Annotation source: Seoul Metropolitan Archive
ANNOTATION
The Allied Translator and Interpreter Section (ATIS) of the South West Pacific Area was an allied intelligence agency of the U.S. and Australian forces. It conducted operations in the South West Pacific area including the Philippines. Its main tasks were to translate captured documents from the enemy, and to create, publish, and distribute interrogation reports of the enemy POWs.
This report, dated April 10, 1943, contains translation of orders and announcements of the Japanese military acquired by the ATIS during the Filipino operations and/or in Singapore. The report contains a map of the comfort stations with their names and locations, as well as each unit’s usage regulations. This “comfort station” was located in Singapore and was called “CHIBUNE relaxation house. ” Its specific location is shown on the map included in the report.
The document describes the schedule of available days of the week for each unit, and the different rates and times for soldiers and officers. It was closed every Wednesday, for examination of the “comfort women” for sexually transmitted diseases.
Contributors
[Organization] Seoul National University, Chin-sung Chung Research Team, 2015~
[Organization] City of Seoul, Women and Family Policy Affairs Office 2011~
[Organization] Seoul National University, Chin-sung Chung Research Team, 2015~
[Organization] National Archives and Records Administration 1934~
#ATIS #management #regulations #schedule #Singapore #Chibune
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 the lesson.
2. The scaffolded questions below are designed based on the cover page and the section on page 10 (under the table) and page 11 (above "Garrison Bulletin").
Explain the following words to your students before asking them to read the document:
- brothel: a house where men can visit prostitutes. It refers to the "comfort stations" in the document.
- Butai: English pronumciation of a Japanese word meaning "unit" or "force"
- NCO: non-commissioned officer
- relaxation house: referring to the "comfort station"
- V.D.: venereal disease; sexually transmitted disease
- yen: Japanese currency. The current symbol is ¥.
Direct students to read the cover page:
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? Is so, what are they?
c. Any other physical features do you notice?
d. Does 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 read pp. 10-11 (below the table on page 10 and before "Garrison Bulletin" section on page 11):
8. Where is the comfort station located?
9. What does the location tell you?
10. Could the soldier or officers use the comfort stations any time they wanted to? Why?
11. How did the comfort station owners charge the fees?
12. Who do you think set these regulations on the comfort stations?
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 additional questions do you have for this document?
15. Where/How can you find the answers?
* This lesson plan was designed by Jing Williams, Associate Professor of Social Studies Education at University of South Dakota.