our army greatcoats and sit in a pall of sweat in our cellar. worried that there was some sudden new development in the course of the war which had obviously petrified the Japanese A few days later he came with even more disturbing news. Not only had there been a second bomb dropped, but the Americans were now dropping leaflets on cities that had not so far been attacked, advising people to leave before they were destroyed and obliterated. Our city of Fukushima had already received such a warning by leaflet on the 5th August, so we all had to be prepared for the worst. Until then we were unaware that the city had been warned to be evacuated and to be prepared for attack. During the whole war, although we had watched countless flights and squadrons of planes flying to attack various locations never knowing if we would be on their list, but fortunately we had been spared so far a full scale assault from the air. Once a B29 had dropped a bomb, and once the nearby bridge had been dive bombed but that was as far as it went.
JAPANESE SURRENDER 15th August 1945
I will quote here direct from Mother’s notes to give a better flavour of that most important of all our days for us from the time of our captivity:
“ It was the same as any other morning , the roll call on the 15th. The guard and interpreter were there and the usual regimentation went on just as it had done for the past 3 years......eyes right, eyes left, hands on hips, stand at ease, number in Japanese, all so petty. There had been no B29 air raid during the night, so no disturbed sleep. Then the first bell went at 6am and we got up, rolled up the mats ready to face another long and weary day. However on this particular morning, when this daily ordeal was over , the guard through the Interpreter informed us that lunch would be half an hour earlier. The order did not register with me its particular significance as lunch then consisted of a roll and water, but the order did cause some bitter comments from some. I was just too hungry and exhausted to care as much of my whole lunch ration went to my young son Michael every day and so it just meant collecting it earlier.
Presently just after lunch , I was sitting in my room when one of the young girls rushed in very excited. In camps there are always people walking around trying to get news or information. She said “ Do come and see, something really important is happening”.
The guard had also forgotten to lock the steel fire door that separated our quarters from the Commandant’s office, the men’s quarters, and the rest of the camp. We could see all the guards, the girl interpreters, the two Obe Sans (kitchen maids) all filing into the office, the holy of holys’. And then the radio was suddenly turned on . Never before had the wireless been on in the middle of the day. Things began to take shape at once, the early lunch, and so this was an expected broadcast. Presently in Japanese we heard the announcer, we could not understand what he said of course, and then music was played which sounded like the National Anthem .....but I was not sure. In Japan the National Anthem is played only on very rare occasions, never more than once or twice a year. Then we heard a very solemn and dignified voice speak......and I just knew that it was the Emperor Hirohito. I said so straight away although there had been no precedent before, as it was the first time that he had ever come to the microphone. Then there was an announcer again, and the anthem played a second time. We closed the door very carefully, knelt down and looked through the large keyhole and then saw the guards, the interpreters and Obe Sans filing out of the Office, each of them in tears. I shall never forget their red eyes and genuine tears streaming down their yellow faces and their obvious distress.
