Annotation source: Seoul Metropolitan Archive
Annotation and image link: https://archives.seoul.go.kr/item/35
ANNOTATION
In July 1941, the U.S. reorganized its forces in the Philippines into the United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE), to prepare for Japan’s potential aggression. Immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan invaded the Philippines, an American colony. Countering those moves, the U.S. entered into an agreement with Britain, the Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand, to organize the South West Pacific Area command (SWPA) with the USAFFE under the SWPA. SWPA collected information regarding Japan while fighting against the Japanese military in the Asia-Pacific War. They collected information from local communities, interrogated former Japanese soldiers captured as POWs, and seized and translated Japanese documents. Various intelligence agencies produced many reports based on these interrogations of POWs.
This is a USAFFE interrogation report of an American, Nathan Willian Talbot, who fought as a Filipino guerilla in the Philippines. Talbot said that, in April 1944, because venereal disease became a serious problem in Manila, the Japanese set up many “comfort houses,” employing both Japanese and Filipina girls. The report says some of these houses were solely for Japanese soldiers. In December 1941, Japanese forces made air raids on major U.S. air force bases and landed in the Philippines. During this time, the Japanese committed indiscriminate murders and sexual violence. During the time of Japanese occupation, about 50 comfort stations were created in various cities, including 12 in Manila. It was confirmed that the Japanese, Korean, and Chinese “comfort women'' were brought to those “comfort stations.”
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~
#USAFFE #Tabot #Manila #Philippines
Download file: https://international.ucla.edu/media/files/US-20-USAFFE-Interrogation-Report-No.-128-2p-ye5.pdf
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. Direct students to read "I. Personal Data" on page 1 and the "Prostitution" section on page 4. Before showing students the document, it is necessary to let students know the background of USAFFE. Teachers can find related information in the annotation (the first paragraphs).
Explain the following words to your students before asking them to read the document:
- conscientious: (of a person) wishing to do what is right
- legitimate: make lawful
- prostitution: the practice or occupation of engaging in sexual activity with someone for payment.
- prostitute: a person, in particular a woman, who engages in sexual activity for payment. It refers to the "comfort women" in the document.
- USAFFE: United States Army Forces in the Far East, a military formation of the United States Army active from 1941-1946 with General Douglas MacArthur as commander
- venereal disease: a sexually transmitted disease
Direct students to read "I. Personal Data" on page 1 and the "Prostitution" section on page 4. After reading, discuss the following questions:
1. What's the title of this document? What does the title tell you?
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. Does any of these physical characteristics interest you?
3. What year was the report created?
4. What was the historical context in East Asia during the time?
5. Who was the person under interrogation?
6. What do we know about him?
7. According to the report, who set up the "comfort stations" in Manila?
8. What nationalities of "comfort women" were mentioned?
9. What happened to hundreds of Filipina girls?
10. According to ATIS Research Report No. 120 (US-2), Part Five - Discipline, 36.c.: "Condoms or other preventives must be used for intercourse. To prevent disease, further care most [sic] be taken to insure proper laundering." According to this document (US-20), do you think this regulation was followed? Use evidence from this document to support your conclusion.
11. 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?
12. What questions do you have for this document?
13. Where can you find the answers?
* This lesson plan was designed by Jing Williams, Associate Professor of Social Studies Education at University of South Dakota.