Author: Byeongju Hwang, a Research Officer, National Institute of Korean History
Image link: http://archive.history.go.kr/image/viewer.do?catalogId=AUS043_57_00C0411
ANNOTATION
Among the materials relevant to “comfort women” for the Japanese military, one of the more important types of documents were the records produced by the Allied Forces fighting against Japan. Research Report No. 120, written by the Allied Translator and Interpreter Section (ATIS) is the most massive and detailed document among the Allied Forces’ records (by the U.S. and other countries) discovered so far.
This record was disclosed to the public in 1992 for the first time, soon after Hak-sun Kim first publicly testified about her ordeal in 1991. Angered by the Japanese government’s denial of the “comfort women” system, Grant K. Goodman, a professor from the University of Kansas, released this report that he had obtained while in the military. Prior to this, the National Institute of Korean History (NIKH) had acquired this record from the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) collection on January 28, 1992, through Dr. Seonju Bang, a Korean American historian.
ATIS Research reports were the most reliable materials reported to the top-level leaders of the general headquarters of the Southwestern Pacific Area Allied Forces and the Supreme Commander for the Allied Forces. There are two versions of the Research Report, No. 120. It was first published in February, and then republished in November, 1945. In the November version, the description relating to the “comfort women” system had been greatly reinforced and expanded, with the addition of seized Japanese military documents that included the descriptions of the establishment and operating rules of the “comfort stations” as an appendix. While the February version collected information to defeat the enemy during the war, the purpose of the November version seems to have been to prepare for a potential war crimes tribunal, as an essential part of postwar settlements.
One important difference between the two versions is that the former mostly relied on POWs’ statements, while the latter contained more substantial and specific information such as the “comfort station” regulations in seized documents and statements gathered from former “comfort station” owners. In particular, the “comfort station” section in the November version has a subsection on regulations (a. Regulations), and a compilation of “comfort station” regulations from five locations that provide the outline of the Japanese military “comfort station” system. Of the five locations, the regulations from Manila “comfort station” are the most extensive and detailed. This regulation booklet is one of the most representative among the “comfort station” regulations discovered so far, because it contains every regulation in overwhelming detail with respect to the establishment and overall operation of the “comfort stations.”
The Manila “comfort station” regulations are composed of 52 provisions. The text in the general regulations (p.9) describes all aspects relating to the “comfort stations,” such as the establishment, suspension, and damage compensation, and the fact that it shall be controlled by the Japanese military. This description clearly indicates that the “comfort stations” were part of the Japanese military’s subsidiary facilities.
The second item in the report deals with Burma and statements given by a former business owner, who was captured as POW. This record shows that all Japanese authorities, not just the military, were involved in the establishment and the operation of the “comfort stations. ”This document clearly illustrates the involvement of Japan’s Government General in Korea.
This research report no. 120 is the most extensive and detailed material among the documents relating to the “comfort stations” in English that have been discovered thus far. The fact that the Allied Forces published the report in two separate versions shows how deeply they were interested in this issue. Additionally, it is an important document in the sense that it was written by the Allied Forces, but also contains the records produced by the Japanese military. In sum, this is a rare document that includes the perspectives of the Allied Forces as well as the reality of how the Japanese military managed the “comfort stations.”
#ATIS #management #regulation #Manila #Burma
LESSON PLAN
Note to teachers:
1. The discussion questions below are designed based on the original document, not the annotation. Teachers are recommended to use the primary document in teaching, instead of the annotation. However, the annotation provides useful background information for teachers when they prepare for the lesson.
2. The classroom activities below are designed based on: Section II. Amusements
Explain the following words to your students before asking them to read the required sections:
- A.P.O: Army Post Office
- ATIS: Allied Translator and Interpreter Section, a joint Australian/American agency which served as a centralized allied intelligence unit for the translation of intercepted Japanese communication, interrogations and negotiations in the Pacific Theater of Operations between September 1942 and December 1945.
- billet: a place, usually a civilian's house or other nonmilitary facility, where soldiers are lodged temporarily
- brothel: a house where men can visit prostitutes. It refers to the comfort stations in the document.
- geisha: a Japanese hostess trained to entertain men with conversation, dance, and song (Note to teachers: Geisha's status changes in history. Depending on the era, some engaged in prostitution, while others didn't.)
- ply one's trade: to do one's particular kind of work
- prophylaxis: action taken to prevent diseases, especially by specified means or against a specified disease
- reveller: spelled as "reveler" in American English, a person who is enjoying themselves in a lively and noisy way
- troupe: a group of dancers, actors, or other entertainers who tour to different venues
- unbecoming: (of behavior) not fitting or appropriate
- venereal disease: sexually transmitted disease
Direct students to focus on the first three pages (i.e., the three pages before Contents). This exercise gives students a general idea of what they are going to read next. Discuss the following questions:
1. What kind of document is this?
2. What are the physical characteristics of this document?
a. Is it handwritten or typed?
b. Are there any marks? If so, what are they?
c. Any other physical features do you notice?
d. Do any of these physical characteristics interest you?
3. What's the title of the document?
4. Who prepared it?
5. Who's the potential audience of the document?
6. When was it created?
7. What does the report include?
Direct students to turn to "Section II. Amusements" on page 5. Read "5. General" and discuss the following questions:
1. What types of amusements are mentioned?
2. Among all the amusements, which ones are "occasional," and which is "insured?"
3. What are the nationalities of the majority of the "comfort women?"
4. How different are the statements relating to the "comfort women" system between regular prisoners of war and those who are brothel owners?
5. According to the brothel owners, who directly supervise the brothels, including the private ones?
6. Locate Burma on Google Maps. How far is it from Japan?
Direct students to turn to "8. Geisha and Entertainment Troupes" on pp.8-9, and discuss the following questions:
1. How did the entertainment troupes entertain soldiers in homeland Japan?
2. How did the entertainment troupes entertain soldiers in Southwest Pacific area? Based on the statement provided by prisoner of war Kazuo Yoshida, were the Japanese entertainment troupes protected? Use evidence from the document to support your conclusion.
3. Locate Palau, Rabaul, Bougainville on Google Maps. How far are they from Japan?
"9. Brothels" MANILA, pp. 9-17. This section is multi page and it wouldn't be practical to ask students to read all. These pages show how the Japanese military oversaw every aspect of the "comfort women" system. To help students understand this point, teachers can follow the following steps:
Step 1: Based on the number of students in class, pick some regulations/rules from the reading.
Step 2: Print them out and cut each regulation/rule into a separate slip.
Step 3: Give each student a slip in class. Allow 1-2 minutes for students to read their slips on their own and understand the meaning.
Step 4: Start from the first student. Ask them to read the slip out loud and explain what it means, so the rest of the class can hear. Move on to the next student until all students read and explain their slips.
Step 5: After everyone reads their slips, pose this question to the entire class for discussion:
- Which regulation/rule most interests you? Why do you think so?
- The Japanese government has been claiming that it bears no legal or official responsibility for the "comfort women" victims. Based on what you've just read and heard, do you think the claim is defendable? Why or why not?
"9. Brothels" BURMA, SUMATRA, Southwest Pacific Area, pp. 17-19. This section contains statements by prisoners of war.
Teachers can do the same activity above for this section.
* This lesson plan was designed by Jing Williams, Associated Professor of Social Studies Education at University of South Dakota.