Author: Naozaburo Okabe, Chief of Staff, Field Army in North China
Date: June 27, 1938
File: Frontlines Diary, the 9thinfantry brigade, July 1 to July 31, 1938
Locations: China, and northern China
Keywords: Rape issue / installation
Annotation Source: Northeast Asian History Foundation
Click HERE to see the annotation in Korean
Image link: http://wam-peace.org/ianfu-koubunsho/pdf/K-PDF/K_D_049.pdf
ANNOTATION
This is a notification by the Chief of Staff of the Field Army in North China (Notification no. 161), from The Frontlines Diary, the 9th infantry brigade (July 1 to July 31, 1938) on June 27, 1938. The notification is as follows:
-Rape cases by the Japanese soldiers in various locations have caused anti-Japanese sentiment beyond imagination among the local population.
-Local populations tend to engage in revenge at the risk of their lives in reaction to the cases of rape [committed by Japanese soldiers].
-The soldiers’ behavior interferes with the maintenance of public order and the overall military operations, such that it should be eradicated since it is serious treason that is damaging to the Empire.
-It is urgent to regulate individual soldiers’ behavior. At the same time, it is necessary to promptly install sexual “comfort” facilities for the soldiers so that they will not violate the rules against their will due to the lack of such facilities.
Sources:
WAM Collection (Military_018)
Collection of the Asian Women’s Fund, Vol. 2, p. 21-26
Sourcebook by Suzuki, Yamashita, and Tonomura, Vol. 1, p. 108-109
Sourcebook by Yoshimi, p. 209-211
#establishment #rape #anti-Japanese
QUESTIONS FOR STUDENTS
Explain the following words to your students before asking them to read the annotation:
- sentiment: attitude toward a situation
- eradicate: put an end to
- treason: the crime of betraying one's country
After reading the annotation, please answer the following questions:
1. What kind of document is this?
2. Who wrote it?
3. What year was it created?
4. What was the historical context in East Asia during the time?
5. Where was it created?
6. What's the title of the document? What does the title tell you?
7. Who's the audience of the document?
8. What was the major concern in the document?
9. What did the local people do in reaction to the Japanese soldiers' behavior?
10. Why was it necessary to regulate the Japanese soldiers' behavior?
11. According to the document, what caused the soldiers' bad behavior, i.e., rampant raping?
12. What's the significance of the document?
13. The Japanese government has been claiming that it bears no legal or official responsibility for the "comfort women" victims. Based on this document, do you think the claim is defendable? Why or why not?
14. What other questions do you have for this document?
15. How/Where can you find the answers?
*Questions for Students section was designed by Jing Williams, Associate Professor of Social Studies Education at University of South Dakota.