A+Japanese+civilian+living+in+Hiroshima+Block+A

Name: Sam Konochi Age: 38 in 1937 Gender: Male Occupation: Woodblock Print Maker Appearance: Wears glasses, and is bald. Thick lips and big nose. Very thin eyebrows. Location: Hiroshima ([|map]) Family: Mother and Father have passed away. No siblings. Education: Waseda University, major in Biology. Languages you speak: Japanese, English Your main concerns at this time and in life: There is a bombing in Hiroshima, and World War II is going on. Though he is not supposed to not know this yet, there will be a bombing in Hiroshima, that may kill him and the environment will be tainted with pollutants. Portrait (an image that you and we can live with):

February 24th, 1938



Fight. Whatever the consequence may be, I must fight. I must fight for country and my emperor. This mindset is now present in everyone else. How did this come to be? Well, now that Japan was in war China, there needed to be a recruitment of soldiers. I was starting to wonder how this would be done, but I am presuming that the government is forcing the idea of living and fighting for our emperor somehow, because it has, for sure, worked on me. I was was reading the newspaper this morning, and I saw a sign that said “The emperor has given its all, it is your turn to pay back the favour!” This had me thinking of all of the effort the emperor had put in for me, and I should, in fact, show them my gratitude. Maybe I was supposed to fight for success of the emperor now. Not the government, not for my family, not for myself, but for the emperor.

I guess you can see this as being a sort of extreme patriotism. However, this extreme patriotism is healthy for our nation, as it will help unite us all. Unlike nationalism, where it is more of hating all the other nations, we are patriots, those who love only our nation. We hold faith in our nation to perform strongly in battle against China. China has held name as a superior nation for quite some time, but we took it away from them. Clearly, they did not get the message. It is time to really show them who is and always will be at the apex of superiority.

Also, today, I met my old friend Miyuki Akita, a mother to three children, and she invited me in for a cup of tea. She brought up the topic of how her children’s textbooks were now changing. Upon reading one, I was aghast to how similar it was to the newspaper I read this morning. It was filled with different persuasive jargon that merely emphasized the part of “living for the emperor” by using an easier echelon of diction. Given that the textbook was for mere 3rd graders, it was filled with way too much obfuscating ideas. Kids at this age could not fully understand the meaning of patriotism. Miyuki could not help but agree with me about it being a bit too premature to put these ideals into a third grader’s textbook.

Keeping that in mind, I was further convinced to join the army and fight for the emperor so that the children are not forced to join due to of-age people not joining. Japan successfully took over the coastal regions of French Indochina, and who knows where we were heading next. Wherever it may be, I was planning in becoming a part of the next victory.

March 30th, 1940

In my last entry, I was hoping towards a creating a proud army that could stand with our heads held high in respect of our emperor and our nation. I do not bring good news, but nor do I bring any bad news. An outbreak has occurred. Many are starting to call this the second World War. Last time I wrote, Japan was merely on the baby steps of invading China. However, after capturing the former Chinese imperial capital of Beiping, Japan is now set to invade all of China. Word has it that China made a non-aggression pact with the Soviets to gain some material support. Despite my never-ending support for the Japanese army and emperor, I must admit that the Chinese may enhance quite drastically, considering that they are now in connection with a Western nation.

I received a letter from a friend of mine named Akainu Hachiro explaining China’s current situation. He tells me that, from what he has heard, China’s newly formed connection with Russia also required the severing of all ties between China and Germany. Japan has now successfully captured the capital Nanjing in December 1937, and also committed the Nanking Massacre, as they are calling it.

The more I hear from him, the more it makes me want to join the army. However, I know I would not be able to successfully carry out my duties as a soldier, and I am better off as woodblock print maker, living alone. Back in June of 1928, the Chinese attempted at stalling our Japanese army by flooding the Yellow River. For a few moments, I must admit, we were in some serious trouble. However, we got right back in the race by October, when we were fully encroached into the city of Wuhan. Yet, after going through all of this, Chinese still continues to thrive. They recently relocated inland to Chongqing to continue their resistance towards us.

Taking a bigger step from China, we also started our invasion into the Soviet Union and Mongolia. I must admit, we were not as successful as we were with the Chinese. Only July 29th of 1938, we invaded the USSR and fought through the Battle of Lake Khasan. People say that the Soviets prevailed, but we Japanese know that it was rather an inconclusive draw. Then on the 11th of May of 1939, we moved our Japanese-Mongolian border up the Khalkhin Gol River using force. We were successful at first, but unfortunately, we were checked by the Red Army and our Kwantung Army was defeated for the first time.

I do have somewhat of a proposal on what our government should be more focused on. Since the internal unification of Japan seems pretty stable and successful, perhaps we should start manipulating the focus of other nations to make sure they are either on our side or they will not get on our bad side. Especially regarding the Soviet government, they should try to avoid interference with our war against China and focus on the US and Europeans in the Pacific to prepare and prevent anything that may happen.

December 10th, 1940

Few months ago, specifically in September, our nation made the brilliant and successful choice of having the French invade Indochina. Having France under our rule made it easy to control what the French would do.

While our country was still fighting bravely in World War II, the Vichy France was created which gave Japan the rights for military access to Tonkin with the invasion of French Indochina. This allowed our country incredible access to Chian during the Second Sino-Japanese war. I thought after the first war, they realized that they were evidently weaker, and Japan was the superior country, yet they conflicted us again.

Chiang Kai-shek, the leader of China during the Second Sino-Japanese War, thought he could challenge Japan’s powers. However, little did he not know that this was all a part of our nation’s brilliant plan for dominion over the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. This was a concept set up by our very own Empire of Japan that emphasized Japan being the greatest influencer and leader. It wanted to spread the idea of Asian nations being lead by Japan and becoming free from Western Nations.

I must say that I am so proud to be a member of this proud nation. I received another letter from my fellow friend, Uchiha Itachi, that Japan is doing very well. He also tells me that Japan has plans of bombing the Pearl Harbour and thinks it will end with success. I could not agree more.

As our nation fights in World War II, I strongly believe our nation is becoming stronger, smarter, and better. A nation is said to suffer a lot of consequences when they lose a war, but I am sure that even if Japan were to lose, which has a marginal probability, it would only progress and never regress. After winning the First Sino-Japanese War, our nation became stronger than ever. Now it is bravely fighting in World War II.

Everything our nation has done proves our nation to be more proud day by day, and I am included as well. The fact that our nation was able to have the French invade Indochina shows our nation’s cunning, yet brilliant thinking. This will only add to the future victories we have yet to come as we progress in becoming the superior nation of Asia.

August 11th, 1945



“Success.” Or so they called it, when it lasted. At first, perhaps we could have classified it as success. After the bombing of Pearl Harbour, we could say that we were pretty successful. Singapore, Malay, Indonesia–these were the nations that our once proud nation had taken over. As we participated in numerous battles and wars, we were on a role as we went through massive invasions.

At first, yes, these victories looked somewhat magnificent at the time, but now, it seems like those victories were merely ephemeral memories to write down in this diary. Mere words and memories that will be long forgotten once crushed. Never did I imagine this would be the reality.

August 6th. August 6th, it was. The day that changed this whole nation. Oh how much I wish to write that we made another victory. However, we were not even close to a victory. I was taking a break from my woodblock painting, and getting up from my chair to get a class of water. I stood up and walked to the kitchen, and the next few seconds were a blur. A blur filled with bright lights, ineffably loud noises, smell of burning wood, and nothing but smoke to grab.

It was only after a few hours had I gained my consciousness and looked around to see all my material shattered on the floor and my walls tainted with the smell and sight of burntness. My city, Hiroshima, had been bombed.

As I walked outside my house, I saw people crying, burning, dying, and helplessly wondering what to do. It took me a while to figure it out, but I heard someone yelling in the distance, “The Americans have bombed us!” That is when it hit me. Japan’s excessive fighting and confidence may have been taken to be too extreme and was now being punished it for it.

One person's name I did hear was Mr. Klein. Someone mentioned his name while saying that he was part of the Battle of Saipan, and probably was a part of this bombing as well. At this point, nothing was set in stone for me as everything was mere confusion.

For days after, the atmosphere was now filled with morose, despair, and a lot of smoke. I went without water and food for days. Being one of the few survivors, it meant I would live the worst life anyone could imagine. However, this was not the end.

August 8th to 9th, the Soviet Union went ballistic. They declared war on our nation, as well as invaded Manchuria. As crazy as this sounds, it gets worse. After blowing up my own city and killing family, friends, and loved ones, the United States were not finished. Another thunder of sounds were heard in the distance. More screams, more smoke, more cries, and more deaths filled the air. Another atomic bomb was dropped in the city of Nagasaki. I guess it is safe to say, I know how they are feeling right now. I could say that I took the easy way out by blacking out the moment Hiroshima was bombed, and missed out most of the instant reactions, but to be stuck in the aftermath of it was devastating and petrifying all at the same time.

The United States were trying to show us that they were better than us and that we were outnumbered when it came to weaponry. They would not have launched that second bomb unless they were trying to show a sense of fear.

And finally, the Japanese Emperor has seen the reality of the ineffectiveness of fighting and retaliations. Japan finally accepted the Potsdam Declaration. This was the moment our nation surrenders. The very moment our nation accepts this declaration, we are handing our country over. However, my loyalty and patriotism remains to our the Emperor of Japan as it will remain in power.

Japan may be destroyed, bombed, and ripped into pieces, but nothing, and I mean nothing, will abolish our love and loyalty to this nation. Good things will come.