The prisoners of Rabaul (Was: P-39's, zeros, etc.)

ost (Chris Mark) writes:

From: Gernot Hassenpflug

Chris, these stories are enough to make a man cry. If you got this
information out of a book, please post the title.

I'm looking for a good book!

I'm looking for the time to read a good book....

You would seem to be in a great position to write a book using Japanese
sources. Surely the war must be a big subject to the Japanese, but what can be
found in English from a japanese point of view is very limited. Much of what
there is appears to be related to fighter planes and pilots. I'd love to read a
book, based directly on Japanese sources, about Japanese bomber development,
tactics and operations.

Yes, being here in Japan is a boon and a curse at the same time (see
above... let alone the time to research and write a good
book). Probably when I retire I can do something useful in that line,
say in 30 years or so. In the meanwhile I am afraid dedicated
historians will have to do that work as best they can - the more
decide to do their post-graduate studies or further in Japan the
better. Actually my interest is more in the individual, personal,
tales of ordinary Japanese soldiers and civilians than the technical
aspects these days. These accounts are most difficult to find in
translated form, and when they are, they tend to be one-dimensional
because the whole background of culture is washed out in the
translation.

I suppose it is about time I wrapped it up. (But then I'll
lose my excuse for business deductions of trips to the Greek Isles and Capri!)

:-)

Regards,
Gernot
--
G Hassenpflug * IJN & JMSDF equipment/history fan