aviation began to bomb the Japanese in Harbin, Changchun and Jilin, at the same time Pacific Fleet in the Sea of ​​Japan attacked naval bases in Ungi, Najin and Chongjin, and on land the enemy was smashed by soldiers of the Trans-Baikal Front. Having cut off the Japanese troops' retreat, the participants in the operation divided their military formations into small groups and surrounded them. On August 19, the Japanese military began to surrender. Taking into account atomic bombings Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan was forced to capitulate, the war was over.

Although the scenario of the 4th Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905, 1938-1939, 1945) is unlikely, you still need to know the capabilities of a potential enemy.

Tokyo's current tantrums are a sign of the decline of the Land of the Rising Sun. Japanese civilization is seriously ill, its Spirit is struck, which is clearly manifested in the psychological state of the population, the endless economic stagnation.

But instead of forgetting past mistakes and going for large-scale cooperation with Russia, which would give Japan a second wind, Tokyo prefers to blow on the coals of old and imaginary grievances, it would be more logical to present claims to the United States, which still occupy their territory and subjected them to nuclear bombed cities.

Japan Self-Defense Force

The number of approximately 300 thousand people, the number of reservists about 50 thousand. The recruitment principle is voluntary. The population is more than 127 million people, which is comparable to the population of the Russian Federation.

Ground forces- about 150 thousand (for 2007), 10 divisions (9 infantry and 1 tank), 18 brigades (3 infantry, 2 mixed, airborne, artillery, 2 anti-aircraft artillery, 5 engineering, helicopter, 3 training), 3 groups air defense. Armament: about 1000, about 900 armored vehicles, about 2000 artillery and mortars (including self-propelled guns, anti-aircraft guns), 100 anti-ship missiles, more than 100 MLRS, about 700 anti-tank missiles, 500 military air defense systems, about 450 helicopters - of which about 100 percussion.

Air Force: population personnel 43-50 thousand people, 250 fighters and fighter-bombers (including 160 F-15 Eagle), 10 F-4 Phantom II (RF-4E) reconnaissance aircraft, approximately 50 electronic warfare aircraft, radar, tankers, 30 transport workers, 240 training ( can be used as scouts, light fighters, bombers) - for example: 20 Mitsubishi F-2B fighter-bombers. The Air Force also has over 50 utility and transport helicopters.

Japanese Navy: The number is approximately 45 thousand people. Composition: 1 Hyuuga-class helicopter carrier destroyer, 4 Shirane and Haruna-class helicopter carrier destroyers, 8 Atago, Kongo, Hatakaze-class URO destroyers, 32 destroyers (5 Takanami-class, 9 Murasame-class, 8 Asagiri-class, 10 Hatsuyuki-class), 6 Abukuma-class frigates, 20 submarines - 2 Soryu-class (2009-2010, several more under construction), 11 Oyashio-class , 7 type "Harushio".

There is also 1 minelayer, 2 minesweeper bases, 3 sea minesweepers, 3 Osumi-class large landing craft docks (1 under construction), 2 small landing craft, 7 missile boats, 8 landing craft (including 6 project 1 hovercraft) , 25 mine-sweeping boats, 5 sea tankers, 4 training ships, 2 training submarines, 2 control ships, 2 search and rescue ships.

Maritime: 172 aircraft and 133 helicopters (2007).

Coast Guard - more than 12 thousand people.

Air defense: about one and a half hundred long-range Patriot systems (similar to our S-300s), more than 500 MANPADS and ZA, about 70 short-range systems Tan SAM Type 81. Air defense is reinforced by E-2 Hawkeye AWACS aircraft and 10 AWACS - “ Boeing 767. All this is combined with the automated control system and the Badge air defense systems of the Navy.

Feature of the Japanese Navy: all ships are new, the most "old" ones are from the mid-80s, most of them are new, from the 90s, 2000s.

Northern Army: the most powerful army in Japan, created to counter the USSR. Tokyo is currently strengthening the southern direction, but the process has just begun. In its composition: 1 tank division, 3 infantry, artillery brigade, air defense brigade, engineering brigade. They are armed with approximately 90% of coastal PC systems, more than half of the tanks, 90 MLRS, a third of the air defense systems and artillery, a quarter of the anti-tank systems of all the Japanese Armed Forces.

Our forces in the Far Eastern theater of operations

Pacific Fleet: In 2010, the fleet had 5 strategic missile submarines, 20 multi-purpose submarines (twelve of them nuclear-powered), 10 combat surface ships of the ocean and sea zone and 32 ships of the coastal zone. But part of the payroll is in conservation or requires major repairs - all ships of the 1980s and early 90s, only one Molniya-class missile boat of 2004. For example: a heavy nuclear missile cruiser"Admiral Lazarev" in conservation, out of 4 destroyers, three are in conservation and repair (a rare ship returns to the fleet from conservation).

In Vladivostok, a marine brigade, a separate regiment of marines and an engineering battalion. 1 separate coastal missile regiment. In Kamchatka, an anti-aircraft missile regiment - S-300P.

Fleet problems: reconnaissance, target designation, dilapidated ships, air support and aerial reconnaissance are not enough.

Naval aviation: 1 separate mixed air regiment - Kamenny Ruchey (in service with Tu-22M3, Tu-142M3, Tu-142MR), a separate mixed anti-submarine air regiment (Nikolaevka) with Il-38, Ka-27, Ka-29; a separate transport aviation squadron (Knevichi) with An-12, An-24, An-26; a separate mixed air regiment (Yelizovo) Il-38; a separate naval anti-submarine helicopter squadron (Yelizovo) with Ka-27.
Air Force: There are no aircraft on the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin, one base in Kamchatka - approximately 30-35 MiG-31 fighter-interceptors, an air base near Vladivostok - 24 Su-27SM, 6 Su-27UB (combat training) and 12 MiG-31 ( how many combat-ready - is unknown). In comparative proximity - in Siberia - two air bases with 30 Su-27 and 24 short-range bombers Su-24M, 24 Su-24M2. But there are no air refueling tankers and AWACS aircraft. That is, the planes do not "see far", and their presence in the air is limited.

Ground troops: on Sakhalin there is a motorized rifle brigade, on the Kuril Islands one machine-gun and artillery division is not covered from the air, there is no air force, military air defense is not sufficient.

Scenarios of the 4th Russian-Japanese

- Short-term private operation: Japan delivers a sudden strike (they will not warn, this is a fact, as in 1904 and 1941 - they surprised the Russians in Port Arthur and the USA in Pearl Harbor) on the fleet bases in Vladivostok and Petropavlovsk, while simultaneously ironing the 18th division from the air and sea ​​(possibly Sakhalin), then a landing operation, we lose the Kuriles and, possibly, Sakhalin. If they want to capture Sakhalin, they will. They will try to destroy most of the ships and infrastructure of the Pacific Fleet. Then, with the support of the United States and the world community, they will demand peace, returning Sakhalin, but solving the problem of the Northern Territories. The armed forces of the Russian Federation will not even have time to “wake up” properly, as the war ends. This is the most possible option.

The Japanese Armed Forces have enough forces for this.

If the Russian Federation does not go to peace, it will have to restore the Pacific Fleet, prepare landing transports, and it is necessary to create a complete 2-3-fold superiority over the Japanese Navy and Air Force, otherwise the islands cannot be recaptured. This is not one year and big losses, because Tokyo over the years will create a powerful system of fortifications of the islands. And the world community will in every possible way condemn the aggressive preparations of the Russians.

All-out war: most unlikely scenario. Tokyo is not ready for it, but in principle it can prepare in a few years, if the Pacific Fleet continues to rust and age, the Air Force and ground forces in the Far Eastern theater of operations will not be strengthened. Nobody canceled the plan of "Great Japan" to the Urals. Let's say, in 5-8 years, Japan delivers a sudden blow, captures the Kuriles and Sakhalin with lightning speed, smashes the remnants of the Pacific Fleet, and lands airborne divisions in Primorye and Kamchatka. Moscow does not go for the demonstrative use of nuclear weapons, throwing units from Siberia, the Urals and the European part of Russia into battle, everything comes not together, but in parts. As a result, Japan, incurring losses, will capture the Far East, but there will not be enough forces for further advancement.

China, threatening a strike from the south, will demand its share, the US will want its share - Chukotka and Kamchatka. Tokyo will have to accept and succumb to the great powers. Moscow will be able to win only by using nuclear weapons (several strikes against enemy troops are enough) or by militarizing the Far East.

US position

Will morally support an ally, secretly “ask” Moscow not to use nuclear weapons. They themselves will not fight, in the event of a full-scale war and the defeat of the Russian Federation, they will demand a share. He will try to become an intermediary - offering to "reconcile", giving Tokyo the islands.

China

He will condemn Tokyo's aggression, but will not interfere; in the event of a total success, Japan will demand a share, threatening war. Maybe "on the sly" to occupy Mongolia, part of Central Asia.

What to do to prevent such scenarios

Strengthen your armed forces, including the Pacific Fleet, Air Force, ground forces.

To state clearly diplomatically that we will never give up what is ours, and in the event of war and the insufficiency of conventional armed forces, we will respond with all available means.

Start a massive development program Far East, encouraging the resettlement of the excess population from the European part of Russia and the demographic growth programs of the indigenous population (stimulating families with three or more children).

- If possible, take the place of the US as an ally of Japan by proposing joint space exploration programs, jointly developing industrial, scientific projects, Russia is huge - Japan's investments will find worthy use.

Until December 7, 1941, there was not a single military conflict with the Asian army in the history of America. There were only a few minor skirmishes in the Philippines during the war with Spain. This led to the underestimation of the enemy by American soldiers and sailors.
The US Army has heard stories of the cruelty that the Japanese invaders inflicted on China's population in the 1940s. But before the clashes with the Japanese, the Americans had no idea what their opponents were capable of.
Regular beatings were so common that it's not even worth mentioning. However, in addition, the captured Americans, British, Greeks, Australians and Chinese had to deal with slave labor, forced marches, cruel and unusual torture and even dismemberment.
Below are some of the more shocking atrocities of the Japanese army during World War II.
15. CANNIBALISM

The fact that during the famine people begin to eat their own kind is no secret to anyone. Cannibalism took place on the Donner-led expedition, and even on the Uruguayan rugby team that crashed in the Andes, which is the subject of the movie Alive. But this always happened only in extreme circumstances. But it's impossible not to shudder when hearing stories of eating the remains of dead soldiers or cutting off parts from living people. The Japanese camps were in deep isolation, surrounded by impenetrable jungle, and the soldiers guarding the camp often starved like the prisoners, resorting to horrendous means to satisfy their hunger. But for the most part, cannibalism was due to mockery of the enemy. A report from the University of Melbourne states:
“According to the Australian lieutenant, he saw many bodies that were missing parts, even a scalped head without a torso. He argues that the condition of the remains clearly indicated that they had been dismembered for cooking."
14. NON-HUMAN EXPERIMENTS ON PREGNANT WOMEN


Dr. Josef Mengele was a famous Nazi scientist who experimented on Jews, twins, dwarfs and other concentration camp prisoners, for which he was wanted the international community after the war for trial for numerous war crimes. But the Japanese had their own scientific institutions, where at least terrible experiences over people.
The so-called Detachment 731 conducted experiments on Chinese women who were raped and impregnated. They were purposefully infected with syphilis so that it could be known whether the disease would be inherited. Often, the state of the fetus was studied directly in the mother's womb without the use of anesthesia, since these women were considered nothing more than animals for study.
13. COLLECTION AND SUITATION OF THE GENITALS IN THE MOUTH


In 1944, on the volcanic island of Peleliu, a Marine soldier, while having lunch with a comrade, saw the figure of a man heading towards them across the open terrain of the battlefield. When the man approached, it became clear that he was also a Marine Corps soldier. The man walked bent over and moved his legs with difficulty. He was covered in blood. The sergeant decided that it was just a wounded man who had not been taken from the battlefield, and he and several colleagues hurried to meet him.
What they saw made them shudder. His mouth was sewn shut and the front of his trousers was cut open. His face was contorted in pain and horror. Having taken him to the doctors, they later learned from them what really happened. He was captured by the Japanese, where he was beaten and severely tortured. The Japanese army soldiers cut off his genitals, stuffed them into his mouth, and sewed him up. It is not known if the soldier could survive such a horrific abuse. But the reliable fact is that instead of intimidation, this event had the opposite effect, filling the hearts of the soldiers with hatred and giving them additional strength to fight for the island.
12. SATISFYING THE CURIOSITY OF DOCTORS


People involved in medicine in Japan did not always work to alleviate the plight of the sick. During World War II, Japanese "doctors" often performed brutal procedures on enemy soldiers or civilians in the name of science or simply to satisfy curiosity. Somehow they were interested in what would happen to the human body if it was twisted for a long time. To do this, they put people in centrifuges and twisted them sometimes for hours. People were thrown back against the walls of the cylinder, and the faster it turned, the more pressure applied to internal organs. Many died within a few hours and their bodies were removed from the centrifuge, but some were twisted until they literally exploded or fell apart.
11. AMPUTATION

If a person was suspected of espionage, then for this he was punished with all cruelty. Not only were the soldiers of the enemy armies of Japan tortured, but also the inhabitants of the Philippines, who were suspected of intelligence intelligence for the Americans and the British. The favorite punishment was simply cutting them up alive. First one hand, then maybe a leg and fingers. Next came the ears. But all this did not lead to a quick death in order for the victim to suffer for a long time. There was also a practice of stopping bleeding after cutting off a hand, when several days were given to recover in order to continue the torture. Men, women and children were subjected to amputations, for no one there was no mercy from the atrocities of Japanese soldiers.
10 Drowning Torture


Many believe that drowning torture was first used by US soldiers in Iraq. Such torture is contrary to the constitution of the country and looks unusual and cruel. This measure may or may not be considered torture. It's definitely an ordeal for a prisoner, but it doesn't put his life at risk. The Japanese used water torture not only for interrogations, but also tied prisoners at an angle and inserted tubes into their nostrils. Thus, water entered them directly into the lungs. It didn't just make you feel like you were drowning, like drowning torture, the victim actually seemed to drown if the torture went on too long.
He could try to spit out enough water to keep from choking, but this was not always successful. Drowning torture was the second most common cause of death for prisoners after beatings.
9. FREEZING AND BURNING

Another kind of inhuman study of the human body was the study of the effects of cold on the body. Often, the skin peeled off the victim's bones as a result of freezing. Of course, the experiments were carried out on living, breathing people who, for the rest of their lives, had to live with limbs from which the skin had come off. But not only the effect of low temperatures on the body was studied, but also high ones. They burned the skin on a person's hand over a torch, and the captive ended his life in terrible torment.
8. RADIATION


X-rays were still poorly understood at the time, and their usefulness and effectiveness in diagnosing disease or as a weapon was questionable. The irradiation of prisoners was especially often used by Detachment 731. The prisoners were collected under a canopy and exposed to radiation. They were taken out at intervals to study the physical and psychological effects of exposure. At particularly high doses of radiation, part of the body burned and the skin literally fell off. The victims died in agony, as in Hiroshima and Nagasaki later, but much more slowly.
7. BURNING ALIVE


Japanese soldiers from small islands in the South Pacific were hardened, cruel people who lived in caves where there was not enough food, nothing to do, but there was a lot of time to cultivate hatred for enemies in their hearts. Therefore, when American soldiers were captured by them, they were absolutely ruthless towards them. Most often, American sailors were burned alive or partially buried. Many of them were found under rocks where they were thrown to decompose. The captives were tied hand and foot, then thrown into a dug hole, which was then slowly buried. Perhaps the worst was that the head of the victim was left outside, which was then urinated on or eaten by animals.
6. DEHEADING


In Japan, it was considered an honor to die from a sword strike. If the Japanese wanted to disgrace the enemy, they brutally tortured him. Therefore, it was good luck for those captured to die by decapitation. It was much worse to be subjected to the tortures listed above. If the battle ran out of ammunition, the Americans used a rifle with a bayonet, while the Japanese always carried a long blade and a long curved sword. Soldiers were lucky to die by decapitation, not by a blow to the shoulder or chest. If the enemy was on the ground, then he was hacked to death, and not cut off his head.
5. DEATH BY THE TIDE


Since Japan and its surrounding islands are surrounded by ocean waters, this type of torture was common among the inhabitants. Drowning is a terrible kind of death. Even worse was the expectation of imminent death from the tide within a few hours. The prisoners were often tortured for several days in order to learn military secrets. Some could not stand the torture, but there were those who only gave their name, rank and serial number. For such stubborn people, a special kind of death was prepared. The soldier was left on the shore, where he had to listen for several hours as the water was getting closer and closer. Then, the water covered the prisoner with his head and within a few minutes of coughing, filled the lungs, after which death occurred.
4. BAMBOO TORTURE


Bamboo grows in hot tropical areas and its growth is noticeably faster than other plants, several centimeters per day. And when the diabolical mind of a person invented the most terrible way to die, then it was impalement. The victims were impaled on bamboo, which slowly grew into their bodies. The unfortunate suffered from inhuman pain when their muscles and organs were pierced by a plant. Death occurred as a result of organ damage or blood loss.
3. COOKING ALIVE


Another activity of Unit 731 was to expose victims to small doses of electricity. With a small impact, it caused severe pain. If it was long, then the internal organs of the prisoners were boiled and burned. An interesting fact about the intestines and gallbladder is that they have nerve endings. Therefore, when exposed to them, the brain sends pain signals to other organs. It's like boiling the body from the inside. Imagine that you swallowed a red-hot piece of iron in order to understand what the unfortunate victims experienced. Pain will be felt throughout the body until the soul leaves it.
2. FORCED LABOR AND MARCHES


Thousands of prisoners of war were sent to Japanese concentration camps, where they led the lives of slaves. A large number of prisoners was a serious problem for the army, since it was impossible to supply them with enough food and medicine. In concentration camps, prisoners were starved, beaten, and forced to work to death. The life of the prisoners meant nothing to the guards and officers watching them. In addition, if labor was needed on an island or another part of the country, then prisoners of war had to march there hundreds of kilometers through unbearable heat. Countless soldiers died along the way. Their bodies were dumped into ditches or left there.
1. FORCED TO KILL COMRADES AND ALLIES


Most often, during interrogations, beatings of prisoners were used. Documents claim that at first they spoke to the prisoner in a good way. Then, if the interrogating officer understood the futility of such a conversation, was bored or simply angry, then the prisoner of war was beaten with fists, sticks or other objects. The beating continued until the tormentors got tired. In order to make the interrogation more interesting, another prisoner was brought in and forced to continue under pain of his own death by decapitation. Often he had to beat the prisoner to death. Few things in war were so hard on a soldier than inflicting suffering on a comrade. These stories filled the Allied forces with even greater determination in the fight against the Japanese.

1 - cotton working uniform;
2 - field uniform made of woolen fabric with cotton lining white color. The lining was marked with the owner, model type (type 98) and the manufacturer's mark.
In a large inner pocket of his uniform, the soldier kept a soldier's pay book (2a), material allowance book (2b) and another document (2c) .;
3 - field cotton trousers with ribbons at the ankles;
4 - side bag sample 1938;
5 - the most common side bag of the 1941 model;
6a - leather waist belt (6b) type 30 (sample 1897) with two pouches for 30 rounds each and one "reserve" pouches for 60 rounds.
As a rule, two pouches were worn on a belt on the stomach, to the right and left of the buckle, and one on the back, the “rear” pouches were somewhat different in design from the front ones. An oiler (6c) was attached to the right end of the rear pouch. This pouch was larger in size and had not two, but three compartments for 20 rounds each, that is, a total of 60 rounds could fit in the pouch.
The infantryman had no right to use cartridges from the rear, reserve, pouch without a special order.
A loop is put on the belt, designed to fasten the sheath of a bayonet-knife. The scabbard had two narrow loops or one wide.
The belt was equipped with an open metal buckle - aluminum, copper or steel. The buckles were sometimes dyed dirty olive or black.
Throughout the war, the design of the waist belt did not change, but instead of leather, ammunition began to be sewn from fabric.
The belt was supported on the tunic by two loops sewn to it, one on the right and one on the left;
6c - oiler;
7 - an oval-shaped identification plate of a soldier measuring 32 x 50 mm; medallions were made of aluminum or copper.
Along the edges of the medallion there was one square-shaped hole.
The Japanese always cremated the dead, so a second medallion designed to identify the body of the slain was not required.
The medallion contained a minimum of information about the soldier (pictured below, on the left).
The inscription on the medallion was read from top to bottom: the top symbol is the type of troops, then the regiment number, the individual number of the soldier. On the officer's medallion (in the figure below, on the right), the surname and rank were also indicated;

8a - underwear;
8b - two pairs of socks;
8c - toiletries;
8g - small towel;
8d - a large towel;
8e - slippers;

9 - an early type backpack.
An infantryman's backpack was a simple shoulder bag with a large flap at the top.
On the inner surface of the backpack there were ribbons designed to fasten all sorts of things.
The old style backpack was made of leather and had a rectangular shape. The skin was stretched over a wooden frame.
Shortly before the start of the war, a cloth version of a bag backpack on a wooden frame appeared.
AT war time such backpacks began to be made of waterproof fabric.
The dimensions of the backpack are 127 x 330 x 330 mm.
In the backpack they carried dry rations and personal items;
10a - an old type flask with a capacity of 1 pint;
10b - 2.5 pint type 94 flask.
The flask of the 1934 model was made of aluminum and painted in a dirty olive color, the lid of the flask was natural cork.
A metal lid-cup was put on top of the cork, connected to the flask with a ribbon - so as not to get lost.
The flask could be attached to the belt with vertical or horizontal straps.;
11 - a pot, consisting of four items: a lid / plate attached to the side of the pan round shape, soup containers and rice containers.
The last two containers were connected by wire.
A simplified model of a pot with a capacity only for rice was also produced.
The bowler hat was placed in a quilted case, which did not allow the contents of the bowler to cool quickly in the cold.